ROLO Health, Safety & Environmental Awareness for Operatives

The ROLO (Register of Land-based Operatives) Health, Safety & Environmental Awareness course is a one-day training programme focused on essential safety and environmental knowledge for those working in land-based industries. It was developed by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) to raise the standards of health and safety and reduce accidents in sectors like landscaping, horticulture, and grounds maintenance. The course is widely recognised – Build UK (the leading construction industry body) endorses ROLO as one of the top health, safety, and environmental courses in the UK. In practical terms, this course provides operatives with a solid foundation in workplace safety and environmental best practices. It’s also often a required step for anyone who needs to obtain a LISS/CSCS smart card to work on construction or landscaping sites (meaning the ROLO certificate is a prerequisite for that industry ID card).

What can I expect from the ROLO Health, Safety & Environmental Awareness for Operatives training course?

During the course, a wide range of topics will be covered. It’s a comprehensive overview of health, safety, and environmental issues that operatives face on site. For example, you will learn about:

• Legal Responsibilities: An introduction to UK health and safety law, including the Health & Safety at Work Act, and what duties both employers and workers have to keep the workplace safe. You’ll understand the basic regulations that apply to your job and why they matter.
• Risk Assessment & Management: How to identify hazards and assess risks in your daily tasks. The course will walk you through the process of conducting a risk assessment and implementing safe systems of work to prevent accidents.
• Using Work Equipment Safely: Best practices for using tools, machinery, and work vehicles. This includes understanding guidelines and regulations like PUWER (which covers safe use of work equipment) and LOLER (safe use of lifting equipment) so that you operate mowers, trimmers, diggers, or any machinery in a safe manner.
• Hazardous Substances and PPE: How to handle chemicals or hazardous materials safely under the COSHH regulations (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health). You’ll learn about the right personal protective equipment (PPE) for various tasks, for example, when to wear gloves, eye protection, or masks and why using PPE properly is so important.
• Workplace Hazards: Awareness of common site hazards and how to deal with them. This can range from working at height (and preventing falls), working in or around excavations or confined spaces, electrical safety on site, to safe procedures for lone working. The course gives practical tips on avoiding accidents in these scenarios and the precautions required by law.
• Occupational Health Risks: An overview of health risks that aren’t as immediately obvious as an accident. For instance, you’ll discuss the long-term dangers of noise exposure (and how to prevent hearing damage), vibration from power tools (and conditions like Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome), as well as other work-related illnesses. The course may touch on issues like proper manual handling techniques to avoid back injuries and even covers awareness of diseases that outdoor workers should know about (for example, Weil’s disease from water or Lyme disease from ticks).
• Accident Prevention & Emergency Procedures: Guidance on preventing accidents before they happen and being prepared if they do. You will learn the correct steps for accident reporting (e.g. what RIDDOR is and when to report an incident), basics of first aid and what to do in common emergencies, and fire safety measures on site (such as safe storage of flammables and what to do if there’s a small fire). This part of the course helps ensure you know how to respond quickly and correctly to keep yourself and others safe.
• Environmental Awareness: Since the course also focuses on environmental responsibility, you’ll discuss how to carry out your work with minimal environmental impact. This can include topics like proper waste management and disposal (knowing your duty of care with waste), handling things like fuel or chemicals in ways that prevent pollution, and protecting wildlife or habitats when working in green spaces. By the end, you should understand not just personal safety but also how to be environmentally conscientious on the job.

Overall, you can expect a hands-on learning experience that connects these topics to real-world scenarios. The instructors often use examples specific to the land-based sector (for instance, safe use of chainsaws in arboriculture or handling pesticides in horticulture) to make the content relevant. Don’t worry if some of these terms or regulations sound unfamiliar right now – the course is designed for beginners and will explain everything in clear, straightforward language. By the finish, you’ll have a strong grasp of core health, safety, and environmental principles and be ready to apply them in your work.

Are there any entry requirements for the ROLO Health, Safety & Environmental Awareness for Operatives course?

There are no strict entry requirements or prerequisites for the ROLO Operative course. It’s an introductory level health and safety course meant for anyone in the land-based industries, so you don’t need any prior certification or special qualification to attend.

At the end of the training, learners must complete a multiple-choice exam on paper. Upon passing this exam with a minimum score of 75%, you will be awarded a certificate from BALI and added to the Register of Land Based Operatives.

Certificates are valid for five years, but applicants must ensure the course has been completed within the last two years when applying for a LISS/CSCS SmartCard.