CITB Plant Standards and Grants changes update

CITB has announced an update to planned changes to its plant standards and grants to standardise training and testing requirements across the construction industry.

Excellent progress has been made and we are pleased to confirm that the first set of new standards are ready and have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups made up of employers, providers and federations. As these new standards are more detailed than any CITB have produced previously and represent a real change in the way that plant training and testing is delivered, we need to ensure that the changes that industry have asked for are fulfilled properly.

Working closely with the cards schemes delivering them it is estimated that the changes will come into effect in Spring, to allow enough time to properly put in place the necessary training ahead of roll out in this safety critical area.

CITB’s Christopher Simpson, Head of Quality and Standards, said: “Although we had hoped to be able to introduce the new standards in January, it is absolutely necessary to get it right for industry and properly implement the changes that have been called for. We are confident the extra time will allow for this, and we will see the changes come into effect in Spring.

“The introduction of these changes will help standardise and improve the quality and consistency of plant training; increase the amount of plant training that takes place before testing; and increase the number of people trained in plant operations, particularly new entrants to construction.

“By responding to the changing needs of the sector, we continue to focus on our priority of supporting the construction industry to have a skilled, competent and inclusive workforce now and in the future.”

Peter Brown, acting PSRO Secretariat said “The PSRO Technical Review Group along with industry representatives have invested much time, energy and effort through the attendance on working groups to provide enhanced technical training content and delivery requirements for the first batch of plant standards.

“The PSRO and industry group members have worked with CITB to highlight the need to allow ample time for the development and introduction phases so that the standards, sought by industry to harmonise skill and knowledge requirements for plant operations, are both appropriate, fit-for-purpose and are deliverable when released.

"We therefore support CITB’s decision to only release the first batch, being the model for all of the remaining standards, when all those involved in both delivery and auditing have their requisite arrangements fully in place.”