Latest News

IPAF revamps Load/Unload Course

30/11/2020

Following on from a comprehensive review of the worldwide data they receive on accident reporting and near misses, IPAF have revamped and updated their Loading & Unloading course.

A small working group of members of the IPAF Training Committee, including Paul Roddis (IPAF Training Manager) and lead by Martin Wraith (IPAF Auditor), took on the task of taking the existing Load/Unload course and, incorporating the information from the accident reporting database, giving it a new look to bring it in line with the current Operator and MEWPs For Managers courses.

The course now includes much more visual referencing, is designed to be more interactive for the course participants and provide a much better learning experience during the theory session. The course has also been adapted to allow for loading and unloading during the practical session to be for other types of plant equipment, such as fork lift trucks or diggers, as well as MEWPs.

Paul Roddis says: “The IPAF Load/Unload course has been reviewed off the back of the accident statistics showing that the people most likely to be harmed in a MEWP-related incident are delivery drivers. We believed that there was more the course could offer in terms of equipping and protecting operatives loading and unloading MEWPs, and we wanted to do more to help protect them. This updated training course does exactly that.

“In terms of visual enhancements, the new course incorporates a new IPAF fleet of delivery vehicles starting with a 4x4 with trailer, a 3.5t flat-bed van, a 7.5t beaver-tail, as well as a 26t rigid and a 40t articulated HGV trailer.”

For details regarding the IPAF Load/Unload course, please contact our office

COVID-19 Update

13/5/2020

On 11th April 2020, the government announced its plan to start easing lockdown restrictions in a phased manner, with the aim being to return life to as close to normal as possible, for as many people as possible, as fast and fairly as possible in a way that avoids a new epidemic, minimises lives lost and maximises health, economic and social outcomes.

Along with a lot of other businesses, RSC Training Ltd is a business that cannot be solely done at home. Following on from the governments decision that businesses who cannot work from home should be actively encouraged to go back to work from 13th April 2020, we have made the decision to reopen our Training Centre and be available to run courses.

We will be putting in place certain new measures to ensure that we are in line with all government requirements for being COVID-19 Secure in our Training Centre and in how we conduct our training courses, to ensure the safety of ourselves and our customers.

Like all other businesses in the UK, we are closely monitoring the current situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how its effects are impacting how we run our business during these uncertain times. We very much respect and support the governments decisions during this time and will continue to do our bit to help overcome the virus during the next few weeks and months ahead.

We sincerely hope you all remain safe and healthy during this time and we look forward to welcoming you back to our Training Centre in the near future.

IPAF launches updated MEWPs For Managers course

10/6/2019

This month sees the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) launch its brand new updated version of the MEWPs For Managers training course, which now also includes the new E-Learning module, and brings this course up to date and in line with the already existing Operator course.

The MEWPs For Managers course is aimed at managers and supervisors who's work includes or will include planning, supervising and managing of working at height that includes mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) and the operators of this equipment, without them being the person using the equipment themselves.

Paul Roddis, Training Manager at IPAF, is quoted as saying about the new course:
(Quote from article on IPAF website)

“MEWPs for Managers has received a much-awaited upgrade and is also available as eLearning for the first time. This will make it very convenient for project planners, site managers and supervisors to fit this essential training into their busy schedules.
“The updated course has been completely overhauled to make it easier to directly apply the learning in the real world. The redesigned course considers the whole process of MEWP management, from selecting the right machine, properly training the appropriate operators and providing the right protections, through securing the MEWPs to organising safe delivery and collection of the plant to and from work sites. It’s very comprehensive.
“The course is engaging, challenging and rewarding and is a must for all persons who plan, supervise, manage or control the use of MEWPs in the workplace. It now utilises interactive 360-degree graphics and virtual scenarios that contextualise specific hazards and requires candidates to put various pieces of risk assessment and technical and safety guidance together to identify and control identified risks.
“We are confident that the updated course, whether in the eLearning version or the tutor-led modules, promotes higher-order thinking skills and will aid retention of learning. The course is currently being rolled out in English-speaking IPAF territories including the UK & Ireland, North America and the Middle East, while work continues apace to complete translations into all official IPAF training languages. The course will also be released in German, and other languages, during 2019.”

As well as the standard Instructor led classroom based course, the course is now also available as an E-Learning module, meaning you can do the course in the comfort of your home or office, in your own time, at your own pace, on compatible PCs and tablets. This makes getting this training completed much easier to fit around the busy schedules which managers and supervisors may have.

