New practical module tests twin drainage jetting skills

A new practical module has been introduced by the Water Jetting Association so drainage operatives can be assessed for two key skills – drain jetting and surface preparation.

The new module – Drain, Sewer and Surface Preparation up to 275 Bar, or DSP for short – combines two practical assessments, for using water jetting hoses and nozzles in drains and sewers and jetting guns for surface preparation work.

The creation of the module acknowledges the fact that drainage contractors regularly use surface preparation jetting techniques in their day-to-day drain and sewer work.

Surface cleaning

WJA Training and Safety Chairman Steve Williams said: “Drainage operatives often need to wash down surfaces or larger wastewater assets, like tanks, bunded areas, and open channels, as well as clean or unblock enclosed pipes and culverts.

“This means surface preparation techniques need to be used. It makes sense, from a health and safety and operational productivity point of view, to offer a course that allows operatives to be assessed on both skills.

“In line with the newly-revised Red Code, our code of practice for using water jetting equipment in drains and sewers, the WJA requires surface preparation work to be carried out with jetting guns, which is why this new DSP module has been created.”

Jetting guns

Contractors will be able to put their operatives through the new DSP practical module as long as the surface preparation assessment is carried out using jetting guns.

Otherwise, they will undertake the drain and sewer jetting assessment only. If they pass, they will then be awarded the standard Drain and Sewer (DS) module, which still contained class-based instruction on surface preparation jetting techniques.

The DSP module covers surface preparation water jetting up to 275 bar (4,000 psi) and water flow rates up to 73 litres per minute (lpm), within a maximum reaction force of 250 N. This reflects the fact that drainage operatives usually only need to use lower pressures for washdown activities.

If drainage contractors want their operatives to be WJA-certified for carrying out surface preparation duties at higher pressures, they will have to attend and pass the Surface Preparation (SP) practical module.

WJA training card

The new DSP module brings the WJA’s training programme in line with the revised WJA Red Code which has new guidance on safe and effective surface preparation water jetting up to 275 bar and 73 lpm flow rates.

The WJA will apply for the course to be City & Guilds accredited before the end of 2023, to bring it in line with its four established courses – Surface Preparation (SP), Drain and Sewer (DS), Hydrodemolition and Tube and Pipe (TP).

As with the other modules, operatives must first pass the WJA Safety Awareness class-based course, which is also City & Guilds accredited, before they can take the DSP module.

They will then be awarded their WJA training card. Water jetting operatives can have either the DS or the DSP module on their WJA training card, but not both.

Find out more

Talk to the WJA about its new Drain, Sewer, and Surface Preparation practical module, and other courses. Call +44 20 8320 1090. Email info@waterjetting.org.uk.