The acronym PASMA refers to the Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association. Its purpose is to strive for the safe usage of scaffolds and towers in the construction industry. PASMA as a body has been in existence since the seventies working towards a safer operating environment for workers at height. As the body has worked so vehemently towards introducing safety measures, today the PASMA certificate stands as the industry standard for those working at height.

This has been especially true since the 2005 Work at Height Regulations have been enforced. By meeting and designing their training to meet these regulatory requirements they have managed to stay at the forefront of the scaffolding industry and PASMA today is a cornerstone of any person’s training who works at height.

The code of practise developed by PASMA is now the authoritative document for anyone wishing to work at height. It ensures that those who use scaffolding are suitably aware of risks and dangers associated with this type of work. The constant updating of their codes of practise has meant that they always meet regulatory requirements in their training package. They are such an authority that it is with their consultation that new regulations are developed.

It is not just through training that PASMA have regulated the scaffolding and construction industries. They regularly oversee the training of persons able to audit and review other’s working practices. This is a vital component of their work as while training may give some idea of the potential risks, having a person there who is competent enough to regulate others means a safer working environment for all those at height.

The safe working practices developed by PASMA are present in a variety of industries. This has meant a multi-faceted approach to training that has been a core principle for those who work for PASMA. With so many different types of risk in a variety of disparate situations, ensuring safety can be a daunting task. Thankfully the training provided by PASMA and PASMA affiliated companies means that construction sites are safer than ever.

A major part of pursuing the compliance with Work at Height Regulations 2005 has been to ensure a competent person is always on site whenever scaffolds or towers are erected, altered or dismantled. It is thanks to PASMA training that enough competent persons are present to ensure the construction industry does not completely grind to halt. As further affiliate training companies offer courses to those needing suitable training, the numbers of competent persons is always increasing.

Put simply the competent person is someone who has had sufficient training to be considered professionally competent to ensure the safety of other workers. This training means that the competent person has the knowledge to recognise potential risks and dangers and put into effect measures that will limit if not completely diminish the risk of injury.

This has been especially important today as liability cases reach an all time high, now it is not just the conscience of a site manager that will be affected by an accident at work, increasingly the wallet of employers has also bee hurt. Today, any employer who has workers at height has a clear responsibility to ensure suitable competent persons are on site to keep safety procedures evident.

While accidents still happen on work sites, they are on the decrease. It is unlikely if they will ever be completely wiped out but with increasing numbers of PASMA trained persons hopefully these numbers will decrease.

Industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into ways that PASMA has made working at height safer. To find out more please visit http://www.systemscaffoldtrainingservices.com