H&S courses in Berkshire

[Steve2381]

Hey all

Yet again.. its time to pay through the nose and jump through more pointless hoops.  My ECS card is up for renewal and apparently I have forgotten all the basics of health and safety, therefore I have to do another H&S course.

I am in Newbury, Berkshire... but can't seem to find any local (or at least nearby) courses that keep the ECS happy.

Any ideas?

Just spend months doing all my testing at college, and next year it will be the 18th edition.   I think my patience with all this 'learning' is starting to wear a little thin!

At nearly 50, and a sparky since school..  I can remember H&S basics.  

I see a man fall down a hole.  What do you do....

a) Check his pockets to see if his phone is better than yours

b) Laugh

c) Call for assistance and provide medical aid

d) Pinch his test kit

 

[Sidewinder]

Hello Steve,

There is an assessment location in Berkshire in Newbury.

 

[Steve2381]

I thought there was ...  have not found it yet

 

[Sidewinder]

Contact the ECA, they will sort it for you.

 

[M107]

ECA are at kingfisher  court Steve .

Another H&S training comp in Newbury are West pro 01635 820466

 

[Sidewinder]

I don't think that you have a choice as to which course you do tbh, M107, you have to do the ECS safety assessment, multi choice thing.

That is unless you do something like a NEBOSH General Certificate, or one of the other courses that give you a 3 year exemption.

I think the cheapest & quickest option is the ECA test.

 

[Blue Duck]

Mines expired Off to the golf course for me! :Salute

 

[Steve2381]

Thanks guys

ECS have been appalling unhelpful actually.  She basically told me to 'go Google'.  Done that already love.

It took them 3 emails, lots of persistent nagging and 10 days to sort out a login issue I had that stopped me getting in to my online ECS account.  

I know people whine about certificates and training etc.  And I am one of those people. I am TOTALLY for qualified people doing electrical work.

But, the people that do the shoddy work.... don't care and still get the work anyway.  Basically all this hoop jumping just hassles the people that do things correctly.

If you pass a H&S course... it should last 10 years, not 3. Its not something that changes.

Nobody has ever asked me for my H&S cert, my Asbestos Cert, my ESC card, my Ipaf card, or any of my qualifications in 25 years.  And I have been doing agency work for the last 3 years.  Never shown anyone anything

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm with Steve on that subject , renew your JIB card ........ sorry you need to renew your H& S  first  just another £40 mate. 

OK its not difficult , just £40 lighter and a big payout for the ECA  . 

I think there were around 30 guys there , last one I did...thats  £1200 for the hour .    Then , sitting outside with my flask, what do I see ,? All the those guys driving off in various local Sparky vans and  another 30 odd ariving for the next session. !!

Not doing site work anymore    I stopped bothering TBH. 

As Steve says ,   still come across loads of sparks ,  non JIB, non ECS,  non NIC, NAPPET etc , non ECA , non insured etc etc etc.

In all honesty I  believe the searchlight should be trained upon the building fraternity now ,  get some of those cowboys into line with at least proof of a basic knowledge of the Building Regs for a start. 

The powers that be seem frightened to touch them for some reason. 

 

[gutterball]

When i renewed mine a couple of months age the guy running the test had to tell one chap to stop writing when the test was finished. myself and the guys either side were done in 5 mins.