Earning Criteria

• Assessment is a written/multiple-choice examination. Learners will have covered the following skills in relation to Health and Safety Legislation the learner will be able to know in brief overview terms:
• The Health and Safety At Work Act ; The Management of Health and Safety At Work Regulations ; The Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations ; The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations ; The Noise at Work Regulations ; The Manual Handling Operations Regulations ; Work at Height Regulations ; The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations ; The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations ; The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations ; Road Transport and Railways Act ; Well Maintained Highways – Code of Practice (Chapter 13)
• Learners will have also covered the following skills  The learner will also know about:
• The operator’s system for defect checks on equipment and the reporting procedures ; Standard checks on prime movers ; Checks on de-icing delivery systems and controls ; Checks to ensure the suitability of snow clearing plant and equipment ; Employers system for recording defects ; Regulations related to plant and equipment used
• What is involved in operating winter service vehicles and equipment
• Safe operation and use of spreading equipment ; Safe use of snow ploughs ; Safe use of snow blowers ; Pedestrian operated spreaders ; Maintenance records ; Driving Licence Categories and drivers’ hours ; Defensive driving techniques
• The rates of spread for the application of de-icing materials:
• Calibration of spreaders  ; Rates of spread for de-icing materials) ; The safe storage and use of rock salt, Abrasives Urea and Liquid de-icers , Pre-wetted spreading materials , Calibration and rates of spread , Spreading equipment controls
• Learners will have also covered the following skills  and know about:
• The procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency:
• Vehicle and equipment failure ; Road Traffic Collisions ; Block routes ; Changing weather conditions
• The relationship between drivers’ Hours and Working Time
• The environmental issues related to the application of de-icing materials
• Effect on highway structures ; Effect on water courses ; Effect on roadside vegetation ; Effect on humans ; Storage and use of de-icing materials
• Common terminology used in weather forecasting:
• The organisational procedures for winter service related to operational and route planning
• How to plan, monitoring and review Winter service operations
• The Methods used in decision making
• Weather forecasting ; Use of local knowledge ; Response to public requests ; Use of support services to assist the service plan
• The qualifications available for Winter Service Operations
• Structure of the award  ; North East Regional Employers Organisation role  ; Assessment standards
• How to log data to including
• Client expectations in service delivery ; Electronic systems ; Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) use ; Mitigation against civil claims
• Knowledge and understanding of the National Winter Service Research Group published guidance for the effective delivery of winter service operations.
• All credentials issued will only be valid for 5 years from the date of successful completion of a full qualification.  Complete re-assessment will have to be undertaken to renew the certificate and registration card. Units may be renewed at any time and a new certificate/credential will be issued with a 5 year expiry date.