Safety awareness to be made ‘BIGGA’ for golf course greenkeepers

BIGGA Midlands, (British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association) are holding a training workshop at Gay Hill Golf Course on 5th and 6th November, for golf course machine operators.

Golf courses are now seeing the benefits of owning their own construction machinery but due to funding, it isn't always feasible for them to purchase one themselves. Most golf clubs with a need for a machine will hire one from a machine hire company. Situations can then occur when someone will operate a machine without sufficient health and safety training, and are then at risk of accidents taking place.

The workshop, called 360º Excavator Training that is to be held at Gay Hill Golf Club, Holywood Lane, West Midlands, aims to raise awareness of legislation and compliance in the industry.

The Komatsu PC27MR-2 is the perfect choice for use on a golf course; the short tail-swing is excellent in difficult areas such as a bunker, and its excellent stability ensures safety confidence in any conditions. 2 of the impressive PC27MR-2 Komatsu excavators will be on-hand for the training course, allowing a more 'hands on' approach for candidates.

Mark Webster, Marubeni-Komatsu's Area Sales Manager for the Utility range comments: "These workshops are great for getting operators of the machinery fully trained so they can operate them safely."

Paul Woodham, Education and Training Co-ordinator for BIGGA Midlands, discusses his reasons for setting up the workshop: "The course is designed for all machine operators at any golf course to be benefit from training from a competent instructor. This will minimise the risk of accidents taking place and ensure that employers are fulfilling their training responsibilities. This course is not designed to replace LANTRA or NPTC training and assessment but may offer an alternative to golf organisations. We want everyone to protect themselves and use the machinery safely, this course teaches each attendee to do just that."

In brief, the workshop will cover the following areas:
· Risk assessment
· Legislation
· Instruments and controls
· Manufacturer handbook
· Models of operation
· Stability
· Accident prevention
· Pre-shift and daily checks
· Site safety
· Starting and stopping
· Driving the machine
· Operating the machine
· Trenching
· Square evacuation
· Vehicle loading
· Changing of attachments
· Transportation

There are places for 6 candidates on the course, for BIGGA members, costs are £390 each (£460 non BIGGA members). On completion, attendees will receive a certificate of attendance.