SA001 Smart Awards – Overhead Safety Training

Duration: 2 Days
Locations: Portadown, Northern Ireland
Price: £430 (ex VAT)

OH Safety in Portadown delivers the SA001 Smart Awards Overhead Safety training, covering all three modules: Overhead Safety, Pole Checking, and Joint User Poles. This course equips learners with the essential skills, practical knowledge, and compliance awareness required to work safely on ladders and wooden poles within the telecommunications sector.

Perfect for new entrants, apprentices, and operatives working on telecom infrastructure, this course ensures you meet the National Operational Standard (NOS) for safe ladder and pole work.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Entry-level or novice workers in the telecoms or civils industry
• Operatives required to work on ladders and wooden poles
• Individuals installing, maintaining, or inspecting overhead telecoms equipment
• Anyone aged 16+ with no formal entry requirements

Note: This course does not cover rooftop working.

Course Overview

The SA001 accreditation covers three core modules:

• Overhead Safety
• Pole Checking
• Joint User Poles

Understand how to work safely on shared poles where multiple utilities may be present.

This training gives learners a comprehensive understanding of the hazards, risks, and safety precautions involved in ladder and pole operations.

Course Aims

By the end of the course, learners will:

• Know how to work safely while operating at height
• Understand relevant health and safety legislation and telecom safety guidelines
• Be able to safely access and descend a pole using a ladder
• Understand good practice for overhead working
• Be able to carry out structured pole checking procedures
• Know how to work safely on joint user poles
• Understand the risks associated with telecom ladder and pole work
• Have the skills and awareness needed to comply with industry and legal requirements

Assessment Method

Learners will be assessed through:

• Practical assessments demonstrating safe ladder use, pole access, and inspection

• Knowledge-based assessments covering hazards, safe systems of work, and best practices

Both elements must be successfully completed to achieve accreditation.

Accreditation

Upon successful completion, learners receive a Smart Awards SA001 Certificate valid for 3 years.

After 3 years, a refresher course must be completed to renew accreditation.