MINING to industry . However , we decided to get ahead of the game and really emphasised quality within everything we do . We helped to establish national occupational standards , working with award bodies , and attained an understanding of how we could create our own standards .”
The company has a history of more than a century of working in the mining industry . Implementing long standing control measures became particularly valuable when it came to considering alternate revenue sources , since this background could be directly applied to training in any organisation , including the mining industry .
Watson said : “ We have traditionally worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ); we created a range of mining related qualifications in conjunction with them . We identified the vocational route and created standards and qualifications appropriate to mining in order to establish and improve competence .”
“ Universities and colleges were no longer providing these courses ; there had to be an alternative in place so the HSE set up competence groups . There are 57 job descriptions within an underground coal mine and we developed a national standard for each of these . Everything from a mineworker to the technical side ; the mechanics , electricians , supervisor grades , right through to management .”
Having built up a strong business alongside a well-developed range of expertise , MRSL
Key Personnel
Andrew Watson Commercial / Operations Director
Andrew Watson has worked in the mining industry for over 40 years , beginning his career as a miner at Barony Colliery in Scotland . He has been an operational mines rescue officer for 35 of these years . He is the Centre Co-ordinator for Mines Rescue Service Ltd , which offers confined space training and assessment to the National Occupational Standard . He is a Fellow the IOM3 and was awarded the Medal for Excellence in 2010 . He is now Commercial / Operations Director .
www . minesrescue . com 35