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Batten and membrane installation

We have doubled the grant rates for short course tiers 1 – 3. To address rising costs, you can now receive higher rates on course achievements from 1st April 2023

Grant Tier

Achievement date before 1 April 2023

Achievement date on or after 1 April 2023

Grant Tier 1

Grant Tier 1 Refresher

£30

£15

£60

£30

Grant Tier 2

Grant Tier 2 Refresher

£70

£35

£140

£70

Grant Tier 3

Grant Tier 3 Refresher

£120

£60

£240

£120

Overview

The purpose of this standard is to provide the candidate with the knowledge and skills to install battens and membrane for a new slate and/or tile roof.

Duration

Minimum 2 days of 6 learning hours per day

Purpose / scope

The purpose of this standard is to provide the candidate with the knowledge and skills to install battens and membrane for a new slate and/or tile roof.

The scope of this standard covers:

  • types of sloping roof
  • instructions and drawings
  • membranes and battens
  • tools and equipment
  • basic estimates and calculations
  • materials storage, handling, and lifting
  • access methods
  • plan the work
  • health and safety
  • roof check
  • set out
  • install breather membrane
  • check batten quality (grade)
  • install battens
  • clean and tidy workplace
  • if the weather deteriorates
  • clean up.

Occupational relevance

Training delivered against this standard is relevant to the following occupational group(s):

  • operative and craft.

Candidate prerequisites

There are no candidate pre-requisites as part of this standard. However, a basic knowledge of slate and/or tiling roofing terminology and techniques, and that the candidate is employed within the roofing industry, would be beneficial.

Instruction / supervision

As a minimum, course instructors must be able to demonstrate that, in relation to this standard, they have:

  • A train the trainer or instructional techniques course certificate
  • successfully completed a NVQ level 2 in a roofing associated qualification.
  • at least 10 years relevant industrial experience
  • A verifiable CV.

Delivery

The following method(s) may be used in the delivery of this standard:

  • classroom and workshop

All materials and equipment must be of a suitable quality and quantity for candidates to achieve learning outcomes, and must comply with relevant legislation.

The class size and candidate/instructor ratio must allow training to be delivered in a safe manner and enable candidates to achieve the learning outcomes.

This standard is considered to contain 51 per cent or more theoretical learning.

This standard is considered to be set at an intermediate level.

Assessment

For the successful completion of training, candidates must complete an end of course practical assessment or knowledge test that measures the learning outcomes and has a pass or fail criteria.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance against this standard will require initial approval of the training organisation and their content mapped to the standard. 

CITB will also conduct an approval intervention, either desk-based or centre visit, to ensure the training organisation can meet the requirements of the Training Standard. 

Approved training organisations (ATOs) will be required to present information on records of training and assessment upon request to CITB for desk-based analysis. They will also be visited annually by the CITB quality assurance team.

Renewal/refresher

There are no mandatory renewal or recommended refreshment requirements for this standard.

Approval date

November 2018

Review cycle

Either on request or in 3 years from approval date.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes
The candidate will be able to Additional guidance to support learning outcome

Describe the main types of sloping roof, which can include:

  • details of main areas, eaves, verges, ridges, hips and valleys.

Photos and videos of roof installations:

  • from outside and inside the roof space
  • before, during, and after construction

Interpret instructions and drawings

Examples of:

  • manufacturer’s instructions
  • roofing drawings
  • requirements/specifications
  • architects drawings

Describe membranes and battens including:

  • types, sizes, materials, selection, uses, and features
  • regular and reinforced membranes
  • batten wood preservation
  • batten loading and strength

Examples of battens and membranes

Use tools and equipment (hand and power) for:

  • measuring, marking, and installing
  • types, uses, cleaning, setting, hazards, maintenance, and storage

Examples of tools and equipment

Perform basic estimates for quantities of battens and membranes

Sample estimates

Perform basic calculations for batten spacings including:

  • bottom datum, top datum, and gauge

Sample calculations

Make and use a gauging stick, strike horizontal lines

Example gauging stick

Describe how to store and handle membranes and battens including:

