NRSWA training can help your career develop in the right direction!

Every industry has health and safety regulations that individuals must adhere to but there are some industries which require a greater degree of safety regulations to ensure the safety of all employees. This is definitely the case with road and street workers, who needto follow the legislation of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA).

There are many different elements involved in the NRSWA Act, but one of the most important is to locate and avoid any underground services. Failing to locate and avoid these services could lead to a massive disruption of vital services to many people in the area,with the potential for massive repercussions with regards to safety.

NRSWA Training courses

NRSWA Training courses are offered through the UK and accredited by either City and Guilds (C&G) or The Certification and Assessment Board for the Water Industry (CABWI). They exist to ensure that those who work in this area understand the health and safety implications of safe working. 

The courses cover both the practical aspects of completing tasks associated with street and road maintenance and the issues of maintaining good health and safety standards. 

These vocational qualifications will also help individuals to progress in their career via the NRSWA card, which is awarded to successful individuals who have passed their course(s) and hold an NRSWA qualification.

The courses available are split into two levels, suitable for operatives and supervisors. Operative courses are for team members carrying out the work. The supervisor level courses are for those who are leading the teams in a supervisory capacity.

NRSWA Operative Courses

Operative courses are aimed at members of a streetworks team who are carrying out tasks such as signing, lighting and guarding, erecting signage and ensuring that roads and streets are closed tothe public in a safe and correct manner.

There are nine units for operatives to choose from. These units address all the major areas needed to keep the operative and those around them safe, while completing the task assigned to them to a high standard.

The 9 Operatives streetworks training units are:

·        001 - Location and avoidance of underground apparatus

·        002 - Signing,lighting and guarding

·        003 - Excavation in the road/highway

·        004 - Reinstatement and compaction of backfill materials

·        005 - Reinstatement of sub-base and road-base in non-bituminous materials

·        006 - Reinstatement of cold-lay bituminous materials

·        007 - Reinstatement of hot-lay bituminous materials

·        008 - Reinstatement of concrete slabs

·        009 - Reinstatement of modular surfaces and concrete footways

The most popular courses are the operatives 001-006 & 009; however, operatives can choose any of the units needed for the completion of their role. However, if they wish to hold a NRSWA qualification, they must pick the correct group of units. For example, if an operative needs the 008 - Reinstatement of concrete slabs qualification, they must have completed all 3 units 001, 002 and 008 to gain this.

The ‘Operatives 1-6 & 9 Course’ runs for five days and covers all 7of the units, with only 007 & 009 not covered. Candidates successfully completing the 1-6 & 9 course have the necessary modules to gain the following NSRWA qualifications:

·        O1 - Excavation in the Road/Highway

·        O2 - Excavation, Backfilling and Reinstatement – Cold Lay

·        O5 - Reinstatement of Modular Surfaces and Concrete Footways

·        O6 - Signing,Lighting and Guarding

The O at the front standing for‘Operative’.

There are a number of different Operative Unit combinations to choose from; see our full list of NRSWA Operator Unit combinations for more information.

NRSWA Supervisor Courses

Every single site must have at least one supervisor that is fully trained up, accredited and able to oversee the work being carried out by the team(s) of Operatives. Although there is no need for the supervisor to be on site at all times, there is a need for them to have control over the site and to know what the employees are doing on site.

There are 8 units of Streetworks training for supervisors to choose from. They cover the same areas of knowledge as the Operative units but focus more on how to ensure others are completing this work safely. Essentially, they cover how to be an effective supervisor of road and street construction and maintenance.

The units are numbered differently witha single 0, to distinguish them from the Operative qualifications (which all start with ‘00’). The only exception to this rule is the 001 - Location and Avoidance of Underground Apparatus course, which is essential for both supervisors and operatives.

The 8 NRSWA Supervisor units are:

·        001 - Location and avoidance of underground apparatus

·        010 - Monitoring signing, lighting and guarding

·        011 - Monitoring excavation in the road/highway

·        012 - Monitoring reinstatement and compaction of backfill materials

·        013 - Motoring reinstatement of sub-base and road-base in non-bituminous materials

·        014 - Monitoring reinstatement of bituminous materials

·        015 - Monitoring reinstatement of concrete slabs

·        016 - Monitoring reinstatement of modular surfaces and concrete footways

As with the Operative courses, some Units can be sat as one course in a block covering several days.

The 5-day ‘Supervisors 1, 10 -14& 16 Course’ is very popular and puts an emphasis on the management of a team undertaking the activities in each Unit, rather than undertaking the activities as an Operative. As such, the resulting qualifications are different to that awarded to an Operative. A Supervisor completing this course would have covered Units 01, 010-014 and 016, missing out 015, and would be eligible for the following NRSWA qualifications

·        S1 - Monitor excavation in the road/highway

·        S2 - Monitor excavation, backfilling and reinstatement - construction layers

·        S3 - Monitor reinstatement – hot and cold lay bituminous materials

·        S5 - Monitor reinstatement of modular surfaces and concrete footways

·        S6 - Monitor signing, lighting and guarding.

The S at the front standing for‘Supervisor’.

Although the course mentioned above maybe the most popular, there are other modules which operatives and supervisors can take. In addition, there are also other qualifications, which these modules entitle them to. See our full list of Supervisor courses and combinations for more information.

Practical Learning

Although theoretical learning is of benefit, most people feel that the best way to learn is through practical experience.This is a key part of NRSWA training, and all attendees will be expected to prove their understanding with a practical test at the end of the course,alongside a theory exam. This is by far the most relevant way to test individual’s skills and will give the attendees the best opportunity to put their skills into practice when ‘on the job’.

All attendees must bring their own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Protective clothing is an essential part of ensuring health and safety in the workplace, especially when working on the road. There is a strong need for high visibility clothing, hard hats and even protective footwear and as the practical sessions are trying to replicate real life situations, it makes sense that safety equipment will be needed, just as it would when working on the roads in a real life situation.