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One of the most common questions we hear from construction companies is:
“Our principal contractor says the training has to be UKATA.”
In many cases, the requirement has been passed down through the supply chain without anyone questioning whether UKATA membership is actually a legal requirement.
So, does non-licensable asbestos training have to be delivered by a UKATA provider?
The short answer is no.
The legal requirement comes from the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, specifically Regulation 10, which requires employers to ensure anyone liable to be exposed to asbestos receives adequate information, instruction and training appropriate to the work they carry out.
The legislation does not state that training must be delivered by UKATA or any other specific training association.
Instead, employers must ensure that the training provider is competent and that the training delivered is suitable for the work being undertaken.
UKATA and IATP are both recognised asbestos training associations that approve training providers to deliver asbestos training.
For non-licensable asbestos work (often referred to as Category B training), both organisations develop their courses around the same legal requirements and Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.
The key difference is who issues the certificate, not the legislation the training is designed to satisfy.
| UKATA | IATP |
|---|---|
| Training delivered through UKATA-approved providers | Training delivered through IATP-approved providers |
| Certificate issued by UKATA member | Certificate issued by IATP member |
| Based on the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 | Based on the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 |
| Designed for non-licensed asbestos work | Designed for non-licensed asbestos work |
Both training routes are intended to provide delegates with the knowledge required to work safely with non-licensed asbestos-containing materials.
This is usually because of an internal procurement policy, not because legislation requires UKATA specifically.
Many principal contractors standardised on UKATA years ago and continue to specify it within subcontractor requirements.
There is nothing wrong with this approach if it forms part of their own compliance procedures.
However, it is important to understand that this is a client requirement, rather than a legal requirement set by the HSE.
If your client or principal contractor specifies UKATA Category B training, we recommend asking a simple question:
“Is UKATA mandatory, or will an equivalent course delivered by another recognised asbestos training association be accepted?”
Many organisations are happy to accept alternative training once they understand:
Where a principal contractor confirms that only UKATA certificates will be accepted under their own policy, that requirement should of course be followed.
At Workforce Skills Support, we offer a package designed to provide excellent value while supporting workforce competence.
Our package includes:
This combination provides delegates with both a nationally recognised regulated qualification for asbestos awareness and practical training for non-licensed asbestos work.
If you’ve been told your workforce must complete UKATA training, we’re happy to review the requirement with you.
In many cases, employers simply need confirmation from their client or principal contractor that an IATP-delivered non-licensable asbestos course will be accepted.
We’ll happily provide course outlines and supporting information to help you have that conversation before you commit to a training provider.
If you’d like to discuss your asbestos training requirements, contact Workforce Skills Support today.