SOCOTEC updates asbestos training course

In response to ongoing client feedback, additional visual and factual information has been added to the UKATA Asbestos Awareness e-learning course to improve the user’s overall learning experience, all while keeping the content in line with current course syllabus and relevant legislation, control measures and health and safety guidelines. 

Causing over 5,000 deaths a year (with an average of 20 tradesmen dying each week as a result of past exposure), asbestos was formerly renowned for its insulating and fire retardant properties, having been widely used within the construction industry in such materials as roofing, pipes and brickwork up until the nationwide ban in 1999. However, the fibrous mineral can still be located across 1.5m buildings in the UK, thereby increasing the likelihood for workers to come into contact with the substance. 

As a legal requirement for those who could foreseeably encounter or disturb asbestos as part of their working activities, the two-hour Asbestos Awareness course is fully approved by UKATA, a leading UK authority on asbestos training. Produced in line with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 and available to access anywhere, anytime and on any device, subject matter covered within the Asbestos Awareness training course includes:

• History of asbestos, properties and where it was used/can be found

• Associated health effects/symptoms 

• Legal frameworks and how to comply

• How to respond accordingly in the event of exposure/disturbance. 

Regular refresher training is recommended, with UKATA advising that delegates complete the Asbestos Awareness every 12 months. Not only does this ensure that their knowledge is completely refreshed, it also ensures that employees remain completely up-to-date with their organisation’s health and safety policies. 

“SOCOTEC is committed to providing the very best in classroom-based and online learning, and the updates to the UKATA Asbestos Awareness training course are a prime example of our commitment to providing a total service solution for our clients,” said Gavin Clarke, operations director, Health & Safety, SOCOTEC UK. 

“As one of our most popular courses on SOCOTEC’s online Shop, we hope that users of the Asbestos Awareness online training will enjoy an enhanced learning experience that is tailored to their health and safety needs, while also ensuring that their respective organisations continue to operate safely and in full compliance with the relevant legislation.” 

The UKATA Asbestos Awareness course is available via SOCOTEC’s online Shop, along with a wide range of training opportunities, many of which have been developed in a virtual/remote format in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To celebrate the new updates to the Asbestos Awareness online training, the course will be available at a discounted price until the end of January 2021. 

For additional information about the UKATA Asbestos Awareness training, click here or get in touch with a member of SOCOTEC’s Health & Safety Consultancy. Alternatively, find out more about SOCOTEC’s wide range asbestos management services, or sign up to our Asbestos Uncovered e-newsletter.