1. Introduction

A36 CPCS Course Content The course will consist of classroom-based tutorials, including group participation and discussion, practical/machine walkarounds, and theory and practical tests. On successfully completing the Theory and Practical tests, the operator will receive a CPCS Red Trained Operator card. If the operator can provide evidence of the required operating hours and also pass an NVQ within 2 years, he will then be entitled to a CPCS Blue Competence card.

CPCS stands for Construction Plant Competency Scheme. The CPCS A36 Lorry Loader, like all CPCS courses, is based on a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This course is for operators of Lorry Loaders who have received no formal instruction and those who wish to brush up on their skills. If you wish to operate a Lorry Loader, then this is the course for you.

1.1. Overview of the CPCS A36 Lorry Loader Course

Detail of machines and safe operations driving and manoeuvring tasks (on and off the public highway). Basic steering techniques. Use of vehicle controls. Manoeuvring in confined areas. Secure and safe parking of vehicle. Preparation for driving on the road. Loading and unloading from a trailer with the exceptions for categories D and D+E. Loading and unloading from a dump truck and the exceptions to categories D and D+E. Explanation to the legal and safety requirements of operating on the public highway. An increased emphasis on health and safety and the theoretical knowledge behind the practical tasks, which will be delivered in the form of lectures, discussions, simulations and case studies etc. Health and safety law, including duties on employees and employers and the various types of law: civil, criminal, statutory and common. Accident prevention and the legal requirement to reporting, recording accidents and ill health. Risk assessment and method statement procedure. The duty to cooperate and not to charge co-workers or others to risk. A detailed look at how codes of practice, legislation and guidance notes are used alongside ACOP to “give practical advice on how to comply with the law”. Understanding RAMS, and the use Safe Systems of work. An in-depth look into lifting operations and the required understanding of LOLER and PUWER regulations. Discussion and knowledge checks on lifting equipment. A comprehensive guide to using a banksman. Theoretical look at the cause of vehicle incidents and the vast range of preventative measures that can be taken. Highway Code refresh. A look at the types and sole purposes of lifting accessories. A new knowledge requirement about Personal Protective Equipment. Identification of common hazards and effective control measures. General knowledge about hand-held tools. Health and knowledge about excavations and how to articulate and demonstrate understanding of underground apparatus and the new utility avoidance tool plans. Refreshing knowledge or learning new information about different types of vehicles and best methods to approach loading and unloading them, and a more detailed knowledge requirement on load assessment and various loads, including securing, weight distribution and axle weights. A slight increase in knowledge requirements for signalling and communication. More detailed knowledge or new information for specific operations. More detailed knowledge for slinging and hand signalling. An increased knowledge requirement for maintenance and inspections. Various improvements to existing tests and new questions based on theory content. Understanding exactly why and how safe operations and understanding of the cause, and effects of all types of incidents/accidents is paramount, and finally an increased knowledge requirement for lorry loader operations including new information on positioning and setting up, and two new test types based on lorry loader operations and lifting accessories. Obviously this moves the qualifications from primarily being a competence-based assessment, to an equal knowledge and competence-based assessment.

1.2. Importance of the CPCS A36 Lorry Loader Certification

The CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme) A36 Lorry Loader course will provide you with a thorough practical and theory training in operating a lorry loader, aimed at novices and experienced drivers who require formal training. This is a novice course, and successful candidates will receive a Red CPCS Trained Operator Card. The course consists of: – Health & safety legislation, relating to operators of lorry mounted cranes. – LOLER (1998) and PUWER (1998) regulations in relation to lorry loaders. – Understanding the hydraulic capabilities and limitations of the lorry loader. Volume and type of load. – Appraisal and examination of all lifting equipment and accessories. – Identifying and assessing ground and environmental conditions in relation to the lifting operation. – Application of lorry loader controls and mastering the six lifting exercises, set by CPCS.

