A banksman is responsible for directing the movements of large vehicles on a worksite, such as cranes and lifting operations during loading and unloading. The banksman uses a system of hand signals or communication via radio to prevent accidents and keep all personnelwithin the safety margins.
Traffic marshals make sure that all dangerous maneuvers (such as reversing) don’t put the driver or anyone else at risk of injury or death.
Can Banksmen be Used for Reversing Vehicles?
Banksman should only be used if they are properly trained and authorized. The organization should have a defined hierarchy of control that decides this process. Banksman should only be used as a last resort when other control measures are not implementable.
What is the Best Way to Keep Banksman Safe?
- Ensure that they are properly trained to direct lifting operations
- Provide them with a protected position that is safe from the lifting operations
- Provide Bnaksman with high visibility clothing, apparel, and accessories for maximum protection
- Instruct drivers to stop liftingoperators if they cannot see the Banksman
- Agree to obey standard signals
Why Are Banksman Important in Worker Safety?
According to surveys, over seven people are killed every year due to vehicles on construction sites every year. The most common causes of death are falling objects, overturning vehicles, and being struck by a vehicle (especially when it is reversing).
Nearly 1/4th of all deaths involving vehicles occur during reversing. Even if the reversing accident doesn’t cause any physical injuries, it doe cause severe damage to infrastructure, other vehicles, and the nearby equipment. Nearly all of these accidents can be prevented by employing safety precautions. This is where the Traffic Marshal course comes in.
Traffic Marshal (Banksman) Course Outline
The course includes the following major topics:
- General health and safety
- Law and regulations related to construction and traffic management
- Authorized personnel allowed on site
- Vehicle safety
- Hazard Analysis
- Risk management
- Safety signs
- Accident prevention
- Managing risky maneuvers (such as reversing)
Assessment
The course will be assessed in two parts.
Part 1: Practical Assessment
Candidates will have to demonstrate their knowledge of directing a vehicle.
Part 2: Theoretical Understanding
Candidates will have to demonstrate the roles of the banksman and the driver. The paper is MCQ-based and will be taken at the end of the course.
Certificate of Training Will be Provided to Successful Candidates
Successful candidates will be awarded a Traffic Banksman Training Certificate, Photo ID card, and a training manual. Traffic marshals will be issued with a copy of HSE-approved signals after the course.
It is worth mentioning that our team follows the hand signals as outlined by HSE.
There are no prerequisites for enrolling in this course. However, candidates should be physically capable of carrying out the various procedures outlined in the course.
Confirmation Letter
Successful candidates will be provided with a confirmation letter stating that they have completed the course and are ready to start work as a Traffic Marshal right away.
If the Traffic Marshal (Banksman) Course is something that interests you or something that you feel you need more information on, then please feel free to contact us on 020 3150 1299 or email us on info@emtrainingsolutions.com we would be more than happy to help with any queries you may have.