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Training
he preparations
T for the new season begin in earnest now . The Christmas binges are long forgotten – although their legacy lives on and reminds us when we look in the mirror !
Those who know realise this period before spring starts in earnest is a great time to service the equipment , clean out the ‘ mothballs ’ from winterised machinery and make sure everyone has what they need for the season ahead . Part of preparing a business and the people is ensuring training is researched , certificates checked and courses booked , but some courses are non-negotiable . Pesticide courses are a legal requirement – one of the few written into law . LANTRA and City & Guilds ( NPTC ) are the only two awarding bodies for pesticide courses in the UK – both are equally valid .
Cooper-Pegler & Berthoud sprayers , are championing the work of training centres and trainers in 2025 . Richard Wheatcroft the National Account Manager , who has a training background , says : “ the value of a trained workforce is hard to overstate and not just for legal reasons . Improved morale , lower insurance premiums , increased professionalism and pride in the job are just some of the extra benefits a business or club can reap ”
Some pesticide courses can be done fully online , such as the Safe Use of Pesticides ( commonly called PA1 ) but the majority of ‘ PA ’ units are trained and assessed in person .
Training centres offering pesticide courses and refresher courses are dotted around the country and they will vary in size , from regional Training Groups run by volounteers , to Colleges and professional , dedicated training companies . However there are also many freelance
trainers , not tied to a company , who will travel to site premises … the awarding bodies offer more info on their respective websites : www . NPTC . org . uk & www . Lantra . co . uk . Lantra also offer a useful certificate and learner checker too : www . lantra . co . uk / certificatechecker . Or , for NPTC , ring the Support Team on 024 7685 7300
Here you ’ ll also find information on refresher courses and the guidance on how often a refresher should be done …. weirdly they differ !
www . cooper-pegler . com will post more information on training and training establishments on their website in the coming weeks and months .
Training is an investment for a business , group or club and it invests in the environment we work in ; safe , trained application protects the worker and everything else in it too .
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | January / february 2025 11