In this Welders CPD Guide
Why do Welders need CPD?
A welder is a skilled worker whose job is to bind metal together by a process called welding. In welding, the worker will join two or more pieces of metal or thermoplastics using various welding techniques that each involve heating the materials to their melting point and then fusing them together.
Many objects can be welded together, including metal components like pipes, plates and beams. Other materials like plastics and even glass can also be welded, although the process may differ from traditional welding techniques used for metal. Due to the many different items that can be welded together, a welder can work in a variety of industries, from construction and manufacturing to art and sculpture. Some commonly welded items include cars, buildings, bridges and sculptures.
To become a welder, you can start by completing a welding course to provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to begin your career. Additionally, gaining work experience can also enhance your qualifications as a welder. It is important to ensure that you have the proper safety certifications and licences required to work in the field, as well as adhere to the relevant health and safety legislation.
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What CPD courses do Welders need?
Welding is a dangerous job as it involves working with tools and equipment that can cause life-threatening accidents. That is why most of the CPD courses suitable for a welder focus on health and safety procedures and safe working practices using power tools.
We have listed some of our essential CPD courses below:
- Workplace First Aid – all workplaces must have a qualified first-aider. This course will give you an introduction to first aid and how CPR and first aid should be administered. Students will also learn how to treat injuries that may occur in the workplace, as well as some of the common illnesses that workers may experience, what the signs and symptoms of each are and how to treat them. Our First Aid training also covers how you should keep records of any incidents that take place in the workplace.
- Welding Awareness – this course will give you an awareness of welding health and safety, including the risks involved with electric arc welding and oxy-fuel welding. It will help you understand the importance of welding health and safety. It will also provide you with knowledge on assessing the risks and some examples of the control measures that can protect workers and others from welding injuries and health effects.
- Slips, Trips, and Falls – working with tools presents a higher risk of accidents, including those from slips, trips and falls. It is important for people to have the right knowledge on slips, trips and falls as they can be life changing and could possibly end in death. Knowing how to keep yourself and others safe in the workplace is so important. This course will provide you with the knowledge and the information that you need to know.
- RIDDOR Awareness – our ROSPA assured RIDDOR course will teach the knowledge of employee responsibilities surrounding RIDDOR as well as cover when a RIDDOR report should be made, who should make the report and how to keep records of reports.
- PUWER Awareness – the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) ensure that equipment provided and used at work is without risk to health and safety, regardless of its age, condition or origin. You will look at the work equipment that requires inspection under PUWER and how it relates to the risk assessment process. You will look at the requirements for maintenance, inspection and thorough examination. You will also consider the training, information and instruction those using and maintaining work equipment may need.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – this course will look at the two main categories of PPE and give in-depth descriptions of what is included in them and when people should wear PPE. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022 will be explored as well as who is responsible for providing PPE and the reasons behind why the regulations were introduced.
- Noise Awareness – people who are at higher risk of exposure to noise need to be able to protect themselves from hearing damage. This course explores the consequences of exposure to noise and the ways that workers can keep themselves safe.
- Manual Handling – this is designed to teach the basics of moving and handling objects in the workplace safely. This includes pushing, pulling, lifting and any other type of movement of objects. Understanding risk assessments and how to correctly handle objects is essential to reduce the risk of being injured in the workplace.
- LOLER – in this course you will learn that detailed planning and organising of lifting operations should reduce the risk of any injuries. Those who are involved in lifting operations or who use lifting equipment must receive appropriate training for their role and must be competent to carry out their roles and responsibilities.
- HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome) Training – in our HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome) training course, you will gain a detailed insight into what vibration is and the various terms relating to the physics of vibration. You will consider that HAVS can progress quickly, particularly if a worker is regularly exposed to high levels of vibration. At the end of our online course, you will consider the legal requirements for eliminating, reducing and controlling the risk of hand-arm vibration (HAV).
- Abrasive Wheels – this course will introduce you to the safety aspects, risks, hazards and other factors that should be considered in the workplace when working with abrasive wheels. You will consider the different types of abrasive wheel machines and explore the different types of wheels that should be considered for the task at hand.
A guide to CPD for Welders
A welder must abide by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and follow the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations which set standards for the control of hazardous substances in the workplace. This is important because welding gives off hazardous fumes which should not be inhaled. This makes adherence to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations crucial. It requires employers to provide suitable protective equipment to employees who may be exposed to these health and safety risks.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) can help a welder adhere to all of the health and safety legislation, as well as keep their skills and knowledge up to date with industry advancements and changes. CPD can involve attending workshops, training courses and industry conferences, and working with a mentor. It is also a requirement for welders to stay up to date with industry regulations to ensure safe and proper welding practices.
CPD certificates
All our CPD courses listed above can be completed online. This makes learning flexible to suit your needs and fits around busy work schedules. You can complete your CPD course at any time of the day with 24-hour online access to your chosen enrolments. Our CPD courses are designed for independent learning, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t available. You can ask us a question and receive online support if you are having any difficulty.
Upon completion of the course, you will be issued with a CPD certificate. This will be available for you to download immediately. Your CPD certificate can also be posted to your home address if requested. It is important to keep your CPD certificate safe as it serves as proof of you successfully completing the course. This can be a strong piece of CPD evidence as all of our courses are accredited by the relevant industry bodies (such as ROSPA).
Logging CPD hours
The time that you spend on your course, as well as any other CPD training activity, can be logged to form a complete log of your CPD hours. Keeping a running record of the time that you spend on CPD is often a requirement from industry regulators to ensure that you are completing enough CPD. A CPD log of hours helps to keep you organised and on track with your CPD requirements.
Keeping evidence
Your CPD certificate and log of CPD hours will form part of your overall CPD evidence. These are often called upon to showcase what learning you have completed over the year to meet your CPD training requirements.
As well as the above, there are many other pieces of CPD evidence that you could include such as:
- Meeting notes from working with a mentor.
- Titles and notes from independent research.
- Titles and notes from tutorial videos and podcasts.
- A summary of work completed during job shadowing.
- Attendance list from a workshop or conference.
- Attendance list and a summary from a physical training day.
Renewing CPD certificates
Your CPD certificate will need to be renewed every two years in line with industry changes. This is crucial to remain up to date in your work and ensure that you are practising to the correct health and safety guidelines. It is simple to renew your CPD certificate with CPD Online College. You can enrol to do a refresher of your chosen CPD course to refresh your knowledge and remain up to date.
