April-May 2021

BFPA News Contact the BFPA at Tel: +44 (0)1608 647900 • Email: enquiries@bfpa.co.uk • Web: www.bfpa.co.uk All companies or individuals who work at a practical level with hydraulics, pneumatics and electronic control systems when applied to fluid power should be thinking about how these recommendations apply to them. Does your workforce have this basic understanding of the systems they operate, do you as an individual have the qualifications to prove this? BFPA Training Courses Dates for BFPA’s Open Face to Face Training Courses in May (Chesterfield) will be as follows: 18-19 May BFPA Hose Assembly Skills Training course 20 May BFPA Hydrostatic Proof Pressure Testing course 21 May BFPA Small Bore Tube Integrity Training course Dates for BFPA’s Online Training Courses in May will be as follows: 24 May BFPA Working Safely with Hose and Connectors online course: 9.30am – 12.30pm 24 May BFPA Hose Integrity, Inspection and Management online course: 1.30pm – 4.30pm 25 May BFPA Thread Awareness online course: 9.30am – 12.30pm 25 May BFPA Small Bore Tube Integrity online course: 1.30pm – 4.30pm Please check our website for details or for further information on course availability or to discuss dates and costs please email karen@bfpa.co.uk or visit www.bfpa.co.uk/training UPDATES Who should be considering MERs? BFPA Minimum Educational Recommendations (MERs) BFPA believes that anyone who operates and maintains fluid power components and systems should have a basic minimum understanding of either hydraulics, pneumatics or electronic control systems to ensure that they are working safely. To this end, the BFPA Education and Training Committee has developed a set of M inimum E ducational R ecommendations (MERs) for use in the fluid power industry, which should be regarded as the industry standard. These recommendations cover hydraulics, pneumatics and electronic control of fluid power systems. To reinforce the drive towards a basic minimum understanding of hydraulics across the industry, the BFPA now offers an online self-assessment questionnaire which is open to anyone who wants to test their hydraulics knowledge by answering a series of straight forward multiple-choice questions. The level of knowledge assessed in the questionnaire is directly linked to the BFPA’s MER in hydraulics so this is a great opportunity to see if a MER training course in hydraulics would be appropriate. On completion of the questionnaire participants are directed towards the group of approved training providers who deliver foundation courses that either meet or exceed the BFPA’s MER requirements so that they can discuss possible training options going forward. Visit the BFPA website www.bfpa.co.uk to test your knowledge. For more information on the new MERs and course providers, please visit the BFPA website www.bfpa.co.uk or call 01608 647900 or email Karen Gordon-Brander on karen@bfpa.co.uk The aim of the MER in hydraulics is to provide candidates with the understanding of where hydraulic fluid power is used in modern society and its importance in the provision of power and motion control. Examples of topics covered include: Fundamental principles of all hydraulic systems Hydraulic symbols, pumps, fluid oil reservoirs, actuators Pressure, flow and direction control, contamination control, hose technology Maintenance procedures BFPA Minimum Educational Recommendations – Hydraulics NEW BFPA Online Questionnaire