We’re pleased to pass on the news that the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has been given recognised organisation status by the Construction Industry Training Body (CITB).
UKATA is now a recognised organisation for its asbestos training standards. This means that the UK’s premier asbestos training authority is now officially supported and sanctioned by the UK’s leading construction safety standards body.
As a UKATA and CITB accredited training centre, SAMS now holds CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO) status for both UKATA Asbestos Awareness and a range of CITB courses, giving you additional peace of mind when booking our classroom training.
The acceptance of UKATA as a recognised organisation does not herald a change in their courses. Instead, the CITB has recognised that UKATA’s existing training meets their rigorous standards, and achieves the level of quality shown in the CITB’s own courses.
CITB ATO status is a hallmark of trust from both the CITB and the wider the British construction industry. Under this scheme, SAMS is recognised as a provider of high quality training that meets the standards approved by the industry at large.
Individuals or groups taking our Asbestos Awareness courses can now rest assured that their qualification is supported across the UK construction industry, making a UKATA certificate more valuable than ever.
Asbestos remains a pressing concern in the UK, with more than 5,000 deaths a year attributed to the mineral. Asbestos was used in UK construction projects until the year 2000, and remains in many buildings and products around the country to this day, including almost three quarters of UK schools.
Inhaling just one microscopic asbestos fibre can be deadly, as the fibres remain in the lungs permanently, irritating cells and increasing the risk of lung cancer or mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest lining. Asbestos related diseases can take 20-30 years to affect people, making asbestos awareness training a relevant and pressing concern.
If you’re interested in completing an Asbestos Awareness training course with SAMS, we have a couple of different options for you! You can book our online asbestos awareness course or a place on our classroom asbestos course, hosted at our training centre in Manston, Kent.