The E-Learning module also makes use of sophisticated facial recognition software throughout the entire module, including the evaluation, to ensure the delegates identity throughout and to prevent fraudulant activities.

RSC Training Director Richard Chapman commented: "The MEWPs For Managers course was long overdue an upgrade to bring it up to date and on par with the Operator course! Its a lot more involved and engaging for those coming along to do the course now and it covers everything a manager needs to know about managing MEWPs in the workplace."

Richard added: "The E-Learning option could also prove to be quite popular, as it makes life so much easier for the customer to schedule the training around their own timetables, which saves them taking time out from their normal jobs to complete the training."

For further information on this course, please visit our MEWPs For Managers page.

Contact us on 0203 794 0798 or info@rsc-training.co.uk to discuss your training requirements.

IPAF Loading/Unloading Course now available

7/11/2018

RSC Training is pleased to announce that the IPAF Loading/Unloading training course has now been officially added to our list of IPAF courses we can offer.

Although it has always been an option to offer this course, recently our Instructor Richard has also added this to the list of courses he can run, which gives RSC Training much more scope to offer this course to our customers.

As the process of loading and unloading of mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) can be potentially risky, with about a third of all accidents reported by rental companies to IPAF involving delivery drivers, there is a need to ensure that those persons involved are suitably trained, have access to any relevant information and are following safe practices.

For further information on this course, please visit our IPAF Loading/Unloading page.

Contact us on 0203 794 0798 or info@rsc-training.co.uk to discuss your training requirements.

Virtual Reality becoming.....a Reality!

19/7/2018

The advancement of technology in the Work At Height sector has been more and more evident in recent times and has now extended into the virtual world.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) recently showcased their new Virtual Reality (VR) simulator at Intermat 2018 in Paris, France, and then at Vertikal Days 2018 in Donington Park, UK, allowing users to experience operating boom lifts and scissor lifts in a variety of scenarios without their feet ever leaving the ground.

RSC Training Director Richard Chapman tried the VR simulator at Vertikal Days and commented on the experience:

“I was really looking forward to Vertikal Days this year as I was eager to try the new VR simulator that everyone has been talking about, and it did not disappoint! The graphics and the effects of being in the simulator were so realistic, you really do feel like you are elevating even though you know your feet are still on the ground!

I went through a couple of the scenarios available, including completing an entire mock scissor test (which I passed!) and was very impressed with the level of detail and how the simulator identified you immediately of any faults you made.”

The technology seems to have been a hit with everyone who has used it, however IPAF are keen to get feedback on the simulator and ways it could be improved. They are actively inviting anyone who has used the simulator to have their say in IPAFs online consultation by filling out a short survey at www.ipaf.org/VRconsultation.

Richard added: “It will be interesting to see where this technology goes and how it can be integrated into training and other aspects surrounding Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs). I don’t think it will replace the need for a traditional training course, but it will find its place somewhere.”

Not to be outdone by IPAF, the Prefabricated Access Suppliers & Manufacturers Association (PASMA) have also recently launched their own VR simulator for Mobile Access Towers. This was recently on display at the Annual Members Conference in Coventry, UK.

Richard commented: "I’ve not yet used the PASMA VR simulator, though I did witness a few others have a go with some interesting and humorous results! People I know who have been working within the industry for many more years than me testing the effects of what falling from a tower would be like, including some physically falling over!

It’s a work in progress with PASMA, and I’m sure it will get better and better. As with IPAF, we will wait and see as to where this technology integrates into our industry in the next few years."

WernerCo Launches New BOSS Tower Range

18/5/2018

WernerCo, the US based owner of Boss, have recently launched their updated and improved range of Cantilever towers, including the End-Linked Tower and the Extended End Tower pictured above, as featured in the above article, in to the market.

At RSC Training, one of the Advanced PASMA Training Courses we provide is the PASMA Towers With Cantilevers course, which is aimed at persons who already hold a valid PASMA Towers For Users PhotoID card and who's work includes or will include being responsible for the assembly, dismantling, altering and moving of mobile access towers with cantilevers and how to safely do so without risk of personal injury to themselves or others.

As Boss is one of the most well known and well used manufacturers of Mobile Tower Scaffolding, we have therefore chosen to use their equipment on our training courses too. The pictured Extended End Cantilever tower shown above is the tower you can expect to build when attending one of our PASMA Towers With Cantilevers courses at our Training Centre in Woolwich, London.

For more information or to book on to a course, contact us on 0203 794 0798 or email info@rsc-training.co.uk

Half Day Fridays!

20/11/2017

Who doesn't want to work all day on a Friday??

