Updates, Downloads and Links
PSRO Projects
Current PSRO projects include:
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- Development of a Super Sector Competency Framework for Plant Occupations (Note – public consultation programme open, see below)
- Approving CSCS-alliance plant card schemes as part of their CSCS licencing agreement.
- Maintenance of the plant occupations competency framework
- Technical support to the CITB plant operations short duration training standards
- Maintenance of a national Eco-operations national framework in partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School
- Support for Plant-based Apprenticeships
PSRO Updates
The PSRO Board met in November 2025 to further progress the work of the PSRO. The main agenda items were the CLC Super Sector Competency Frameworks development, which includes plant occupations for which the PSRO are taking a lead. More details on the project are below. Meeting notes will be avaiable for download soon.
At the meeting, the Board agreed to host a webinar for employers to understand the aim, content and impacts of the forthcoming competency frameworks programme. See the article below on the frameworks project for more details and registration.
CLC Super Sector Competency Frameworks Programme
Update: PSRO Employer Webinar on Understanding the CLC Competency Frameworks for Plant Occupations
To help employers understand what the Competency Frameworks Programme (as below) involves fior them, what’s coming next, and what it means for your business, PSRO will be hosting a one-hour webinar. This is also an opportunity to give feedback before Phase 1 goes live.
Date: Wednesday 14 January 2026 – 2:00pm (1 hour)
Registration can be made at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1975773976149
The online link and full programme will be circulated in early January.
Background and Project
Following the tragic fire of Grenfell tower, a lack of competence a cited factor of the tragedy. This has led to legislation such as the Building Safety Regulations 2023 that imposes minimum requirements of those involved in building works, with a particular focus on competence.
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) have advocated competence frameworks for all construction occupations that will identify the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEBs) required for each sector and their relevant occupations.
Plant occupations are in-scope and placed as a distinct footprint within the Civils Super Sector programme. PSRO are the development organisation for the plant occupations work stream, but led and project-managed by the CPA and supported by CITB. As the PSRO have already devised a competency framework for the requirements of card schemes, this will be used as the basis of the super-sector plant framework and will be devised by a cross-sector steering group who will identify the range of relevant occupations, routes of entry, accepted qualifications and SKEB’s relating to the plant.
Plant operators will be the priority occupation followed by plant installers, particularly hoist and tower crane installers, given their proximity to working near to or with high-rise buildings. It is acknowledged however that it is a large piece of work and for which will unlikely to be completed before mid-2025. However, once the plant operations framework is in place, the PSRO will work with CITB and the existing plant card schemes to adopt and adjust their standards and delivery content to meet the framework requirements.
The group has now completed Phase 1 of their project and have devised competency frameworks for plant operators of mainstream construction plant and as part of the frameworks development, a public consultation exercise is being launched to ensure that industry requirements are met, allowing those from industry to suggest additions or improvements, or where technical inaccuracies may exist for particular machine types or groups.
A consultation pack has been devised, incorporating the various frameworks and routes to competence and can be downloaded below using the yellow-coloured buttons. A returnable feedback form accompanies the pack and the completed form, or any other comments, can be made back to enquiries@psro.org.uk
PSRO SCSS Eco-operations National Training Delivery Framework
The construction plant sector is providing initiatives and solutions for the country’s path to Net Zero, with machine usage identified as a contributor to carbon-based emissions. The long-term aim of the sector is to replace all carbon-emitting equipment with zero or low emission-powered versions, however in the short-term, the aim is to reduce as far as practicable, engine-derived emissions through both minimising engine run time and efficient use of that equipment. This requires an education programme for both owners, operators and users of such equipment and from which eco-operation courses, either in-house with an employer or through externally certified courses from established awarding organisations, are bringing vital learning for this subject.
To ensure Industry’s approach in meeting its obligations, there is a need for an overarching criteria that promotes consistency and standardisation for eco-operations, therefore the Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO) and the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s (SCSS) Plant Group have worked together in order to develop a training-delivery framework.
The framework sets out the parameters for consistent delivery and identifies and provides guidance on areas such as core and optional learning outcomes, delivery content and methodologies, assessment strategies and course durations. As the learning content can vary for a number of occupations, the framework further identifies individual course content and delivery factors for plant operatives, supervisors, plant and site managers, planners, plant procurers, maintenance personnel etc.
The aim is that on completion of a course based on this framework, delegates should have attained a required level of understanding on the principles of reducing machine-based carbon emissions, enabling them to recognise and apply learnt reduction techniques, operational processes and emerging machine technologies with a desired outcome that each delegate takes personal ownership of the need to reduce emissions.
The framework is divided into three parts with part one outlining the aims and principles of the framework, part 2 identifying the delivery aspects for the relevant occupations whilst part 3 specifies the learning outcomes and training specification.
The framework can be downloaded below.
More information on the work of the SCSS Plant Group can be found using the link below.
Downloads
Links