PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association) have designed a number of training courses, which are available from safety training providers across the country. The Pasma ticket as it is sometimes referred to, is the photo-card which is issued to every successful trainee, to show that they have reached the necessary standard as required by the association. This qualification is of great benefit to both trainee and potential employer alike, as it shows that they have had a thorough grounding in working with mobile access towers and in some cases low-level equipment such as podium steps and folding towers.
Health and Safety awareness
All employers have a responsibility to make sure their staff are safe but it goes beyond this. To make a workplace as accident free as possible, it is vital that every member of staff takes full responsibility for their own safety and that of their colleagues.
This means being aware of the site specific health and safety guidelines and the main ways in which they can keep everyone safe. No one expects every worker to know every single piece of legislation, but the PASMA training courses are designed to make everyone aware of the salient points and to ensure that they are taught in such a way that everyone can see the relevance that is applicable. The PASMA ticket certificate is valid for five years and can then be renewed by a registered centre. This is essential in making the workplace safe because things do change with time and also complacency may set in without a timely reminder.
Record Keeping With the PASMA Ticket
Of course, record keeping can be a chore, but the training given in the courses teaches people that good records in turn create a safer workplace. Scaffold towers need to be assembled and dismantled with care, watching at all times for any pieces of worn or inadequate components. Not only should the correct procedure for these tasks, including storage condition, be noted in the method statement, there should be appropriate risk assessments for all stages.
On top of these standing documents, there should also be a means of noting any damage to the equipment, because just making a mental note of a cracked weld or a damaged platform will not potentially save a life; bringing it to someone’s attention and noting it in the correct place might well do. A common attitude to risk assessments and the rest is that they can be a little tedious if not done properly – anyone with relevant training and experience should have the right skills to do them correctly so they can be followed by everyone. The PASMA Ticket allows anyone carrying out work requiring prefabricated access can show their records with a simple card designed to be carry on their person.
A variety of PASMA training courses
PASMA courses are either general (PASMA Towers for users) or advanced to certain applications (Stairway towers, Cantilevers). Although low-level platforms may be seen to be intrinsically less dangerous than high towers, they do carry their own risks, so they can be combined with the standard course. Work at height essentials and towers for managers are also available.