Banksman Training
Learn how to guide reversing vehicles and mobile plant safely, with the right position, clear signals and the visibility aids and PPE the job needs.
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Banksman Training
You can do banksman training online in the UK with Lift College's Banksman Training course. It is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, covering what a banksman does and the law behind the role, how vehicles and mobile plant are managed safely at a workplace, the hazards of reversing and blind spots, where to stand and how to stay in the driver's view, the standard hand signals and how to use radios, and the training, visibility aids and personal protective equipment a banksman needs. It costs £19.99, pay once, and your CPD certificate issued by Lift College is ready the same day you pass. Lift College recommends a refresh every 3 years, and the refresher is free.
Being struck by a moving vehicle is one of the most common causes of death at work in Great Britain, and HSE's workplace transport guidance singles out reversing as one of the most dangerous vehicle movements on any site. Lorries, vans, forklifts, dumpers, excavators and refuse vehicles all have blind spots where a person on foot simply disappears. A banksman, sometimes called a reversing assistant, vehicle marshal or traffic marshal, is the person who keeps the driver informed and keeps everyone else clear. Done badly, the banksman is often the person who gets hurt.
This course covers what a banksman needs to know to do the job safely. You learn how the Workplace Regulations expect pedestrians and vehicles to be kept apart, how a site organises its traffic routes, one-way systems and reversing areas, the hazards of blind spots, poor lighting, noise and weather, how to position yourself so the driver can always see you and how to stop a manoeuvre, the standard hand signals and the words to use on a radio, and the high visibility clothing, footwear and other PPE the role needs. It is written for yards, depots, warehouses, construction sites, waste sites and delivery operations across the UK. It covers guiding vehicles and mobile plant; signalling for crane lifts is a different role.
- Explain the banksman role, when a banksman is needed and the law and HSE guidance that apply to vehicle movements at work
- Describe how a workplace keeps pedestrians and vehicles apart through traffic routes, one-way systems, reversing areas and speed limits
- Identify the blind spots of lorries, vans, forklifts and construction plant and the other hazards of a reversing manoeuvre
- Recognise where to stand so the driver can see you at all times, and what to do if you lose sight of the driver or the driver loses sight of you
- Apply the standard hand signals for stop, come forward, reverse, turn and distance, and use a radio clearly
- Carry out the checks before a manoeuvre: the route, the area behind the vehicle, other people, lighting and weather
- Plan the training, visibility aids and PPE a banksman needs and know when a manoeuvre should not go ahead
5 short modules, 2 hours in total.
Introduction to the banksman role
What a banksman, reversing assistant or vehicle marshal does, why reversing vehicles kill and injure people, the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Workplace Regulations on traffic routes, PUWER on mobile work equipment and HSE's HSG136 guidance. How the role differs from a crane slinger signaller.
Knowledge checkSafe management of vehicles and mobile plant
Safe site, safe vehicle, safe driver. Separating pedestrians and vehicles, traffic routes, one-way systems, designated reversing and loading areas, speed limits, lighting, mirrors and cameras, reversing alarms, and the risk assessment that decides when a banksman is needed and when the manoeuvre should be designed out instead.
Knowledge checkBlind spots, positioning and stopping a manoeuvre
The blind spots of lorries, vans, forklifts, dumpers, excavators and refuse vehicles, where the banksman stands so the driver can see them in a mirror, keeping clear of the swing and the path of the vehicle, the rule that the driver stops if they lose sight of the banksman, and controlling the area so nobody else walks into it.
Knowledge checkCommunication and hand signals
Agreeing the plan with the driver before the manoeuvre starts, the standard hand signals for start, stop, emergency stop, come towards me, move away, turn left and right and the distance remaining, keeping signals clear and large, using a radio with simple agreed words, and what to do when communication breaks down.
Knowledge checkTraining, visibility aids and PPE
What training a banksman and a driver need and how the employer records it, high visibility clothing to the right standard, safety footwear, head protection and hearing protection where needed, working in the dark, rain and fog, fatigue, and the limits of the role: when to refuse a manoeuvre and who to tell.
Knowledge checkFinal test and your certificate
Multiple choice, 80% to pass, unlimited attempts. Your CPD certificate is issued by Lift College the day you pass.
