The Water Jetting Association, the member organisation for the water jetting industry, is to allow its courses to be delivered by training providers based outside the UK for the first time.
The decision will help meet growing demand for water jetting operatives based around the world to benefit from WJA training.
The WJA Training and Safety Committee approved the change, which was then ratified by the WJA Ruling Council at its meeting in November 2022.
A key ruling is that WJA-approved training providers and instructors based in other countries will not be permitted to deliver training in the UK.
WJA President John Jones said: “This is a significant and exciting decision for the WJA.Requests for our training to be delivered outside the UK have increased in recent years and we want to be able to meet that demand.
“Until now, our rules have required all WJA-approved training providers to be based in the UK. In most cases, this has required WJA-approved instructors to travel from the UK to other countries to deliver training.”
“Our decision means this no longer must be the case. If training providers and instructors meet our criteria and pass all our assessments, they can be approved by the WJA.
“That means WJA training can be delivered, for the first time, by both training providers and instructors based in any country around the world.”
The WJA is the UK member body for the water jetting industry. It represents water jetting contractors, hirers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and training providers, and works closely with other stakeholders, including asset owners and organisations concerned about water jetting safety.
Demand for WJA water jetting training is growing in many countries, most notably in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, which have significant oil and gas industries.
WJA Training and Safety Committee Chairman Steve Williams regularly delivers training in other countries. He said: “This is a positive move. Without it, the WJA would be unlikely to keep up with demand for its training courses.
“In the Middle East, for example, WJA training is highly valued because it is based on the WJA’s codes of practice that are recognised and respected for setting a clear standard for water jetting.
“Training providers and instructors in the Middle East, and other regions, will now be able to apply for WJA-approved status, which includes a process of ongoing assessment.
“This means more water jetting operatives will benefit from WJA training which can only enhance the safety and effectiveness of water jetting operations in those countries, which is a positive step forward.”
To become a WJA-approved training provider, organisations must join the WJA. This requires them to sign the WJA Professional Charter and meet its stringent financial and governance criteria, as well as undergo a rigorous assessment process.
Training instructors musthave a minimum of three years’ experience in water jetting, related to the practical modules they plan to deliver.
They must hold a current PTTLS or Level 3 award in education or training, or their equivalent, and a health and safety qualification, at least equivalent to IOSH Managing Safely.
As stipulated by the WJA’s standard operating procedures for training, they must hold a current WJA safety awareness certificate and the certificates for all practical modules for which they are competent to deliver.
Their formal application must be approved by the WJA’s Ruling Council. They must agree to a process of formal assessment, including a WJA assessor attending training courses.
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