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WJA Authorises restart ofWater JettingTraining T


heWater Jetting Association (WJA) has authorised the resumption of face to facewater jetting training as long as it can


be carried out in a Covid-19 secure environment. TheWJA,which is responsible formostwater jetting training carried out in theUK, approved the restart of training fromJuly 1st 2020. It has also authorised greater use of online training. Water jetting trainingwas suspended by theWJAon 18thMarch 2020 in response to lockdownmeasures imposed by the government to try to prevent the spread of theCovid-19 virus. The association’s RulingCouncil has nowapproved the resumption of all face to face training, though the decision is subject to relevant changes to governmentCovid-19 guidelines and regulations. John Jones,WJAVice-President andChairman of itsTraining and Safety Committee, said:“We are sure thiswill bewelcomed news for themany drainage andwater utility companies that rely onWJAtraining. “We havemoved as quickly aswe can to resumewater jetting training. Our decisions have been based on the need to actwithin government guidelines and observe a duty of care to the safety of delegates,WJA training providers andWJA-approvedwater jetting instructors.” Restartingwater jetting trainingwill help drainage andwater utility companiesmake sure their teams have the rightmix of skills to deliver services flexibly, efficiently, and promptly. TheWJAhas agreed that,where it is possible,WJAwater jetting


instructors can deliver elements of all courses through onlinewebinars. Practical elements and assessmentwill still need to be carried out face to face.


TheWJAhas issued guidance to training providers and instructors on howthey can ensure coursesmeet all relevantCovid-19 health and safety guidance and regulations. Courses are subject to aCovid-19 risk assessment carried out by the training provider.Theywill only be held atCovid-19 secure sites.All training sitesmust have a sign on display stating that the training venue has been designated as‘COVID-19 SECURE’. The number of traineesmust be limited by requirements for correct social distancing. Measures thatmust be in place include: delegates being positioned at least twometres apart; no delegates facing each other; thewearing of face-coverings; and the taking of trainee and instructor temperatures and blood oxygen levels before the start of each course.


Road gullymaintenance – NADC calls for review of accepted practice R


oad gullies are passive devices that collect solidmaterialwashed off roads during rain. In doing so the gully concentrates this


materialwhichwill contain both inert and polluting substances – typicallymetals and hydrocarbons. Maintenance based on the removal of the sediment fromwithin a gully is required to allowthe continued free flowofwater through the gully. Failure to do sowill result in flooding.The accepted practice as set out


in theChartered Institute of WasteManagement (CIWM) Handbook, 2008 allows for the gully to be refilledwith decanted water fromthe tanker.Thiswatermay be partially contaminated. Refilling the gully in thisway has two purposes – to recreate awater barrier to odours fromthe sewer and to enable the tanker to efficiently empty asmany gullies as practicable in a working day by creating storage space in the tanker.Until recently commercial contractswith highways authorities have been entered into assuming thismethod of operation. NADCmembers are nowbeing asked to enter into newways of working by some employerswhichwill require the gully contents to be removed completely and the gully refilledwithmainswater.TheNADC is concerned that the full environmental impact and commercial costs of this are not being fully considered.TheNADCis calling on the EnvironmentAgency and highways authorities toworkwith themto prepare optimumguidance for employers and operators to be implemented by the industry.


78 drain TRADER | July 2020 | www.draintraderltd.com


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