This course is for you if
- You guide reversing lorries, vans or plant in a yard, depot, warehouse, waste site or construction site
- You drive for work and want to understand what the banksman needs from you
- You are a supervisor or manager who organises deliveries, vehicle movements or site traffic
- You are responsible for health and safety and need to put a workplace transport risk assessment into practice
- You work alongside vehicles and mobile plant and want to understand their blind spots and the signals used on site
Your CPD certificate, issued the day you pass.
Your certificate records that you completed Banksman Training with Lift College. It shows 2 hours of learning, your completion date and a recommended refresh date 3 years on.
- One price, £19.99. One payment, one learner, no subscription.
- Short modules with a knowledge check after each one and a final test. Instant results.
- 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes.
- A CPD certificate issued by Lift College as a PDF the same day you pass, with a unique number and a verification link.
- Access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy.
- A free refresher when your recommended refresh date arrives. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
CPD certificate
liftcollege.co.uk/verify/LC-CPD-000000The law this course supports
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Applies in England, Wales and Scotland. Employers must provide the information, instruction, training and supervision needed to keep employees safe, so far as is reasonably practicable (section 2), which includes anyone who guides or works near moving vehicles. Northern Ireland has the same duty in the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.
Read the legislation →Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 17
Every workplace must be organised so that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely. Traffic routes must be suitable for the people and vehicles using them, sufficient in number and size, and kept separate or protected where pedestrians and vehicles share them. This is the regulation behind one-way systems, reversing areas and the decision to use a banksman. Northern Ireland has the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993.
Read the legislation →Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
PUWER applies to lorries, forklifts and construction plant used at work as well as to fixed machinery. Equipment must be suitable, maintained and used only by people with adequate information, instruction and training, and the mobile work equipment rules cover the risks to people carried on or working near moving vehicles. Northern Ireland has PUWER (Northern Ireland) 1999.
Read the legislation →Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996
These regulations set out the standard hand signals for directing vehicle and lifting movements at work, alongside safety signs and acoustic and verbal signals. Using the standard signals means a driver from another company understands your banksman the first time.
Read the legislation →HSE HSG136: Workplace transport safety, a brief guide for employers
HSE's guidance on managing vehicles at work, built around a safe site, safe vehicle and safe driver. It covers traffic routes, reversing, visibility aids, the use of banksmen and the training drivers and pedestrians need. Guidance rather than law, but it describes what HSE expects employers to do.
Read the legislation →£19.99. Pay once, nothing added.
One payment for one learner. You keep access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days and we refund you in full.
- PaySecure card payment, one time only.
- Sign inYour learner account is ready straight away.
- StartBegin module 1 the same minute.
Free refresher when it is due
We recommend a refresh every 3 years. We email you 30 days before, and from the refresh date you can retake the latest version free and download a new certificate.
Buying Banksman Training for a team?
Open a free organisation account, buy places and give each person their own login. Your first place is free with a work email, and the price falls the more places you buy.
Multiple enrolment discounts
The price of a place is set by the places in one order, on this course or any mix of our CPD courses. Saving against the £19.99 single place.
| Places in one order | Price a place | Saving |
|---|---|---|
| Your first place | £0 | Free with a work email |
| 1 to 9 places | £16.99 | 15% off |
| 10 to 49 | £14.99 | 25% off |
| 50 to 99 | £12.99 | 35% off |
| 100 to 249 | £10.99 | 45% off |
| 250 or more | £9.99 | 50% off |
What would your team cost?
Training each person on several courses? A sector pack or the annual plan can cost less. Your quote compares all three for you.
Prefer to talk first? Request a call back
- 1
Your own training portal in 2 minutes
Open a free account with your work email. No sales call, and your first place is free.
- 2
See where everyone stands
A progress dashboard, a training matrix and an Excel progress report for your records.
- 3
Reminders sent for you
Welcome emails, nudges for anyone who stalls, and refresher dates so nobody goes out of date.
- 4
Pay by card or invoice
Card, or invoice on 30-day terms with your PO. Places stay valid for 3 years.
- 5
A human tutor with every course
Real tutor support for your staff, unlimited free retakes and a certificate the day they pass.
- 6
CPD Standards Office accreditation in progress
Provider 51289.
What our learners say
Stories from Lift College learners on our qualifications, in their own words.
“I had been a care assistant for four years without a formal qualification. Lift College made the whole process straightforward, my assessor visited regularly and I completed my Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care in just over a year. I was promoted to senior care worker the month after I qualified.”
