Investment in specialist health and safety training is helping employers strengthen competence in higher-risk activities, with working-at-height training receiving particular attention as organisations seek to improve workforce safety.

According to Insider Media, West Midlands-based PLT Training has invested more than £200,000 in a new dedicated training area and recruited three specialist instructors after securing accreditation from the Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association (PASMA). The accreditation enables the company to provide training covering the safe assembly, use, inspection and dismantling of aluminium scaffold towers.

The investment reflects the importance of structured competence for work at height, where inadequate training, planning or equipment selection can expose workers to significant risks. PASMA provides training for the safe use of mobile access towers, supporting employers in developing the practical knowledge required to assemble, inspect and use tower equipment correctly.

For health and safety professionals, the development highlights the role of specialist training environments in complementing workplace risk assessments and control measures. PLT Training's new centre includes purpose-built areas for working at height, forklifts, manual handling, first aid and confined spaces, allowing learners to develop practical skills in controlled environments before applying them in operational workplaces.

Working at height also requires employers to consider the wider hierarchy of controls, including whether work at height can be avoided, how risks can be reduced, and whether appropriate equipment and competent personnel are available. The Health and Safety Executive states that employers must plan work at height properly, use appropriate equipment and ensure that those involved are competent or adequately supervised and trained.

The expansion of accredited training provision also demonstrates how investment in workforce capability can support broader safety objectives. PLT Training already provides training for mobile elevating work platforms through the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), while its wider programme covers areas including manual handling, first aid and confined spaces. This increasingly integrated approach allows employers to address several high-risk activities through structured competence development.

For the sector, the lesson is clear: effective health and safety depends not only on policies and equipment but also on ensuring workers have the knowledge and practical competence to use them safely. As employers continue to manage higher-risk activities such as working at height, investment in accredited training and realistic learning environments can play an important role in reducing risk and strengthening workplace safety.

Source: Insider Media / PASMA / Health and Safety Executive (HSE)