1.3. Course Objectives

Understand and interpret the manufacturer’s requirements. Understand the information and instructions relating to the lifting equipment provided by the manufacturer. This is an essential part of the learning process as it is generally taken for granted that machine operators do not need formal instruction in the use of construction plant. The advent of the CPCS scheme now requires it.

Understand relevant regulations and codes of practice. Recognize and understand the LOLER, PUWER, HASAWA, and other regulations and codes of practice.

To provide the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills involved in lifting with a lorry loader, including understanding the capabilities and limitations of the lifting equipment and basic slinging. By the end of the course, the learner will be able to carry out the pre-use and operational checks, configure the vehicle for a typical lift, and carry out the lift. They will also know how to move and position loads accurately and safely and how to carry out post-operational procedures.

2. Regulations and Safety

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). These legislations have a broad effect on the equipment usage and supervision of A-frame, chains, rail, or any other form of lorry loader attachments. LOLER is particularly aimed at those who have control over and/or use lifting equipment. Perception may be that these regulations only apply to lifting professionals, but those whose primary job is not lifting should take note. PUWER is especially applicable as the equipment being mobile plant still holds the same duties and requirements as other work equipment. These regulations are implemented where preventive and protective measures are required. Our training is aimed at implementing safe systems of work before anything else, this being the best possible cause of prevention from incidents, damage, and injury. Particular reference to Regulation 6 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations ensures that a safe method of work is assured. This is done so by adequate health and safety measures being in place.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This puts the duty on the employer and/or self-employed to assess and manage the health and safety risks within the workplace. Our services may be used by those outsourcing lifting and handling tasks, requiring HSE to define us as a third-party contractor. The operator must, in this case, cooperate and coordinate efforts with the contracting party to ensure that the risks across the lifting operation are managed.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA). This is a comprehensive piece of legislation which places duties on employers and employees. It is implemented to improve the health and safety of workers within all industries. This includes load securing, unloading vehicles, mobile plant operations, and lifting. Our operators are trained to safely operate within the guidelines of this and all other legislations.

2.1. Understanding Health and Safety Regulations

Good health and safety are an integral part of the lorry loader operator’s job. To achieve high standards in this aspect of the job, the operator must utilize knowledge, experience, and an ability to think through the implications of their actions. Understanding health and safety regulations and putting this into practice should result in: prevention of personal injury to yourself or others, safe and efficient methods of work meaning less damage to goods, and a requirement to work to a standard evidenced by the Vocational Qualification. The operator will likely be working in an environment which is governed by Health and Safety legislation. The primary piece of legislation is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which provides a framework to ensure the health and safety of all workers at work. This Act is supported by several regulations, which for the most part apply to work activities of lorry loader operators: The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). This requires that equipment provided for use at work is suitable for the task and for the working environment, and is maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not deteriorate. There are specific requirements for mobile work equipment, the primary account for most lorry loader operations. An example of this would be the need for an LOLER examination of the machine.

2.2. Identifying Hazards and Risk Assessment

It is important during any lifting activity to be aware of the possible risks and to have in place measures to either eliminate or reduce these risks to allow the work to be carried out safely. Anyone using lifting equipment must be competent to do so, this means having had a comprehensive training regime on that specific piece of equipment, and to be able to gain access to all the information on that equipment including its safe working load and its maintenance and inspection records. This also includes the planning of the lifting activity, this will comprise of various factors that if followed will reduce the risks involved in the lifting activity. There are 3 main stages to lifting activity: Preparation This will involve the identification of the hazards involved in the lifting activity and the risks the hazards pose. This is best done as a pair or a group as co-workers or other on-site personnel may identify things that are missed by the operator who may be fully focused on the task but not the surrounding environment. The next stage will be to identify how to eliminate the hazards and if this is not possible to reduce the risk involved. This may involve method changes or using a different piece of equipment that is more suited. An example of this could be using a mobile crane to lift a load from a lorry as opposed to a lorry loader, as many loads may be too heavy for a LOLER trained lorry loader operator.

