An experienced supervisor has urged workers in the engineering construction industry (ECI) to keep their safety passports up to date to ensure everyone stays safe on site.
Daniel Williamson, 35, who works for Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, has been a CCNSG Safety Passport holder for 13 years and says making sure health and safety knowledge is kept current and relevant is vital when working in hazardous environments.
The fabrication supervisor has worked in the industry 18 years, a decade with Ledwood in Pembrokeshire, and believes renewing safety cards helps prevent complacency.
The CCNSG Safety Passport is the nationally recognised safety card for the ECI and often a pre-requisite for workers to enter UK sites.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s (ECITB) quality-assured CCNSG course is suitable for all members of the workforce, providing enhanced health and safety awareness to help reduce accidents.
“It’s a really good programme,” said Daniel. “It’s like guidance for how you should be working within these environments.
“It’s important because it keeps myself and people around me safe. When you come to work you want to go home in the same state, nobody wants to go to work to get hurt.”
Renewing provides reassurance
Ledwood is an engineering, fabrication, coating and construction company specialising in energy production and processing industries.
As an ECITB-approved training provider, Ledwood delivers in-house courses to its workers, such as the CCNSG Safety Passport. It has delivered the safety scheme since 2013, which helps it plan courses around contract work and tailor content to mechanical engineering.
CCNSG safety cards are valid for three years after completion and can be renewed up to six months before the expiry date through a one-day renewal course or test-only route. If card holders fail to renew before the expiry date, they must re-do the two-day course to secure a new passport.
Daniel has been through the renewal process several times and insists it is about much more than ensuring workers can access sites.
“Renewing your CCNSG Safety Passport keeps things relevant, keeps your awareness high and stops complacency as the regulations are constantly changing,” he added.
“I’ve learnt something new sitting the renewal course each time, so I find it helpful. It definitely keeps things current and relevant to what we are doing.
“There’s reassurance that everyone’s been through it, everyone should share the same knowledge and follow the same practices.”
