Open letter from Terry Last

SHE MANAGEMENT NVQs – USE THEM OR LOSE THEM!

Dear colleague –– The HSE continues to strongly encourage us to address our statutory obligations, both as individuals and as representatives of our companies, to ensure that the supervisors and managers who work for us are able to demonstrate their levels of competency.

At the request of senior executives representing our industry, the Institute of Quarrying has worked with EPIC Awarding Body to achieve a position whereby National Vocational Qualifications based on standards of competence in health, safety and environmental management can be offered.

I believe the time has now come for everyone to use these qualifications, even long-standing employees. The alternatives for demonstrating the competence of key players in our companies are unlikely to be acceptable for much longer.

I strongly urge you to contact EPIC Awarding Body and find out how your company can start to get involved. If we as an industry do not use this EPIC award for our employees we will lose it. We will then have to deal with an external awarding body that does not have the same close ties to our industry.

Terry Last

Chairman of the EPIC Awarding Body Quality Management Committee.