2.3. Safe Operation of Lorry Loaders

Operations involving lorry loaders will often take place on sites that are only temporary and therefore are not prepared or suitable for such an operation. Whether the operation is moving materials around the site or unloading them from a vehicle, the surface conditions need to be suitable. The operator in control of the lorry loader will need to decide whether it is safe to carry out the lifting operation. This decision is crucial; if the operation is carried out on unsuitable ground, there is a high chance of the lorry loader overturning by it becoming off balance. The consequences of this type of incident can be extremely serious. High costs may be incurred in vehicle recovery and repair, there is the potential for injury to personnel or damage to nearby equipment and buildings. Overturning of the lorry loader will often be a non-reportable incident to Health and Safety Enforcement Officers but it is an event that the vehicle operator is legally bound to notify to his employers. This type of incident often results in a near miss occurrence but could very easily have resulted in a major injury or fatality.

This section follows on from the last and goes into detail regarding how the operator should manage the lifting operation. Although it will not be necessary to look at every single element of the lifting operation, it will be important to highlight certain areas and stipulate any specific requirements. This can be a complicated process and the information provided should be used in conjunction with common sense and good operating practice.

3. Lorry Loader Operations

3.1 If required to operate a lorry loader, you must have received adequate training specific to the lorry loading equipment. Operators also have to be specifically assessed and certified before operating a lorry loader. This is due to the considerable risk a lorry loader poses if the operator has not been sufficiently trained. A lorry loader is a mobile or static lifting and moving appliance which incorporates a boom. The boom is connected to a separate moving or static base and is used for lifting and moving freely suspended loads using chains, slings, etc. The lifting operation is carried out by raising, slewing, and extending the boom to the required position in order to lift and move the load from one place to another. The boom is used to lift the load from the ground or an existing surface to suspend it in the air in order to move it to another place and then lower it down to its new location. Loads are usually lifted and moved in an industrial, commercial, or construction environment. This may include moving plant machinery, street lighting, telecoms equipment, steelwork, etc. to constructing and maintenance of bridges, road/rail networks, and buildings. Lorry loaders are used in virtually every other industry in the UK meaning that the work location and conditions can change frequently. This brings additional risks due to different terrains and ground conditions. 3.2 Because lorry loaders can come in many different forms and functions, a lorry loader certificate will identify the type of lorry loader that the operator has been trained on. Each certificate will be specific to the lorry loader being used and each type of lorry loader will have its own training course and assessment. It is also worth noting that there are different categories of lifting operation that the lorry loader may be involved in (i.e. telescopic handler, slinger signaller, rigging). If the operator has to carry out a lifting operation under another category, he may require additional training specific to one of the category types. This is why it is important that the operator knows what type of lifting operation he will be involved in and ensures that he holds a valid certificate applicable to the work in question.

3.1. Components and Controls of a Lorry Loader

A basic lorry loader is configured as a power-driven unit, comprising a lifting arm and a gripper that can raise and lower freely suspended loads. The principal hazards are associated with the lifting, slewing, and load gripping functions. Crushing and trapping hazards are created by the movements of the lorry loader and the slewing movements. The dropping of heavy loads and unrestrained swinging movements of loads are all potential hazards. Lorry loaders can be mounted in various ways, on a truck, track, or crawler unit or by a static chassis with stabilizers. They can have differing boom configurations and lifting capacities. The controls for all types of lorry loader will perform the same functions and they can be adapted for specific tasks. Your training will cover the particular lorry loader that you will be using. All lorry loaders have a means of attaching the machine to another vehicle for transporting it to and from the work site. This is usually a lifting eye which has to be used in conjunction with suitable lifting tackle. Static chassis machines do not have a transport means and have to be loaded onto low loader type trailers. All lorry loaders also have a counterbalance weight usually in the form of an engine and hydraulic oil tanks. It is important to know what this weighed to and whether the machine has the capacity to be tested against an increased weight, for example on the edge of a bank when carrying out demolition work.

