MYTHS AND REALITY

There have been numerous articles in the trade magazines about training in the recent past which have contributed to the many myths currently circulating in the recovery industry.

Discussions with the Highways Agency, who are driving the development of
a Sector Scheme for vehicle recovery at highway construction sites, highlighted the need to nationally benchmark training and competency of technicians throughout the industry. The HA scheme has provided the impetus to develop this with the trade associations, motoring organisations and ACPO under the auspices of the National Highways Sector Scheme (NHSS) for vehicle recovery.
The training and associated assessment is based on the National Occupational Standards, developed by the industry and Automotive Skills.

On 3rd May 2006 the NHSS committee confirmed that the training and assessment of technicians would be administered by the Institute of Vehicle Recovery, and set tight targets for the completion and implementation of its objectives. The initial targets for achieving this are;

· Development of the Induction modules……………September 2006
· Development of the Light recovery modules…….…December 2006
· Development of the Heavy recovery modules…..….December 2006
· Development of the Motorcycle modules……….....December 2006

Implementation of the training and assessment scheme will be introduced initially as a mandatory requirement for Highway construction sites for contracts awarded from September 2006. Organisations involved in this will need to arrange for the training to be implemented according to the requirements of their contracts.
(It may also be the case that similar requirements have been included in existing contracts.)

With the development of the Active Traffic Management and Incident Support Units on the Strategic Road Network, the HA and ACPO will ultimately be looking for competent recovery organisations to undertake vehicle recovery under contract on their behalf. Such organisations will need to have technicians qualified to the National Training and Assessment Standards.

SURVIVE, also represented on the NHSS, have confirmed that the National Scheme for the Training and Assessment of Technicians will be considered for inclusion in the next revision of PAS 43 as a requirement for organisations being assessed to future PAS 43 standards.

The IVR has formed a new company, IVR (UK) Ltd, to undertake the administrator's role and allow it to keep separate the membership of the Institute. It has been tasked with setting up and administering the training scheme with the following responsibilities:

· Setting up and administering a national database of technicians
· Issuing all training certificates for the scheme
· Issuing training identity cards
· Setting standards for instructors
· Registration of instructors
· Auditing training
· Verifying training
· Setting training standards
· Liaising with other authorities
· Providing a transitional scheme
· Providing a complaints and appeals procedure

A series of modules will form the basis of the training. These will consist of three modules which will form all or part of an organisation's induction programme.

They are:

• Health and Safety (To include a manual handling course)
• Customer Service
• Roadside Safety

The remaining modules are split up as follows:

Light vehicle recovery technician.
· VR04-Ancillary equipment
· VR05-Spectacle frames
· VR06-Transporters
· VR07-Winching(accident recovery)
Motorcycle recovery technician.
· VR08-Handling motorcycles
· VR09-Ancillary equipment
· VR10-Recovery using a spec-frame
· VR11-Recovery using a transporter
Heavy vehicle recovery technician.
· VR12-Ancillary equipment
· VR13-Underlift recovery equipment
· VR14-Twin boom recovery equipment
· VR15-transporters(Low loaders)
· VR16-Winching(accident recovery)

There are currently two additional modules.
· VR17-Lorry Loaders
· VR18-Air cushions

It is envisaged that the modules required for a highway construction site, in addition to 1, 2 and 3, will be determined by the requirements of the main contractor. Modules required at national level are yet to be determined.

Experienced technicians may be assessed independently without the necessity to undergo a formal training course, and providing the minimum standards are achieved, would be certificated for that module. Where a technician does not achieve the required standard they would need to undergo the full course for that module.

The transitional scheme for highway construction sites will run until September 2007 and thereafter it is likely that the national scheme will follow on almost immediately, perhaps with its own transitional period.

It has been clear from the outset that training in the recovery industry needed to become more consistent and accountable and this was agreed by all parties involved in these discussions. The end result being, safer, better trained and more loyal members of staff for the organisations operating in this dangerous and demanding environment. This is the reality.

National Highway Sector Schemes