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NRSWA Streetworks Operative - Project Skills Solutions

NRSWA Streetworks Operative - Open Course

Open courses

From £600 + VAT

Traditional classroom available UK wide

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Who should attend a NRSWA Operative Open Course?

A NRSWA Streetworks Operative is anyone who carries out the manual excavation and reinstatement of footpaths and highways.

The New Roads and Street Works Act requires that anyone who executes, works for, or on behalf of, a utility company is qualified for the activities being carried out.

Those who are Supervising streetworks need to attend a NRSWA course for Supervisors.

NRSWA Operative Open Course - Key Information

NRSWA Operative Open Course Details

On receiving payment for your NRSWA Operative Course, an email with your ‘course joining instructions’ is sent to you.

This document includes the following details:

  • The dates of your chosen course (the Operative Course is 5 days)
  • Course start times at the venue (This is usually 8am or 8:30am)
  • Address of your chosen venue
  • Details of what to do if you need any special requirements to complete the course, such as a physical disability, or a learning or reading difficulty

You need to bring photographic ID, such as a driving licence or passport with you.

Lunch is not included, so please provide your own.

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NRSWA Operative Units

The following list is the full range of Operative NRSWA Training units. Our courses offer various combinations so check that the course you book includes the units you require:

Unit LA (was Unit 1) – Location & avoidance of underground apparatus

  • Understand how to interpret information and plans showing the location of underground services
  • Interpret information and plans showing the location of underground services
  • Understand how to identify utility services and highway services during excavation
  • Identify utility services and highway services encountered during excavation
  • Understand and Identify the hazards and risks associated with underground utility services and highway services
  • Understand how to use, and use, pipe and cable location equipment
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O1 (was Unit 2) – Signing, lighting and guarding

  • Produce a plan of an intended site showing the position of signs, guarding and traffic signals. The plan must include all relevant distances, sizes, and dimensions required
  • Produce a list of equipment for the intended site
  • Position, test, adjust, commission and decommission temporary traffic signals
  • Conduct the activities safely wearing the appropriate safety wear

Unit O2 (was Unit 3) – Excavation on the highway

  • Understand how to identify different types of footway and carriageway
  • Understand how to excavate and carry out excavation of the highway
  • Understand how to support and protect, and carry out support and protection of underground utility services during excavation of the highway
  • Understand how to identify, select and store excavated materials for re-use as backfill
  • Identify and segregate excavated materials into suitable materials for re-use and unsuitable materials for re-use
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O3 (Was Unit 4) - Reinstatement & compaction of backfill material

  • Understand how to select, and select appropriate materials for backfill
  • Understand how to backfill an excavated area and carry out an excavation
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials and carry out the disposal of surplus materials
  • Understand how to identify, select and store excavated materials for re-use as backfill
  • Identify and segregate excavated materials into suitable materials for re-use and unsuitable materials for re-use
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O4 (Was Unit 5) - Reinstatement of sub base & road in non bituminous materials

  • Understand how to, and prepare, the backfill layer ready for the next layers
  • Understand how to select and store, and select and store, materials for the sub-base and base
  • Understand how to reinstate, and reinstate, the sub-base and base layers
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials, and dispose of surplus materials
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O5 (Was Unit 6) - Reinstatement of cold-lay bituminous materials

  • Understand how to, and prepare, the pavement structure layer ready for permanent cold-lay surfacing materials
  • Understand how to construct, and construct, a cold-lay bituminous surfacing layer
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials, and dispose of surplus materials
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O6 (Was Unit 7) - Reinstatement of hot lay bituminous materials (subject to centre)

  • Understand how to, and prepare, the pavement structure layer ready for permanent hot-lay surfacing materials
  • Understand how to construct, and construct, the bituminous binder course
  • Understand how to construct, and construct, the bituminous surface course
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials, and dispose of surplus materials
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O7 (Was Unit 8) - Reinstatement of concrete slabs (subject to centre)

  • Understand how to, and prepare, sub-base to receive the concrete slab
  • Understand how to prepare, and prepare, the existing slab to receive the concrete reinstatement
  • Understand how to lay, and lay, mesh reinforcement
  • Understand how to form, and form the concrete slab
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials, and dispose of surplus materials
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Unit O8 (Was Unit 9) - Reinstatement of modular surfaces and concrete footways

  • Understand how to remove, and remove, existing modular and concrete surfacing
  • Understand how to prepare, and prepare, the sub-base needed
  • Understand how to lay, and lay, bedding materials
  • Understand how to lay, and lay, the modular and concrete surfacing
  • Understand how to dispose of surplus materials, and dispose of surplus materials
  • Follow safe working practices by identifying and following the relevant H&S regulations, standards and any other legislation applicable to the activity

Equipment to bring on the day

You will be learning on a live site during your course. Therefore, you will be required to wear protective clothing. Requirements vary by location, and some centres can be more accommodating but typically you are required to bring:

  • Fluorescent Jacket Long-sleeve
  • Overalls/Work Clothes (shorts not allowed)
  • Gloves
  • Safety Boots
  • Waterproof Clothing
  • Ear Defenders
  • Goggles
  • Hard Hat
  • FFP3 Dust Mask

If you do not have access to any of this equipment/clothing please let us know, call or chat with our team and they will be happy to advise you.

You will be asked to provide photo ID on your course, such as a passport or driver’s license, please bring this with you.

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Assessment and Certification

You will complete an assessment for each unit of your training. These consist of 20 multiple-choice questions and you have 45 minutes in which to answer them. You will pass the unit if you achieve a score of 80% or more.

