Asbestos Awareness Training -
UKATA Approved Courses
UKATA Asbestos Awareness training is required to be given to employees whose work could expose them to asbestos.
It should be provided to all demolition, refurbishment, maintenance and allied trades, as it is foreseeable that their work will disturb the fabric of the building. This is because ACMs (asbestos containing materials) have the possibility of being disturbed and/or damaged while work is carried out.
Asbestos Awareness training is also a legal requirement. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 place a duty upon employers to provide appropriate training for all workers who are likely to be exposed to asbestos, along with those who supervise or oversee these works.
What is a UKATA certificate?
A UKATA certificate has a validity period of one year and is awarded to the delegate online immediately after course completion. You will need to buy a license for the candidate who is taking the course. Therefore, multiple licenses would need to be purchased for a group of candidates.
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SOCOTEC offers the following UKATA training courses:
UKATA Asbestos Awareness Online
UKATA Asbestos Awareness Training
How often should asbestos awareness training be renewed?
A UKATA Asbestos Awareness certificate is valid for 12 months (365 days) from the date of issue, and delegates are then required to renew it to retain UKATA certification.
This is a requirement of the UKATA scheme rather than of the regulations. Under Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, employers must provide information, instruction and training at regular intervals, adapted to take account of significant changes in the type of work or methods of work used. HSE's position is that there is no legal requirement to repeat a full awareness course every year, provided suitable refresher content is given — which can be delivered as part of other health and safety updates. Refresher training for licensable and non-licensable work with asbestos should be given annually, based on a training needs analysis.
Is a UKATA certificate a legal requirement?
A relevant level of asbestos training is a legal requirement under Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This is to ensure that employees are able to carry out their work effectively and safely. In addition, the employer has a legal duty to consider which type of asbestos training is best suited to meet the requirement of providing 'adequate' training.
The legal requirement is to provide adequate information, instruction and training — not to hold a particular certificate. A UKATA certificate is a recognised way of demonstrating that training has been given, and of providing the training records an employer is expected to keep.
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How long does an asbestos awareness certificate last?
The types of UKATA training available are UKATA Asbestos Awareness (online), Asbestos Awareness Refresher training and private in-house Asbestos Awareness training.
An asbestos awareness certificate lasts for one year. When this date expires, you would then need to undertake a refresher training course; UKATA allows a grace period for awareness delegates to sit refresher training after the expiry date (currently six months), subject to a suitable training needs analysis. The 12-month period ensures that the knowledge you have gained from asbestos awareness training is maintained. However, the frequency of refresher asbestos training should be reviewed on the basis of individual requirements.
The UKATA Asbestos Awareness course is online and can be completed in two to three hours. The Asbestos Awareness Refresher Training is a private in-house course, which runs for two hours. The Asbestos Awareness Training Course is also private and in-house, and is held for half a day.
Employers are responsible for their employees’ safety and must therefore ensure that their knowledge is up-to-date and fresh in terms of awareness on the risks of asbestos – particularly for members of staff who don’t often come across asbestos as part of their work. This is why UKATA certification for asbestos awareness runs for 12 months before it needs renewing, even where an employer's training needs analysis suggests refresher content might otherwise be delivered less formally.
The types of UKATA training available are UKATA Asbestos Awareness (online), Asbestos Awareness Refresher training and private in-house Asbestos Awareness training.
An asbestos awareness certificate lasts for one year. When this date expires, you would then need to undertake a refresher training course; UKATA allows a grace period for awareness delegates to sit refresher training after the expiry date (currently six months), subject to a suitable training needs analysis. The 12-month period ensures that the knowledge you have gained from asbestos awareness training is maintained. However, the frequency of refresher asbestos training should be reviewed on the basis of individual requirements.
The UKATA Asbestos Awareness course is online and can be completed in two to three hours. The Asbestos Awareness Refresher Training is a private in-house course, which runs for two hours. The Asbestos Awareness Training Course is also private and in-house, and is held for half a day.
Employers are responsible for their employees’ safety and must therefore ensure that their knowledge is up-to-date and fresh in terms of awareness on the risks of asbestos – particularly for members of staff who don’t often come across asbestos as part of their work. This is why UKATA certification for asbestos awareness runs for 12 months before it needs renewing, even where an employer's training needs analysis suggests refresher content might otherwise be delivered less formally.
What type of asbestos training do I need?
Asbestos Awareness training can be completed either online or in person. Its main purpose is to inform workers and professionals who may stumble upon asbestos-laden materials on a typical working day.
There are three training categories available via SOCOTEC’s shop:
- Asbestos Awareness
- Non-licensable work with asbestos
- Licensable work with asbestos.
Licensable work with asbestos training is suitable for those who are physically extracting asbestos-laden materials from buildings. These workers must have received a sufficient amount of instruction and training and must use the correct respiratory and protective equipment before being allowed to carry out licensed asbestos work. Meanwhile, training for those carrying out non-licensable work with asbestos is intended for tradespeople who may have a possibility of disturbing asbestos-based materials during their typical working day.
The category you need is determined by the work you carry out, not by the property you are working in. Asbestos awareness training does not permit work that disturbs ACMs: non-licensable work with asbestos requires additional task-specific training, and licensable work requires a licence from HSE as well as the higher level of training described above.
Benefits of asbestos awareness training
Asbestos awareness training is incredibly important for employees to have. It is beneficial to ensure that this knowledge is consistently up-to-date, as it means that workers will always be aware of the severity of the risks posed by asbestos. It also provides the candidate with the knowledge and skills needed in order to work in a safe manner to avoid disturbing asbestos, as well as explaining how to deal with asbestos-related emergencies, should they occur. This will help ensure that delegates keep themselves and others safe from potential asbestos exposure. Employers should also keep a record of the training each employee has received, including the date and content, so that compliance can be demonstrated and refresher dates tracked.
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Asbestos awareness training can be completed in a variety of affordable, flexible and easily accessible options:
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