BTEC Safe Siting of Single Unit Caravans - 2 Day Course

The BTEC Safe Siting Award has been developed by and for people involved in caravan siting operations of all kinds and is based on industry approved good practice. The aim is to raise awareness of the safety issues that surround this potentially hazardous operation, to ensure that all those involved can contribute to risk assessments & planning and that the siting team understands the need to keep records to protect themselves and the business.

What is involved?

To achieve the qualification learners will attend a two day face-to-face classroom based workshop. Each learner will then take part in siting operations at their workplace which will be followed by a half day assessment. Including the workshop, siting operation and assessment the course is equivalent to approximately 40 hours of guided learning within a two month period.

At the workshop the learner:

• will work with the tutor in small groups to debate the important aspects of siting operations, using examples and a DVD.
• will contribute to risk assessments and to the development of plans (or “safe systems of work”) for moving, siting and de-siting single unit caravans.
• will be given guidance and straightforward paperwork to help them continue their learning while carrying out siting tasks at their own workplace.
• will not physically site, desite or move a caravan during the two day workshop. However they will work with other learners discussing possible siting operations in real park situations.

Following the workshop:

• Training alone does not prove competence, which is why the assessment is an important aspect of the course. Learners will complete a workplace log book, detailing a siting operation they participate in which will demonstrate the principles learned at the workshop.
• Learners will have access to telephone and online support from the tutor during this time.
• Finally, each delegate will have a visit by an assessor to their place of work to assess the sited unit and ensure the learner understands the principles of safe siting before being passed for certification.

The course is not designed to teach people how to site as each park business will have its own procedures, although the latest industry good practice will be highlighted. By the end of the course the learner will have developed a comprehensive risk assessment for siting operations on their park, which is a legal requirement with which some parks may not yet be complying.

The key principle is that learners must be encouraged to think and to plan. They should be aware of the consequences of their actions and understand the need to keep written records, thereby decreasing the likelihood of accidents, minor or serious, and protecting the business in the event of an incident.

The cost of the course is £500.00 +VAT per learner. Fees cover the two day workshop and all training materials, reasonable online and telephone support and a half-day assessment work based visit. It is proposed that all learners complete the award within two months of the initial training, and it is therefore essential that all those attending the course have the opportunity to move, site and de-site a single unit, within that period.

Siting twin units is a more specialised task, and an additional unit may be developed to cover this, but the same principles of safety and planning apply to all siting operations.