Upsurge in course interest, thanks to EXPO initiatives
An upsurge in the number of enquiries regarding the new asbestos in soils and groundwork courses from the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) is being ascribed to a successful attendance at the Contamination EXPO Series at London’s prestigious ExCeL at the end of September.
EXPO highlights included UKATA Director and Chair of Membership Chris Bishop addressing Theatre 12 and the Association being joined by Mesothelioma Warrior Mavis Nye, and UKATA exhibiting Members AEC and Shield Environmental.
“The EXPO was an opportunity to deliver UKATA’s message to over 3,000 delegates and we are now starting to reap the benefits of attendance,” said UKATA General Manager Craig Evans. “The keynote speech by Chris was very well received and with the government’s new target of 300,000 new homes by the middle of the next decade, coupled with £1.1bn to unlock strategic sites for development, a working knowledge of asbestos in soils is going to prove more important than ever.”
The Contamination Expo was the perfect platform both to launch WYG as UKATA’s first approved Asbestos in Soils Awareness training provider and to see a UKATA expert like Chris Bishop bring delegates up to speed on asbestos in soils. With a unique combination of management and training expertise and years of experience in asbestos surveying, removal and land remediation, with emphasis on asbestos in soils, Chris was able to explain why the latest courses from UKATA on soils awareness for groundworkers are now so key for workers in the construction sector.
The courses cover everything from the types, uses and the visible manifestation of asbestos in soils, to understanding and interpreting soil reports, while highlighting the general procedures that need to be followed in the event of an emergency and how to avoid the risks from ACMs in soil.
“While promoting opportunities for UKATA membership, our key aim was to deliver awareness of asbestos in soils and the asbestos courses we now offer for groundworkers,” added Craig. “Asbestos remains the UK’s biggest workplace killer and with so much new construction on the horizon, educating employers and employees on the risks and the regulations is going to be a priority for several years to come.”
During the show we also had the opportunity to continue to build on existing relationships with likeminded associations and stakeholders which included The European Asbestos Forum, UKATA Charity of the year Mesothelioma UK, IATP and ACAD.
UKATA is the leading authority for asbestos training provision in the United Kingdom. Tasked by the HSE in 2008 to manage the licensed asbestos training providers, UKATA has gone from strength to strength and now has over 180 member organisations from all corners of the UK.
Media Enquiries:
Victoria Castelluccio, Marketing Officer
victoria.castelluccio@ukata.org.uk
01246 824437
Published on Tuesday 6th February 2018