“My employer was clear, I needed GCSE English to move into a supervisory role. Lift College helped me find the right exam board and an exam centre five minutes from home. Passed grade 4. Got the promotion.”
“My employer needed me to have Level 2 maths before they could register me on the Level 3 apprenticeship programme. Lift College was fast, the tutor was brilliant, and I resit my maths once after a near-miss and passed the second time. The whole thing took twelve weeks.”
Questions about Banksman Training
Is online banksman training valid?
Your employer decides what training each role needs. The Health and Safety at Work Act and the Workplace Regulations expect anyone who guides vehicles to be trained and competent, and HSE's HSG136 guidance expects banksmen to be trained in positioning and signals. This course gives the knowledge; many employers then confirm competence with a short practical assessment on their own site and vehicles, and your employer decides whether that is needed.
Is this the same as slinger signaller or crane banksman training?
No. This course covers guiding reversing vehicles and mobile plant, the role usually called banksman, reversing assistant or traffic marshal. Signalling for crane lifts and slinging loads is a different role that needs practical training and assessment on site, usually through a plant operator card scheme. If your job includes both, you need both.
How often should banksman training be refreshed?
The law does not fix an interval, but employers are expected to keep training up to date and to retrain after an incident, a near miss or a change of vehicles or site layout. Lift College recommends refreshing every 3 years, and the refresher is free.
What does this course not cover?
It does not teach you to drive or operate any vehicle or plant, and it does not cover slinging and signalling for crane lifts. It gives the knowledge of safe vehicle management, positioning, signals and PPE that a banksman needs, which your employer can then check on site with your vehicles and layout.
How do I stop a reversing vehicle safely as a banksman?
You agree the plan and the signals with the driver before the manoeuvre starts, stand where the driver can see you in their mirror and keep out of the vehicle's path and swing, give large, clear signals, and use the stop signal at once if anyone enters the area or you cannot see the driver. The driver must stop if they lose sight of you. The course covers each signal and what to do if the plan changes halfway through.
How long do I keep access?
You keep your access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy. Your certificate PDF is yours to keep.
What is the free refresher?
Lift College recommends refreshing this course every 3 years. When your date comes round, you can retake the latest version free and get a new certificate. We email you 30 days before.
Does it count towards my CPD?
Yes. The course is 2 hours of learning, shown on your CPD certificate issued by Lift College, so you can log the hours in your CPD record.
Can I get my money back?
Yes. Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
Can my employer pay?
Yes. Your receipt shows the course, the date and the amount paid, and you can pass it to your employer. Buying for a team? Open a free organisation account: every course is £16.99, and you can pay by card or invoice with your PO.
Can my team do this course in another language?
Yes, on an organisation account with 10 or more places. Your team can study Banksman Training in Polish, Romanian, Punjabi, Urdu or Welsh, prepared within 1 working day of your order. The final test and the certificate stay in the English course name, so the certificate is the one every employer recognises. Tell us the languages you need when you order or ask for a quote.
Where can I do banksman training online in the UK?
Lift College offers Banksman Training online for £19.99, pay once. It is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, written for workplaces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Your CPD certificate issued by Lift College is ready the same day you pass.
How long does online banksman training take?
Banksman Training is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, each with a knowledge check. You can finish it in one sitting or across several and pick up where you left off on any device. The final test needs 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes.
How much does Banksman Training cost online?
Lift College's Banksman Training is £19.99, pay once, with no subscription. Training a team? It is £16.99 a course on a free organisation account.
How is Banksman Training assessed?
By a short knowledge check after each of the 5 modules and a final test. You need 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes, and your CPD certificate issued by Lift College is ready the same day you pass.
Can I start Banksman Training today?
Yes. You start the moment you pay, on any device, and you can finish the 2 hours of learning in one sitting or across several. Your CPD certificate issued by Lift College is ready the same day you pass. Buying for a team? Open a free organisation account.
PUWER Training
What PUWER expects of anyone who provides, maintains or uses work equipment, from guards and controls to inspection and records. 1.5 hours, £19.99.
Health and Safety Training
Your duties and your employer's, risk assessment, hazardous substances and reporting accidents. 3 hours, £19.99.
Risk Assessment Training
Hazards and risks, the five steps, rating risk, the hierarchy of control and recording your findings. 2 hours, £19.99.