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The importance of UXO Awareness and Training
UXO training is crucial for the safety of ground workers and machine operators working on construction sites, developers working in areas with historical military activity – or any site where there is a potential risk of encountering UXO.
Providing ground personnel with an awareness of UXO is an essential part of any UXO Risk Mitigation Plan, ensuring principal contractors are fulfilling their duty of care to employees.
It is important that construction site personnel and development professionals understand the potential for encountering buried UXO, the risks associated with unearthing or discovering explosive ordnance – and how to respond in the event of a suspicious discovery.
This knowledge will help in making decisions and minimising risk to personnel – a safer workplace fosters a more productive environment and helps maintain a positive safety culture across all of your projects.
What UXO Training does 1st Line Defence provide?
We can provide various training solutions for your project, from our UXO Safety & Awareness Briefings to producing a UXO Site Specific Safety Package (SSSP).
A UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing is one of the most effective ways of ensuring that all site personnel have a basic understanding of potential UXO risk, and what to do should something suspect be encountered. Such briefings should be put in place for all projects where there is a potential for encountering UXO.
Initially this training should be provided by a qualified UXO Specialist. However, for longer term lower risk sites where a UXO Specialist may not be present every day, we can put together and deliver a Site Specific Safety Package – this includes training and documentation which can allow members of your team to deliver their own UXO Safety Briefings/Toolbox Talks.
1st Line Defence also offer free-of-charge Continuing Professional Development (CPD) seminars and online webinars about ‘UXO Risk and the UK Construction Industry’ – which can be delivered in-person or remotely.
If you are looking for certified EOD training, unfortunately 1st Line Defence does not provide this service, and we recommend that you find an alternative training provider such as ISSEE.
UXO Training Services
UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing>
Image showing a 1st Line Defence operative carrying out a UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing.
A UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing provides a general overview of UXO risk, focussing on different types of UXO and their potential hazards. It will include basic instructions about explosive ordnance recognition and emergency response procedures to follow in the event of an on-site discovery.
- It will explain the nature and type of risk assessed based on research.
- It will provide a basic overview about explosive ordnance recognition.
- It will explain what to do if a suspicious item or UXO is encountered.
The briefing is usually provided at the start of day to any new personnel working on site, and is the minimum recommended safety precaution for any site where there is potential for encountering UXO. UXO Safety & Awareness Briefings alone will not suffice for ‘High’ risk sites.
For sites which have been assessed as ‘Medium’ or ‘High’ risk from UXO, briefings are still essential – but should be accompanied by an on-site UXO Support or UXO Survey operative.
Site Specific Safety Package (SSSP)>
Image showing a Site-Specific Safety Package setup for WinVic by 1st Line Defence.
In the first instance, a UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing should be delivered by a qualified UXO Specialist. For longer term ‘Low’ Risk projects where there may not be a requirement for UXO Support all times – a SSSP can be commissioned. This service includes documentation and training is provided to allow a contractor’s representative to deliver future briefings.
The SSSP training will cover:
- The common physical characteristics of UXO.
- The effect that intrusive groundworks might have on the different varieties of UXO.
- The actions to take in the event of a suspected UXO discovery.
- How to deliver a UXO Safety & Awareness Briefing.
- How to manage UXO risk.
On completion, 1st Line Defence will provide a briefing pack in both hard copy and electronic format. The pack includes information about identifying and reporting suspicious discoveries, with images to assist with UXO recognition and awareness posters which can be displayed on-site.
Free UXO Awareness CPD Seminars>
Image showing a CPD seminar for a client by 1st Line Defence.
1st Line Defence’s free-of-charge CPD presentations and seminars are designed to provide an introduction to UXO Risk Management for the UK Construction Industry. Aimed at management level professionals in the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors, the presentations raise awareness about UXO risks, detail how UXO risk is assessed and managed – and provides guidance about identifying and avoiding potential hazards.
The seminars can be undertaken at your offices or online via a webinar. As the course is accredited by the CPD Certification Service, all attendees that participate receive an attendance and completion certificate – and collect active learning hours towards their own continuing professional development targets.
Use the buttons below to make a general enquiry or to book this training via the CPD website.
Make a general enquiry Visit CPD website Download CPD Seminars Factsheet
What are the benefits of UXO Training?
Not considering the potential for encountering UXO can cause significant complications and the management of UXO risk is critical to avoid:
- Possible injury or fatalities caused by accidental detonation.
- Delays caused by the site being closed by the Police or Emergency services.
- Unexpected costs, early planning and research can allow for necessary UXO risk mitigation and management to be pre-budgeted.
Key aspects include
Awareness and Recognition
UXO Training helps personnel understand the types of UXO that might be encountered, their potential risks and how to recognise / respond to the risk.
Site Safety Precautions
UXO Training covers best-practice procedures for working on sites where there is a potential UXO risk
How to respond to UXO discoveries
UXO Training explains what to do if a UXO item is discovered, including reporting procedures and how to maintain site security.
Why choose 1st Line Defence?
One of our primary goals is to spread best practice and awareness about the risk of UXO, and to make sure that ground operatives who may come into unexpected contact with items of ordnance – have awareness and knowledge about the risks involved and how to act safely in the event of an emergency.
1st Line Defence’s safety record is second-to-none and is the training provider chosen by clients including: Winvic, Galliford Try, Keir Construction, Balfour Beatty, Keltbray and Morgan Sindall.
If you need more information or to organise UXO Training for your construction project, contact us to discuss your project requirements.
Looking to book UXO Training and not sure what service to order?
Contact us to learn more about our UXO Training services, we are experts in our field.
