New safety courses for people who work by water

Canals and rivers can be dangerous places, whether you are on holiday or earning your living. A new range of water safety courses for people who work by water is now available.

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) has developed the National Water Safety Management Programme (NWSMP) to provide a flexible occupational water safety management training solution for a wide range of employers who require their workforce to operate safely in or near water; and, importantly, to facilitate compliance with Statutory and Civil obligations that many organisations had not considered, for personnel working near water margins.

Water Safety training has now been added to the wide range of mainly commercial training courses offered by ‘Birmingham & Midland Marine Services’ based at Gailey Wharf on the Staffs & Worcester Canal in Staffordshire. On the main A5, just off Junction 12 of the M6 motorway at Gailey Wharf, they will be familiar to many boaters because of the canal side round tower. They offer training courses predominantly for the commercial sector; working on or near the water; the Royal Life Saving Societies’ National Water Safety Management Programme being the latest vocational course in a suite of courses offered under various National Governing Bodies. Leisure training and short breaks are also available aboard the upmarket hire fleet of JD Boat Services (Gailey) Limited. ‘Birmingham & Midland Marine Services’ training is accredited by the Maritime & CoastGuard Agency, the Royal Yachting Association, the Inland Waterways Association and now the Royal Life Saving Society. They are also Canal and River Trust’s workboat training provider and external assessors  for their internal CAATS’ scheme for training on workboats.

The RLSS NWSMP programme aims to help employers meet their civil and statutory water safety management obligations, especially where employees have supervisory responsibilities in or near water. Many people working near the water margins receive minimal or no water safety training due to water safety training often taking a back seat compared to more traditional and recognised health and safety training. Through consultation with industry and lead bodies, RLSS UK has identified this gap in water safety training provision and launched NWSMP to close the gap, improving water safety across a wide range of working environments and operational sectors.

The aims of the NWSMP are to:
Equip anyone working in, on or near water with essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about managing safety
Enable group leaders to deliver safer activity at open water sites
Develop occupational water safety skills for employees working around the water margins
Facilitate compliance with Statutory and Civil obligations, especially the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with related regulations and covering Safe Systems of Work
Develop effective Emergency Response Skills for those working in a water-based environment.

The NWSMP could be is as relevant to a school teacher as it is to a member of the emergency services, countryside ranger, construction worker or outdoor pursuit’s instructor. The Programme has been endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive, Outdoor Education Advisory Panel, Expedition Providers’ Association and was developed in close consultation with a number of relevant and key leading bodies including the  Health and Safety Executive,  Expedition Providers’ Association,  Royal Geographical Society (with IBG),  Devon & Cornwall Police,  Institute of Outdoor Learning,  National Open Water Coaching Association,  The Scouts Association,  Outdoor Education Advisory Panel.

For more information about Birmingham & Midland Marine Services open or closed courses; RLSS, RYA, MCA or IWA please contact the operations manager, Richard Gray at Gailey Wharf on 07527 727169 or by email . For additional information about training, marine safety, rescue, or workboat and pontoon hire please visit their website.