Vocational Qualifications for the UK Explosives Industry

摘要

The possible consequences of a lack of competence when working with munitions or explosives can be devastating and the UK has long held concerns over these possibilities. So, the Standards Setting Body for Explosives, Munitions and Search Occupations (SSB for EMSO) was formed in 2000 in order to develop National Occupational Standards. In the autumn of 2003, the Defence Ordnance Safety Group (DOSG) of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) approached the SSB and asked for help in defining the competences known at the time in the MoD as Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives (OME) but which later became known as Explosive Substances and Articles (ESA). Since the MoD ideally wished its personnel to and National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQs) for those involved in munition clearance (i.e., bomb disposal -- both EOD and IEDD) and search activities. The standards would provide specific, objective, measurable and nationally agreed statements of competence that could be used in any part of the explosives industry -- military, civilian or private sector. These standards were launched in October 2003.