Sparrows Training is the first training centre to gain approval to award the OPITO industry standard for LOLER Competent Person.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) is a UK regulation and is recognised globally by multi-national companies as endorsing industry best practice in lifting operations.

On presenting Sparrows Training the approval at its Tyrebagger Training Centre in Aberdeen, OPITO Group chief executive officer, David Doig said: “LOLER has made an important contribution to increasing safety in lifting operations. The new OPITO standard allows our industry to assess, manage and assure competence among the key personnel who control these safety-critical activities. I’m delighted to see Sparrows, a leader in lifting safety, taking the lead again as the first to offer assessment against this new OPITO standard.”

Each candidate is assessed over two days on both theory and practical elements. These include knowledge of regulations and safe systems of work, risk assessment and planning of rigging and lifting operations, management of lifting equipment, conducting tool-box talks and coaching/supervision of lifting teams.

Sparrows’ head of global training services, Susan Fraser said: “Every lifting activity has to be planned and overseen by a Competent Person as defined in LOLER 1998, but the standard of competence was only defined by the cross-industry training work party in early 2010.”

Candidates meeting the OPITO standard will be issued with the OPITO endorsed certificate of competence to act as a LOLER Competent Person in the workplace. Industry may define LOLER Competent Person by another title e.g. ‘Site Focal Point’, ‘Lifting Competent Person’ or even ‘Barge Engineer’.

Mrs Fraser continues: “Sparrows always seeks to lead on standards for training and competence. My team contributed to the development of the OPITO standard for LOLER Competent Person, so I was keen that we would also be at the forefront in offering the industry a robust assessment strategy matching the new standard’s requirements.”

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