Successful completion of the NRSWA Training course results in you gaining a City & Guild, SQA or CABWI (location dependant) certificate for each unit and a Street works card ‘Ticket’ showing your units of competence. The card is valid for 5 years.
NRSWA training courses are mainly practical, but you will have some written work.

You can prepare for your NRSWA Streetworks course by trying our practice quiz using the link below.

NRSWA Practice Quiz
Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements & Special Considerations

There are no formal entry requirements to complete NRSWA Operative training. However, you must be literate and able to read and write in English in order to understand the course content and complete the exam successfully.

Different awarding bodies for NRSWA qualifications have different rules about special considerations for delegates:

The delegate must be literate and be able to read and write in English – SQA Awarding Body
The delegate can have a reader this would be the trainer or a member of staff at the training school – City and Guilds Awarding Body

If you have any questions or concerns regarding support during the course, please contact our team.

Popular NRSWA Streetworks Courses

View other NRSWA courses below that cover different roles and responsibilities:

NRSWA Streetworks Supervisor

A NRSWA Streetworks Supervisor is anyone who carries out the monitoring of manual excavation and reinstatement of footpaths and highways.

NRSWA O1 Signing, Lighting and Guarding

This course is for those that set up signing, lighting and guarding for streetworks and do not excavate or reinstate the highway.

NRSWA Operative or Supervisor Reassessment Course

This reassessment course is for those wanting to renew units on their streetworks card.

Find a course near you

This NRSWA Streetworks Operative course is available in 45 different locations across the UK. Remember, you can always enquire for team training if there's not a location near to you - you may find it a cheaper alternative!

Or select a location below

Gloucestershire Aberdeenshire Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Barking Beckingham, Doncaster Bedlington, Northumberland Bedworth, Coventry Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire Birmingham B9 Birmingham, Midlands Birmingham, Walsall Bozeat, Northamptonshire Brentwood, Essex Bury, Manchester Chelmsford, Essex Chiddingly- East Sussex Codford, Warminster Eastleigh, Hampshire Farnham, Surrey Gatwick/Horley, Surrey Gillingham, Kent Harworth, Yorkshire Horsham, Rudgwick Jarrow, Newcastle Kenilworth, Warwickshire Kettering Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham Leyland, Lancashire Liverpool L33 Plymouth Rooksbridge, Somerset Sevenoaks South Ockendon Suffolk Tadley, Hampshire Thirsk, Yorkshire Thornes Park, Wakefield Tortworth, Gloucestershire Wakefield Wednesbury Wellingborough West Lothian Westbury Wickford, Essex Wokingham
Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions we frequently get asked about our NRSWA Operative training course.

Are there age restrictions to the NRSWA course?

You have to be 16 or over to attend an NRSWA course. However if you are 16 or 17, you will need written consent from a parent or guardian to attend the course.

Do I have to complete all of the NRSWA units or can I pick and choose?

You do not have to complete all of the NRSWA units, for example if you only need to complete just unit LA or unit O1 you can book onto this no problem. We generally don't book delegates onto other combinations of units for example units O1-O3 or 1, S1- S4 for example, as this takes the place of a 5-day individual. In many cases it also works out more cost effective for you to book on the full course as you will get the extra units for not that much of an extra cost.

How long does the NRSWA training last for?

The NRSWA certificates and card are valid for 5 years. Once your card has expired, you will need to refresh your training with the re-assessment up to 5 years after your card has expired. We run these courses weekly, UK-wide. To book give our team a call on 0800 0213 263 or book online.  

I can't be out of work for 5 days, can I split my NRSWA course?

Unfortunately, you the NRSWA course can not be split over a number of different weeks. If you are booking on the full NRSWA course you would have to attend this as a block.

I drop kerbs, which NRSWA units do I need to complete?

If you drop kerbs and you are excavating and then putting the kerbs back, you will need to complete the 5-day course which generally covers units LA, O1 - O6 and O8. Units covered can vary at each location, so check with us first if you are not sure. These courses run UK-wide with dates running weekly.

I have done the NRSWA Operative course, but now I need the Supervisors course.

If you have previously completed the NRSWA Operative course and it is still in date, you can then complete the NRSWA Supervisors course, you will then receive a white card. You have to be either an operative or a supervisor on site, you can't be down as both as you can't be the operative then supervise yourself, but you can hold both qualifications. You won't have to re-sit unit 01 or LA (as these are the same for both operatives and supervisors) so when booking on, let us know that you have previously completed these units. You will need to bring your existing card along to the course with you.

Is there written work on the NRSWA Operative course?

The NRSWA Operative course is practical, there is some theory and written work but this is a small portion of the course. If you have any concerns, you can call and speak to our team. If you have a learning difficulty this isn't a problem, we can let the trainer know before you attend and they can give you extra help if required.

What NRSWA course do I need?

Operative or Supervisor? Full course or individual unit? We want to make sure you book the course that you need, if you are unsure what course you need, click here to find out.

My card has expired

If your card has expired and you live in England, you will need to take a re-assessment course, you can take a re-assessment course up to 5 years after your card has expired. If your card has been expired longer than 5 years, you will have to take a full streetworks course again.

I have a group of delegates can a trainer come to me?

In most cases yes we can send trainers to your site. The only scenario when we can't is if the training has to be completed at an accredited centre. This is the case with NRSWA training.
Fact Sheets for NRSWA Streetworks Operatives

Please download more information about NRSWA Streetworks below, easy to print and email if you need to share information with a manager or colleague.

NRSWA Operative Units

Download PDF

Avoiding Danger from Underground Services (HSE)

Download PDF

Streetworks Update Sheet 2017

Download PDF

NRSWA Brochure

Download PDF

Code of Practice (Gov)

Download PDF

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Selected course details: Open courses - NRSWA Streetworks Operative