3.2. Pre-Operational Checks and Maintenance

Check and understand the manufacturer’s operator’s guide for each lifting equipment that you use. Ensure you are competent in the planned lifting operations. Consultation should take place with personnel who will be involved in and affected by the lifting operation. Select the best lifting equipment and accessories available for the task. If in doubt, suspend the lifting operation and review the selection of gear, or seek further technical advice from a competent person. Inspect all lifting equipment for the task to ensure that it is in good condition. See Table 1. Any equipment not in good condition must be tagged, isolated, and reported to the supervisor. Shock loads may occur during the lifting, particularly where the load is not picked evenly. Consideration of the equipment’s shock loading capabilities and knowledge of the effects of shock loading on the equipment is essential, see guidance from the manufacturers of the equipment, or the People Handling Operations Regulations. Plan the lifting operation to eliminate risk insofar as is reasonably practicable. This includes selection of a safe and suitable location for the lifting operation and ensuring that the equipment is suitable for the proposed lift. Erect and dismantle the equipment or any part of it in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the guidance of a competent person, providing the new equipment has been properly designed for erection with minimum risk. Inspections of these operations are covered by regulations 8 and 9 of LOLER and regulation 5 of PUWER. This is required to be a planned operation so far as is reasonably practicable and if done in a hazardous environment requires suitable supervision. Erection and dismantling of the equipment itself is defined as a lifting operation and those doing the work should be competent. Where lifting equipment is assembled or installed, it should be installed in a safe, stable position with strong enough support. Any lifting equipment should be marked with its safe working load and where necessary a rated capacity indicating an authorized person’s opinion of the maximum loading for that equipment. If the equipment is used for lifting people, a thorough examination is required unless a report of thorough examination specifies that a particular part is not required to be examined. This also applies to all lifting accessories. (LOLER regulation 6) Last minute checks. A safe system of work should consider the safety of everyone involved in the lifting operation. This includes employees and other personnel in the area who may be affected by the lifting, such as the operators of other machinery. Regular effective communication between the persons responsible for the lifting and those who may be affected can help establish and keep a safe exclusion zone. Minimize the risk during positioning and attachment of the load to the lifting equipment. A suitable method for rigging the load should be selected and consideration should be given to temporary support devices which may be required to secure the load before lifting. The weight and any relevant dimensions of the load should be known and it may be necessary to refer to the equipment’s rated capacities and safe working loads. At all stages during the lifting operation, directors/engineers should be aware of their statutory duties and the common law duty to others. This is necessary to have in mind when trying to demonstrate reasonably practicable risk prevention measures if brought to account for a breach of statutory duty or claim for negligence in a civil court. The relevant statutory provisions and codes of practice associated with the construction industry and plant and equipment must be identifiable and known to those concerned, and the CITB has a wide range of construction industry knowledge, research, and training resources.

3.3. Lifting and Moving Loads Safely

If the load is too awkward, too heavy or too large and obstructive, the lifting operation should be reviewed to see if it can be carried out in another manner or whether mechanical lifting equipment would be more appropriate.

When assessing the weight of a load, the operator should refer to the vehicle’s handbook, the lift chart and if necessary the person who supplied the vehicle. The lift chart will give the operator the radius he will be working at and the corresponding safe working load for that radius. Should the centre of gravity of the load be difficult to assess, the load should be lifted a small distance from the ground and be stopped and inspected while making sure that all the lifting equipment has enough capacity to lift the load.

Before any lifting operation is carried out, the operator should consider the nature of the load and the area in which the load is to be lifted. Each of these two factors is very important as they will be the cause of many accidents due to the incorrect assessment being made at the time. With the lorry loader having to work in so many differing conditions, a full and detailed risk assessment should be carried out to decide the correct type of equipment or attachments that should be used for the lifting operation. The risk assessment should also take into consideration what effect the lifting operation will have on third parties and members of the public.