Neither do we! So with that in mind, we've introduced on our Course Calendar a Half Day Friday, to be run on the last Friday of every month and give you the option of planning in one of our half day training courses. These are the courses we have available to choose from:

Why not look to get yourself booked on to one of these courses? We can run these courses in either a morning or an afternoon session. Courses will be booked on a first come first served basis, but other dates can be made available, and are all subject to availability.

Speak to us about Half Day Friday courses on 0203 794 0798 or info@rsc-training.co.uk

1b training available again

29/9/2017

It has seemed like an eternity to wait, but finally we have got our Nifty 90 machine back from the repair shop, and as you can see from the above pictures, it's looking good! We are now in a position to be able to offer Static Boom (1b) training again as well as our regular Mobile Vertical (3a) and Mobile Boom (3b) categories.

The Static Boom category is arguably the most diverse that IPAF have, which opens the Operator up to many different types of machines, including the following:

Trailer Mounted (as our Nifty 90 is)
Truck/Lorry Mounted
Vehicle/Van Mounted
Track Mounted (Spider machines)

Why not look to get yourself trained on this category, or add this category to your existing card? You can cover this category either on its own via our Single Category course or as a combination via our Dual Category course.

Speak to us about Static Boom training on 0203 794 0798 or info@rsc-training.co.uk

To get a brief overview of our Nifty 90 machine before you come on the course, see the below Manufacturer's video.

RSC keeping it in the community

4/5/2017

Back in November 2016, PASMA held its annual Tower Week and RSC Training Ltd Director and Instructor Richard Chapman won the Tower Master Challenge for the most selfies taken with different types of towers in that week pictured left.

As a result of that, PASMA awarded Richard and 5 of his colleagues at RSC Training a pizza lunch on them. The logistics of arranging this lunch, combined with busy working schedules all round, meant that the lunch was going to be arranged early in the new year.

After a bit of a discussion at RSC Training HQ, it was decided that having a pizza lunch ourselves was going to be too much pizza for us to eat, not to mention the New Year healthy eating plans that some of us were going to be doing, so we discussed ideas for what to do with several large pizzas!

The idea was then mentioned of giving the pizzas away to someone less fortunate than us in the local area. So we put it out on social media for suggestions for a local charity that would appreciate and benefit from having a lunch on us, and after a few people offered their suggestions, the decision was taken to donate the pizzas to Emmaus Greenwich.

The decision was not a difficult one either, as it turns out RSC Training Director Lyndsey Wright went to school with one of the managers of our local Emmaus branch, Clare Cowen. So once Emmaus was suggested, they got to talking and arrangements were made for representatives of RSC Training to be shown round their main branch in Plumstead by Clare and then for the pizzas to be delivered there that same evening.

Not able to make the daytime meeting due to work commitments, our Tower Master Richard was on hand in the evening to be met by Malcolm, a long standing resident who has benefitted from the work Emmaus do within the homeless community, to receive 12 large pizzas from Domino's Pizza in Welling pictured right with the delivery driver. Our thanks should also go to the manager at Domino's who did us a very good deal on the pizzas!

Malcolm and other residents at Emmaus (nearly 35 in total) were all very grateful for their food, and we're told that Clare and the other staff member were also saved a few slices too!

To find out more about the work Emmaus Greenwich do in helping the homeless, please visit their website or look them up on social media.

All new 'Women Only' courses launched

8/3/2017

Wednesday 8th March 2017 sees the return of the annual International Women's Day, which has been observed since the early 1900s to celebrate the achievements of women around the world in all aspects of life.

Here at RSC Training we thought this would therefore be the ideal day to launch our latest initiative.....Women ONLY courses!

In our experience, people who attend our courses are generally men, as the industries where these people work are very much male orientated environments. Although we do have women on our regular courses, we felt it would be a good idea to offer the option of running courses exclusively just for women.

The aim of running these courses is to give women an option to attend a course where they might be more comfortable learning with just other women and not potentially be intimidated by men attending the course too.

The first of these courses we have scheduled in is a PASMA Towers For Users course on Thursday 27th April 2017 at our Training Centre in Woolwich. If this date is not possible for you to attend and you would prefer an alternative date, please see our Course Calendar page for dates we have and speak to us about organising a course for you.

Should this initiative be successful, we will be looking to open this up as an option for all of the training we provide, so we can not only provide a unique training environment for women but also be able to help women advance and develop themselves within the industries they work or are looking to work in.

#BeBoldForChange

For more information or to book on to a course, contact us or call us on 0203 794 0798.