BFPA Directory 2019

Education and training Fluid power-related equipment is a critical component in many types of equipment used in industries such as construction, agriculture, manufacturing, engineering and offshore oil & gas. However, in order for this equipment to be installed correctly, work efficiently, be well- maintained and keep people who come into contact with it safe from injury or even death, it is important that the relevant personnel are equipped with the correct level of training for their allocated tasks. With these issues in mind, the BFPA Training Academy has established a series of highly valuable and informative training courses. Over the past few years, these courses have proved to be highly popular among companies and their employees. Indeed, to date, the Association and its associates have trained over 8000 individuals. Let’s first look at the Academy’s three complementary hose training courses aimed at raising the awareness of people who work with hydraulic hose at all levels; from the system designer and field engineer, to the machine operator and the person who makes the hose. The training courses have been designed for two primary reasons; first to raise machine performance levels and further enhance the reputation of hydraulic systems, and secondly to keep operators safe. All courses have been written and developed using the expertise available to the BFPA and set out to establish a benchmark for training people involved in hydraulic hose installation, use, maintenance, inspection and management. Foundation Course in Working Safely with Hydraulic Hose and Connectors The BFPA Training Academy’s ‘Foundation Course in Working Safely with Hydraulic Hose and Connectors’ is a fully accredited and certified one-day course. The first part of this classroom-based course looks at Basic Hydraulics, including: understanding what is meant by the terms, ‘pressure’, ‘force’ and ‘area’; flow rates; and what steps can be taken to minimise contamination levels. The course then considers the theme of Health, Safety & Environment, including: health & safety legislation; competency – how is it defined; risk assessment; hose assembly & installation safety consideration and the dangers of hose failure. The last part of the course looks at Hose and Connector Identification, including: the importance of understanding the application; hose sizing; industry standards; material types and end terminations commonly used in the fluid power industry; and hydraulic fluid types. Hose Assembly Skills Training Programme The BFPA Training Academy’s practical, workshop-based course titled ‘The BFPA Hose Assembly Skills Training Programme’ follows in logical succession to the Association’s Foundation Course. The Skills Course takes this basic level of knowledge and trains to a fully assessed level of ability in hose assembly techniques. This two-day course covers the various theoretical and practical elements involved in working with hose and connectors. During the course the candidate is trained to an assessed level of ability in working with hose and connectors. The first part of the course looks at Thread Awareness, including: understanding how to correctly identify an end termination; understanding the main characteristics and geometry of the male and female end termination along with how it seals for a range of end terminations. The course then focuses on Hose Assembly, including: understanding the production equipment and their associated requirements for the successful production of quality hose assemblies; understanding the test and inspection requirements for hose assembly production equipment; theoretical and practical aspects of manufacturing hydraulic hose assemblies; pros and cons of each coupling type; cleaning and protecting of hose assemblies prior to supplying to the customer; and pressure testing of 8000 trainees to date – BFPA courses provide the right training for the job 24 www.bfpa.co.uk Martin Kingsbury, Membership Director, the BFPA, surveys the range of courses currently offered by the BFPA Training Academy. “It is important that the relevant personnel are equipped with the correct level of training for their allocated tasks.”