The new scheme does include a register, but it is about getting people with the right skills to perform specific activities within a defined process. The aim is ensure the adequate management of land contamination issues. The existing registers help in identifying individuals with some (but not necessarily all) of the required skills needed to undertake the land contamination management process. The intention is to draw in and utilise those individuals within the new NQMS scheme as either candidates for SQP or recognised practitioners/reviewers in their own specialist fields.
The SiLC register was set up on behalf of a range of professional bodies/institutions (ICE, RICS, IEMA, CIWEM, Geol Soc, RSC, REHIS, CIEH and AGS) and provides a list of pre-assessed “capable” individuals who would be well placed to fulfil the role of SQPs under the Quality Mark scheme. However the NQMS goes beyond accreditation of an individual and defines specific tasks (auditing and verification) which are necessary to ensure that individual products may be considered of sufficiently good quality. Existing SiLCs would require additional training in order to fulfil the role of SQPs as defined by the scheme administrator. Depending upon the final form of the SoBRA risk assessor scheme, it is envisaged that any proposed register of risk assessors would provide an ideal source of pre-assessed “capable” individuals for undertaking tasks associated with risk assessment under the scheme and that some of those individuals will also be capable of performing the role of SQP. However the NQMS goes well beyond accreditation of an individual in relation to a specific subject area and imposes specific tasks (auditing and verification) which are necessary to ensure that individual products are fit for purpose.
CL:AIRE hold a register of qualified persons for the purpose of implementing the Development industry Definition of Waste Code of Practice. This register is of people who have a knowledge of materials management issues but not necessarily those who undertake land contamination management. However there will undoubtedly be individuals on this register who would be eligible to perform tasks as specialists within the project team or who could fulfil the duties of SQP subject to appropriate examination and training.
