Venue:     FPS stand; Harrogate International Centre.

Common  Road Tanker Driver Induction Standard.  CRTDiS

Cogent Sector Skills Council and Skills for Logistics have developed a new Standard  for tanker drivers transporting petrol, diesel, gas oil, aviation fuel, heavy fuels, bitumens and lubricants.

The Standard will be  launched  by UKPIA Director General Chris Hunt at the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers Exhibition at Harrogate International Centre on 6th April at 14.15pm.

Who is it for?

The Common Road Tanker Driver Induction Standard, (CRTDiS), combines the industry’s existing best practice into one single national standard skills framework. This is fully supported by the recently formed UK Downstream Oil Distribution Forum, (UKDODF), which comprises representatives from the Transport and General Workers Union, oil companies, haulage contractors, Trade Associations, sector skills councils, and  the Department for Trade and Industry.

What happens?

Companies will complete a self  assessment  questionnaire to match their operating and handling  and training procedures against the agreed elements of the CRTDiS standard. Those who meet the requirements are awarded the Certificate, and those who need further help can apply for a copy of the standard to put the necessary revised procedures in place.

Website guidance on the process will be launched in April 2006.

National Standard- Flexible framework

The new skills framework can be adapted to suit large and small hauliers.

It focuses on three main stages:

• Loading operations
• Transportation of petroleum products
• Offloading operations

The  emphasis  is on safety awareness and the need for personal responsibility for drivers’ own safety and those around  them during  these three phases.

The training against the standard is based on formal assessment where the commitment of supervisors and managers to train their own teams will be a central component.

Skills  for Logistics database.

Skills for Logistics will maintain a database of all drivers participating in  the  standard.  Those tanker drivers who meet the standard will be awarded a CRTDiS certificate which will be transferable between employers and can form part of their c.v.

A  standard for transportation of all hazardous goods?

Cogent’s Downstream Skills Director, Walter Williamson believes “ there is potential to extend the standard across other industries because the transportation of hazardous and supply chain critical materials is an essential operation for many  employers, particularly in the chemicals and other  industries”.

DTI praise for industry collaboration

Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry said  “ I am particularly  pleased  that the industry has come together to produce such an important standard, and I look forward to this excellent  co-operation continuing into the future.”

UKDODF will oversee the CRTDiS guidelines and standard, and will continue to develop strategies to address skills gaps in the industry’s health and safety training, and lobby Government to promote best practice.

www.skillsforlogistics.org      www.cogent-ssc.com

• Notes for editors
• Cogent is the Sector Skills Council for the Chemical, Nuclear, Oil and Gas, Petroleum and Polymer industries and was launched on 2nd March 2004.  Sector Skills Councils are independent, employer-led organisations licensed by government to address skills needs in their sectors. They were launched in 2002 to replace the network of National Training Organisations (NTOs). 

• Sector Skills Agreements are being produced for every sector which is supported by a Sector Skills Council including Cogent, which covers petroleum, nuclear, petroleum, petroleum and polymers. The aim of these agreements is to secure for each sector the range and level of skills necessary to achieve productivity at internationally competitive levels.  In partnership with employers, the Government and others, Cogent will use the Sector Skills Agreement as a framework for delivery of the skilled workforce which employers in the sector want.  The Agreement will:

·       lead to better planned and more integrated delivery of skills training;

·       help to produce credible, cost effective, quality assured and better-tailored training provision;

·       help to target public funding more efficiently;

·       encourage employers to invest more in developing their workforce.

 The report and summary of the skills needs assessment for the Petroleum industry is available at www.cogent-ssc.com