CITB launches building safety project to upskill façade workers

Wigan-based 3B Training Ltd – a multi-accredited CITB Approved Training Organisation that recently became part of the Morson Group – has been awarded the two-year contract for the exclusive delivery of the pilot programme across England, Scotland and Wales.

In December last year, in direct response to the findings from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry, the Government published its Remediation Acceleration Plan, outlining its ambition to accelerate the pace of remediation for buildings in England with unsafe cladding.

Similarly, the Scottish Government has launched several schemes, providing millions in funding to accelerate the pace of building safety assessments and remediation works. The Welsh Government also introduced its Building Safety (Wales) Bill in July this year with the intent of establishing clearer lines of responsibility for managing building safety risks.

In order to ensure industry’s preparedness to support the Government’s initiatives, the CITB has been working with employers, Government and other stakeholders to put in place updated training for the inspection and installation of façades that meets improved fire safety standards.

The Government has set stringent targets for the removal of unsafe materials and for the installation of improved and compliant rainscreen façade systems for high-risk buildings. The CITB’s project provides training opportunities for installers and supervisors in the rainscreen façade sector to allow clear pathways and training standards.

Competent and skilled

Tim Balcon, CEO at the CITB, said: “People across the country need to feel assured that we have a competent and skilled workforce to deliver the urgently required remediation works that will prevent tragedies like the Grenfell Tower fire from ever happening again. Our research shows investment is needed to ensure we have the capability and competency, so we’re working with Governments, industry and the Construction Leadership Council to publish these new standards for training providers across the country and increase the number of competent installers and supervisors as quickly as possible.”

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government noted: “We’re proud to support the CITB and the Industry Competence Steering Group in launching an innovative short course training programme. This initiative aims to increase the number of qualified façade installers and site supervisors, ensuring the industry has the capacity and capability to meet the targets set by the Remediation Acceleration Plan. We encourage industry stakeholders to take advantage of this training opportunity  and support the Government’s ambition of making buildings safer.”

Mathew Bewley, managing director at 3B Training Ltd, affirmed: “One of the key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry was that the installers of cladding systems should undergo mandatory standardised training. Along with being appointed to deliver this training, we will also assemble a Steering Group of experts to help define the course content.”

Bewley concluded: “It’s a source of both enormous pride and responsibility to deliver this work, which will fulfil this recommendation and help to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell can never occur again.”