Temporary Works Supervisor Training Course (TWSTC)

This one-day Temporary Works Supervisor Training Course (TWSTC) is designed to help those on site who have responsibility for supervising all forms of temporary works. The course seeks to improve the knowledge of this role and the temporary works environment.

The development of this course was supported by several organisations, including the Temporary Works forum and the Health and Safety Executive.

Temporary works are safety- and business-critical and require careful co-ordination. An accepted way of achieving this is through the adoption of the management process outlined in BS 5975:2019, which introduces the temporary works supervisor (TWS) as a key figure. This course explains the role and its overall management context.

Temporary works on both smaller and larger sites can be high risk activities. Therefore, understanding the essentials of good risk and safety management, as outlined in BS 5975:2019, is relevant for projects of all sizes.

The course gives emphasis throughout to the importance of communication, co-ordination, co-operation and competency (the 4Cs), risk management, safety and business relations, allowing the TWS to:

• understand the need for and duties of a TWS
• understand the role of others
• have a detailed knowledge and understanding of BS 5975 in respect of this role

The aim of this course is to focus on the risk management of temporary works with particular attention on the role of the TWS.

It seeks to consolidate and build on the risk-management knowledge that learners undertaking this role will have established through other experiences on site (likely in other supervisory or management roles) and focus on how to avoid failure in temporary works by adopting appropriate procedural controls, as outlined in BS 5975:2019.

There are no formal entry requirements for the TWSTC.

Training centres must include this section of the appendix on any course marketing material and joining instructions, so that prospective learners (and their employers) can make an informed choice on whether they have suitable knowledge and experience to successfully complete the course.
However it is a training centre’s responsibility to determine whether a learner is appropriate to attend the course. This may be achieved by requesting learners submit an Accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL), or for learners to complete an initial assessment devised by the training centre.

Learners are expected to have a working knowledge of the following legislation:

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
The Work at Height Regulations 2005

Successful completion of the course requires:

• Completing mandatory exercises
• Passing the trainer review
• Passing the end-of-course exam

The paper consists of 22 questions, selected by CITB, covering all aspects of the course. This exam paper must be taken at the end of the course.

Each paper has:

19 multiple-choice and/or multiple-response questions (each worth one mark; no half marks available)
3 free text questions (each worth two or three marks) Part marks are available but no half marks should be awarded).

The exam paper must be taken at the end of the course. The examination paper number will be notified when the course booking is accepted by CITB.

The exam pass mark is 78% (21 out of 27 marks).

The exam lasts for 45 minutes and must be completed within this time under exam conditions. The examination is open book: learners are permitted to use their course workbook – which may include any notes made by the learner during the course – for the duration of the exam.

The exam paper forms part of the overall assessment as to whether the learner has successfully achieved the TWSTC.

Learners taking this course should be able to achieve all the learning outcomes listed below by the end of the course.

Module 1 – What are temporary works? 1. Types of temporary works

Describe the different types of temporary works and temporary works solutions.

Module 2 – The history of temporary works

2. The history of temporary works and its legislative framework

Describe the history that set the requirements for a series of changes to create a robust, safety- conscious process in the design, installation, management and removal of temporary works.

3. The causes and consequences of failure

Explain the hazards, risks, causes and consequences of failure in temporary works.

4. The avoidance of failure

Describe the techniques used to avoid failure, focussing on the 4Cs.

Module 3 – Who is involved with temporary works?

5. Stakeholders’ and duty holders’ responsibilities and accountabilities

Identify the key roles and responsibilities of the primary stakeholders responsible for managing the safe implementation, management and dismantling of temporary works, including the appointment of key roles.

Module 4 – Planning temporary works

6. Management and control of design

Explain how the TWS supports the TWC in the management and control of the design, materials, components and key solutions.

7. Key processes

State the key processes that form a safe system of work.

8. Implementation risk classification

State the importance of implementation risk classification and its impact on design and risk management.

Module 5 – Managing the construction, erection and dismantling of temporary works

9. Key activities required during the active life of the temporary works

Describe the key considerations which will help a TWS support the TWC in the co-ordination, supervision and checking of work on site during the construction, erection and dismantling of temporary works.