Standard safety courses are useful when the subject, equipment and expected outcome are consistent. But many organisations work with unusual plant, established company procedures, specific lifting arrangements or teams with mixed experience. In those situations, bespoke in-house safety training can provide a more relevant and practical route. All Star Safety can develop training around the work your people actually carry out, while being clear about when an accredited qualification is the more appropriate option.
What is bespoke in-house safety training?
Bespoke in-house safety training is a course designed around an organisation’s real activities, people, equipment and risk profile. Instead of relying only on generic examples, the course can use relevant work scenarios, company procedures, equipment information, photographs, lift plans, risk assessments or practical tasks.
The aim is not to make training easier or reduce the standard. It is to make the learning specific enough for delegates to recognise how the principles apply in their own workplace.
When is a bespoke course the right option?
A tailored course can be useful when:
- the equipment or attachment is not well represented by a standard course;
- the team needs awareness of a particular lifting, plant or site activity;
- managers or supervisors need to understand their responsibilities without being trained as operators;
- the organisation wants training linked to its own procedures, lift plans, RAMS or work environment;
- delegates have different levels of previous experience;
- a practical assessment is needed for a defined workplace task; or
- a new or unusual training need has been identified and no suitable published course is available.
You can also view our current training courses and course calendar if a standard or scheduled course already meets the requirement.
What can bespoke safety training cover?
Lifting operations and crane awareness
Historic delivery has included lift-planning and Appointed Person development, Lift Supervisor training for excavator lifting, crane awareness for managers, overhead-crane operator familiarisation, mobile-crane familiarisation, in-house slinging and basic lifting-accessory inspection awareness.
The detail can be adapted to the type of crane or lifting equipment, the loads being handled, workplace restrictions and the responsibilities of the people attending. For example, an industrial overhead-crane course may focus on side pull, load control and factory interfaces, while a construction course may place more emphasis on lift categories, ground conditions, exclusion zones and coordination between dutyholders.
Plant and equipment familiarisation
Bespoke training may also support defined plant and equipment needs, such as sideloader or counterbalance forklift work, forklift-mounted jib operations and task-specific machine familiarisation. The right format depends on the equipment, the delegates’ previous training and experience, and whether an accredited operator qualification is required.
Work at height, CDM and wider construction safety
Other delivered subjects have included work at height and harness safety, CDM 2015 awareness and hazard-control training for residential construction. A course can concentrate on the risks most relevant to the audience, such as plant and pedestrian interface, excavations, fire, manual handling, dust, noise, vibration or practical risk assessment.
How is a bespoke course developed?
A useful bespoke course starts with the intended workplace outcome, not with a slide deck. Our typical process is:
- Training-needs conversation — we clarify the work, the delegate roles, previous experience and the result the organisation needs.
- Information review — where appropriate, we review equipment details, manuals, load charts, lift plans, RAMS, photographs and company procedures.
- Scope and route — we decide whether the need is awareness, familiarisation, practical skill development, assessment or a recognised accredited qualification.
- Course design and delivery — examples, exercises and practical activity are adapted to the agreed scope and delivered at a suitable venue.
- Evidence and follow-up — we provide the agreed attendance, assessment or certification evidence and identify any actions that sit outside the course.
How long does bespoke training take and what does it cost?
There is no single duration or published price for bespoke training. A focused awareness session may be relatively short, while a novice course with practical work and assessment may run over several days.
Duration and price depend on the number and experience of delegates, equipment and site arrangements, practical-to-theory balance, assessment requirements, course-development time, venue, travel and accommodation. After a short training-needs review, All Star Safety will recommend a suitable format and provide an individual quotation.
Is bespoke training the same as accredited training?
Not always. Some bespoke courses are in-house awareness, familiarisation or task-specific training. They may result in an attendance record, assessment record or in-house certificate, but they should not be presented as a nationally recognised operator qualification unless the relevant scheme and certification apply.
Where a recognised plant or operator route is required, explore our NPORS training. For suitable theory-led topics, our online health and safety training may also be an appropriate option.
Course completion also does not automatically appoint a person to a lifting or safety role. Employers remain responsible for checking experience, suitability, competence, authorisation and ongoing supervision.
Why connect training with consultancy support?
Sometimes a training enquiry reveals a wider issue: an unclear lifting procedure, a lift plan that needs review, inconsistent RAMS, a gap in site assurance or uncertainty about CDM responsibilities. Training can improve knowledge, but it cannot by itself correct every system or site-control issue.
All Star Safety’s health and safety consultancy services can provide additional support with areas such as lifting operations, audits, documentation, CDM and practical safety management. Linking training with the right consultancy input can help an organisation address both individual understanding and the arrangements around the work.
Who can benefit from bespoke in-house training?
The approach can suit organisations in construction, housebuilding, civil engineering, utilities, manufacturing, fabrication, lifting-equipment services, mechanical and electrical engineering, heavy haulage, aerospace and plant or machinery supply. Delivery can be considered at the client’s premises where there is a suitable learning space, safe practical area and appropriate equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Can training be delivered at our premises?
Yes, in many cases. We will need to confirm that the venue, equipment and practical area are suitable and that the agreed controls are in place.
Can the course use our own equipment and documents?
Often, yes. Relevant manuals, load charts, lift plans, RAMS, photographs and procedures can make the course more useful, subject to suitable pre-delivery review and safe access to the equipment.
Is every bespoke course accredited?
No. Some courses are in-house awareness, familiarisation or task-specific training. If an accredited qualification or operator card is required, we will discuss the correct route and explain what evidence the course provides.
Can you create a course that is not listed on the website?
Potentially. Tell us what the team needs to understand or do, the equipment or activities involved, and the delegates’ experience. We will review whether a safe, suitable bespoke course can be developed or whether an existing accredited route is more appropriate.
Discuss your training requirement
If your team needs training that does not fit a standard course, contact All Star Safety with a short description of the work, the equipment involved, the number of delegates and their previous experience. We will help identify the right route and provide an individual quotation.