4. Practical Skills Assessment

At the end of the training course, candidates will complete a practical skills assessment. This will be carried out in a designated CPCS area and must be appropriate, safe, and comply with legislation. The full procedures for practical skills assessment and measuring of candidates’ performance are given in the Practical Skills Testing for Categories of Plant and related forklift and special truck-mounted equipment. Each candidate must be able to perform all operations as stated in the objectives to the level required and within the time given. There will be discipline-specific objectives for lifting operations which will be covered by the assessor in the lorry loader category. Operations not covered by these objectives will be assessed under the standard objectives for lorry loaders. The assessor will provide the candidate with detailed reasons as to why he/she has or has not met the required outcome of the test and where lack of competence has been shown, what further learning is required to achieve the required standard. The results of the assessment will be recorded on the appropriate CPCS test documentation.

4.1. Practical Training Exercises

During the practical exercises course, the objective is to teach each candidate to operate and position the lorry loader safely and effectively. This is achieved by our fully ITSSAR accredited instructors using a tried and tested sequence of exercises over the duration of the course. The first exercise is designed to teach the candidate the full operating range of the machine as they will be asked to pick up a suspended load and move it to various positions to prove that they can reach the required areas. This exercise is repeated throughout the course as the lorry loader comes with a variety of different boom lengths and attachments. Exercise two is to teach the candidate how to position the lorry loader to get the best possible lift. Candidates will be asked to move the machine to various positions to reach a specific load without having to move it again once it has been lifted. This ties in with safe working operations and prevents unnecessary or dangerous traveling of the machine while carrying a load. Show more information.

4.2. Demonstrating Competence in Lorry Loader Operations

The standard of plant operations has increased at a fast pace in recent years, and although many lorry loader operators have worked within the industry for a number of years, they may not have received any formal training. This has left an enormous skills gap. The CPCS card scheme, along with the DriveSafe, WorkSafe, LiveSafe campaign, helps to raise and maintain standards of safety and operations in the transportation and lifting sector. The CPCS card is a recognized qualification and often essential to anyone wishing to gain or maintain quality employment within the haulage, storage, and construction industry. With this in mind, there is a high demand for loader and lifting operations training and a recognized qualification. Through our experience and client feedback, the most popular choice is the CPCS lorry loader course. We provide various options for experienced and novice operators.

You will be required to carry out practical exercises and job-related simulations in order to prove your competence in loader/excavator operations. Our courses are intensive and aimed at a high benchmark, so you will be expected to perform to these standards. You will have experienced an MCS practical test towards the end of your course and will have received feedback on your performance. If you have carried out a full course and do not reach the required standard, we offer up to 2 days additional training at a later date within a 6-month period at no extra cost. You will then be given the opportunity to retake your practical test.

4.3. Evaluation and Feedback

Feedback is most important with respect to lorry loader operator assessment. In many cases, the testing of operator skills may be done by an internal tester, such as an experienced operator or team leader, etc. It may not be conducted by a CPCS Tester because the testing does not involve lifting construction plant machinery (CPCS Testers can only conduct lorry loader operator tests when lifting construction plant machinery). This type of assessment can be used formatively and will almost certainly provide valuable information on the student’s progress and instructional quality, although it is important to remember the key objective to be ensuring competency. Typically, the most effective feedback occurs when video requested by the student is submitted to the CPCS Tester for evaluation and feedback to the student.

Evaluation takes place at the end of the course after the operator has returned to his normal working routine (minimum 1 week). A CPCS Tester conducts the test. This test can be done at either the RTITB private site or at the company’s premises, providing that the necessary facilities, loads, and lifting equipment are available. This test consists of the operator discussing and proving his underpinning knowledge of the lorry loader and its operations to the tester. This is then followed by the operator planning and organizing a lift and finally performing the lift. This is to test the operator’s understanding and capabilities of lorry loader operations. The feedback from these tests can then be used to determine an overall evaluation of the operator’s course.