RSSB PROJECT: REVIEWING SAFETY COMPETENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR GUARDS

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/078/25

13^th May 2025

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

 

RSSB PROJECT: REVIEWING SAFETY COMPETENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR GUARDS 

 

I recently received the RSSB consultation: “Guidance Note on competence and training requirements for guards”. 

 

In relation to this at its meeting on 8^th May 2025, your NEC noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety subcommittee:

 

We note that the RSSB have published their draft guidance note on Competence and Training for Guards. We instruct the General Secretary to thank Ben Waller, RMT safety rep for the work he has done during the consultation period in attending meetings with RSSB to discuss this guidance – and the NEC reps who have attended these meetings also.  

 

We recognise that before this RSSB guidance note there was not any existing common approach to guards training and competence available to the industry – and that this GN goes some way to standardising training, assures that the guard’s role is specified in all operational contexts and takes into consideration key safety responsibilities. 

 

However, we are concerned that the guidance is only as good at the interpretation of it – and that is it is just that – guidance. 

 

We instruct the General Secretary to write to RSSB accordingly, explaining that we are concerned that the document does not give any firm commitments or minimum expectations/requirements – instead it merely signposts TOCs to information. With the impending formation of GBR, we instruct the General Secretary to campaign for a national standard for safety competency and training requirements for guards.

 

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised. 

 

            I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary