New WJA training brochure champions safe water jetting

Organisations needing accredited water jetting training can now select the courses they need from a new brochure published by the Water Jetting Association.

The guide to WJA training provides details of all City & Guilds accredited courses offered by the organisation, which is the member body for the UK water jetting industry.

The WJA is the largest provider of water jetting training, carried out through a process of coaching and examination, with all learning based on the association’s three codes of practice.

Leanne Smith, WJA Director, said: “Our new brochure explains the key advantages of our water jetting training programme, the courses available and how they are delivered and administered.

“Our WJA-approved coach/examiners deliver more than 20,000 courses every year, in the UK and internationally, which represents a vital contribution to safe water jetting services.”

Identify your training needs

Water jetting is carried out at pressures that range from up to 207 bar (3,000 psi) for low pressure cleaning to above 1,700 bar (25,000 psi), which is defined as ultra-high pressure water jetting.

At all pressure levels, water jets present a serious injury risk, which is why WJA training is vital to maintaining the safety of operatives and others on worksites – as well as delivering water jetting services productively and sustainably.

Steve McIver, Joint Training Lead on the WJA Board, said: “Our new water jetting training brochure allows water jetting contractors to quickly identify the training their teams need and the topics covered by the relevant courses.

“Each course is designed to support specific water jetting practices. As the brochure makes clear, also, we’re constantly reviewing the design and learning materials of all our courses so they’re relevant to new working practices and in step with the development of our codes of practice.

“We also take advantage of the latest learning technologies. For example over the last two years, we’ve developed and rolled out the use of the CLiKAPAD digital response system to examine candidates, which makes learning more engaging and supports candidates with different learning styles and abilities.”

Manage training through WJA app

The training brochure showcases the WJA’s City & Guilds course programme. Candidates attend a class-based Safety Awareness course, then must complete at least one of five practical modules, selecting from:

· Surface Preparation

· Drain and Sewer

· Drain, Sewer and Surface Preparation

· Tube and Pipe

· Hydrodemolition

The brochure explains how, once these two courses are completed, operatives receive a digital WJA operational card and can use the WJA app to gain access to their training records and all three WJA codes of practice.

To maintain their registration and keep their operational cards, operatives must attend and pass the WJA Safety Awareness Recap and Practical Module every three years.

The WJA also provides two other City & Guilds-accredited courses – the stand-alone Pressure Washer course, for water jetting pressures up to 207 bar (3,000 psi), and Safety Awareness CNC, a course for operators of closed hood automated CNC equipment.

Competent operative course

The training brochure also provides information about the WJA Level 2 Water Jetting Technician Certificate. Accredited by ABBE, it is the UK’s first competency qualification for water jetting.

Candidates must first pass the Safety Awareness course and two practical modules (one being Surface Preparation) and then undergo a period of vocational assessment, overseen by a WJA-approved assessor.

Successful candidates receive the WJA’s Competent Operative card, which must be renewed every three years by passing a two practical module refresher course, and qualify for the CSCS blue skilled worker card.

All training is aligned with relevant codes of practice: the Blue Code, for high and ultra-high water jetting; the Red Code for working on drains and sewers and surface preparation up to 275 bar (4,000 psi); and the Purple Code, for use of pressure washers.

Find out more

To find out more, download the WJA training brochure today. More information about wate jetting training can be found on the training page on the WJA website.

Or talk to the WJA about your water jetting training needs.

Telephone: +44 (0) 208 320 1090.
Email: info@waterjetting.org.uk.