IN Brief:
- RVT Group offers 12 free one-hour CPD-UK-certified sessions and says six are now available on demand.
- Two webinars with Construction Health and Wellbeing address psychosocial risk on 26 November and health surveillance on 8 December.
- A new Aylesford training facility is intended to support practical courses in 2027, with dates still to be confirmed.
RVT Group has expanded its occupational health training offer for construction and maintenance teams, adding recorded sessions on fume and noise control alongside forthcoming webinars and practical courses planned for a new training facility in Aylesford, Kent. The programme covers risks arising from everyday site activities, including dust generation, welding fumes, workplace noise, and the management of occupational exposure.
The company offers 12 CPD-UK-certified courses, each designed to run for an hour and delivered by specialist consultants online or in person. Topics extend from dust extraction and environmental monitoring to drying-out buildings, water treatment, and workplace health practices. Attendees can obtain a certificate on completion; RVT’s booking information specifies a minimum of eight participants for a free live session, while recorded courses are intended for individual access.
RVT says it has increased the on-demand selection to six recordings, including Effective Fume Control Onsite, presented by Kevin Dupont, and Effective Noise Control Onsite, presented by senior technical consultant Ted Taylor. The firm’s existing public training page also lists recordings on dust, drying-out, water treatment, and developing a health-conscious culture. The six-recording total comes from the company’s November programme information, while its web catalogue has not yet been updated to display all six recordings.
Engineering control of airborne hazards begins with the activity generating the contaminant. Cutting, drilling, grinding, and welding create different exposures, and the choice of extraction depends on material, source position, airflow, and the conditions around the work. Local exhaust ventilation is designed to capture fumes or dust close to their point of generation, before they spread through the working area. Correct capture position, sufficient airflow, filtration, and maintenance are central to its operation.
Noise control requires a separate assessment of sources, duration, and the route by which sound reaches workers. Equipment selection, isolation, acoustic screening, and enclosure can reduce exposure before hearing protection is considered. On a changing construction site, several operations may run concurrently and temporary barriers or machinery can move between tasks, so arrangements that worked at one stage may require reassessment when the layout changes.
Two webinars organised with Construction Health and Wellbeing address broader occupational health duties. Stuart Mace will discuss psychosocial risk and the Construction Leadership Council’s Mental Health Joint Code of Practice on Thursday 26 November, from 11:00 to 12:00. Jennie Armstrong will lead a health surveillance session on Tuesday 8 December, also from 11:00 to 12:00. The dates, speakers, and times are confirmed on RVT’s event page.
Psychosocial risk can arise from excessive demands, poor communication, and other working conditions, while health surveillance concerns workers exposed to specified health hazards such as dust, noise, or vibration. Surveillance can help identify early signs of work-related harm and inform a review of controls; it is distinct from general health screening. Attendance at a webinar does not replace the risk assessment, preventive measures, competent advice, or monitoring required for a particular task.
RVT also stages Action on Site Health events bringing together safety professionals, contractors, and occupational health specialists. These meetings address practical risk controls and the circumstances in which they are used, while allowing participants to discuss site-specific difficulties. A demonstration or presentation can support training, but it cannot on its own confirm that a control arrangement is effective for every work activity or exposure level.
A new facility at Aylesford in Kent is intended to host hands-on instruction during 2027. RVT says participants will be able to apply training to practical scenarios rather than rely solely on recorded or classroom presentations, although the company has not yet announced course dates. The exercises are expected to address the selection and use of controls in circumstances closer to those encountered in maintenance and construction work.
Ted Taylor, senior technical consultant and lead trainer at RVT Group, said: “At RVT Group, we’re committed to making best practice information accessible to everyone and believe it’s essential that people have access to the knowledge they need to work safely and effectively.” The courses sit alongside guidance documents and the company’s existing online information resources, giving employers several ways to introduce workers to common occupational hazards.
Effective risk controls have to be matched to the conditions in which they are used. An extraction hood positioned for a workshop task may need adapting when the same process is carried out in a confined or changing site environment; a temporary acoustic barrier may also become ineffective when plant is moved. Training can explain the relevant principles, while selection, performance checks, and maintenance remain specific to the equipment and activity involved.
The next scheduled sessions are the psychosocial risk webinar on 26 November and the health surveillance webinar on 8 December. RVT has not yet confirmed the 2027 timetable for practical instruction at Aylesford. Employers arranging the free live CPD courses should also account for the company’s minimum attendee requirement, which differs from access to individually viewed recordings.
