There is a gap in members' health and safety knowledge, says construction industry leaders.
To stopper the problem, the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors has teamed up with NZQA-recognised training specialists Vertical Horizonz to deliver the CPD Workshop Programme.
Industry-newbies needing to get up to speed on health and safety responsibilities can choose from a mixture of two-hour workshops, webcasts and full-day sessions. It also caters to those more experienced who would like a refresher course or want to upskill. And there are plenty to choose from with four focussed training areas – Regulatory Knowledge, Technical Knowledge and Skills, Health and Safety, and Professional Skills.
One important programme component on offer is the Health and Safety's Safe 6 Course, which as its namesake suggests, offers six segments. The six modules can be completed as standalone courses or guarantees a National Certificate Occupational Health and Safety Level 3 when all have been completed.
Vertical Horizonz's Ben Johnstone says the Safe 6 Course was formulated around real worksite scenarios following the Christchurch earthquakes.
Worksite knowledge needed advancing to ensure construction industry leaders were on the same page as the recently amended Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. In other words, it's about keeping up with the times, Ben says.
Following discussions with NZIBS general manager Sally Dunbar, it was decided a consistent and professional training approach was needed right throughout the industry.
"There was some concern that those within the construction industry required further educating in their health and safety responsibilities and requirements," says Ben.
"We decided to partner with NZIBS to provide this programme as part of the institute's continued professional development, because there was a knowledge gap facing the industry.
"And there was a gap in people's access to a consistent training approach."
Under the CPD Workshop Programme's Professional Skills umbrella, attendees can participate in Introduction to Business Management, Change Management and Project Planning.
Sally says the partnered training initiative would provide a balance training approach to further develop technical and professional skills.
She says the Introduction to Business Management provides attendees with grounding they need to succeed in a practical way, while providing communication skills and some of the tools and techniques to best manage people, resources, and/or workplace operations.
"These are directed at all members, including those who run businesses from home. In turn, this ensures they reach their Licenced Building Practitioners requirements through the tailored LBP competencies."
Courses will be launched later this year in Christchurch and Auckland, with the possibility of introducing the programme to Hamilton, Tauranga and other places if demand permits.
For those organisations in the Christchurch and Auckland areas, courses are now available and can be booked via the website http://www.buildingsurveyors.co.nz/