  • on open ground
  • in a covered building
  • on the roof
 

Describe how to lift membranes and battens onto the roof including by:

  • hand, winch, conveyor, hoist

Videos of methods

Plan the work including:

  • access, start point, exit, set out, foot traffic, communication, materials, equipment, other trades

Access methods to/from the roof depend on availability, roof type, a risk assessment, plus working at height PPE, and may include:

  • step ladders, platform ladders, leaning ladders, trestles, elevated work platforms, scissor lifts, cherry pickers, boom lifts, travel towers, guard rails, mobile scaffold, and fixed scaffold

Work safely including:

  • follow safe work practices/procedures
  • identify hazards
  • reduce/eliminate risks
  • use controls
  • use personal protective equipment (PPE)

Videos/photos of good and bad practice.

Examples of:

  • PPE
  • risk assessments
  • safe work practices/procedures
  • spills and clean up
  • environmental legislation
  • safety legislation
  • SDS sheets for COSSH

Roof check including:

  • defects, slope angle, spacings, dimensions, squareness and compensation techniques

Video in classroom

Practical demonstration in workshop using a roof rig

Candidate practice with coaching using a roof rig

Set out the materials on the roof

Install breather membrane to:

  • valley, eaves, main roof area, soil pipe, ridge, hip, verge, and abutment
  • and include membrane: sag, drape, and overlaps

Check batten quality (grade) to current BS 5534:

  • wane, fissures, knots, resin pockets

Measure, cut, and fix battens (stop and counter) using hand and power tools to the roof including:

  • hip, verge, abutment, and half-rafter

Maintain a clean and tidy workplace

Describe what to do if the weather deteriorates including:

  • hot, cold, windy, and wet
  • before, during, and after the work
 

Clean up and dispose of waste materials

Environmental considerations for waste materials

Additional information about this standard

Training at height

  • BS 8454:2006 Code of practice for delivery of training & education for work at height and rescue

Advisory Committee for Roof Safety

Work at Height Safety Association

  • View WAHSA technical guidance notes. These are a free resource, provided and maintained by WAHSA and its member companies for reference. They assist specifiers, managers, and end users of fall protection equipment. 

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working at height guides

HSE guides

Legislation

See relevant legislation

  • Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA) 1974
  • The Work at Height Regulations (WHR) 2005
  • Work at Height (Amended) 2007
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Regulations 2002
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992
  • Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) (1998 UK 1999 NI)
  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH )2002
  • Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998
  • Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR ) 1995
  • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015
  • Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996
  • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 as amended 2002
  • Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
  • Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

Building regulations

  • Building and Buildings, England and Wales: The Building Regulations 2010.
  • The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004
  • Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

British standards

View all available British Standards at the BSI website.

  • BS 6100-6: 2008 Building and civil engineering – Vocabulary – Part 6 Construction parts (roofs)
  • BS 5534: 2014+A2: 2018. Slating & tiling for pitched roofs and vertical cladding. Code of practice.
  • BS 743:1970. Specification for materials for damp-proof courses.
  • BS 8000-6: 2013. Workmanship on building sites. Code of practice for slating & tiling of roofs and claddings. Replaced By BS 8000-0:2014. Workmanship on construction sites. Intro and principles
  • BS 8612: 2018. Dry fixed ridge, hip, and verge systems for slating and tiling. Specification.
  • BS EN 1024: 2012. Clay roofing tiles for discontinuous laying. Geometric characteristics.
  • BS EN 12326-1: 2014. Slate & stone for discontinuous roofing & external cladding. Specs for slate
  • BS EN 1304: 2013. Clay roofing tiles and fittings. Product definitions and specifications.
  • BS EN 490: 2011+A1: 2017. Concrete roof tiles & fittings for roof & wall cladding. Product specs.
  • BS EN 492: 2012+A2:2018. Fibre-cement slates and fittings. Product spec and test methods.
  • BS 5250: 2011+A1: 2016. Code of practice for control of condensation in buildings.
  • BS 8437: 2005 Code of practice for selection, use and maintenance of personal protection systems

National Building Specification (NBS)

  • A multi-volume subscription library of clauses covering most elements of building construction.

Building information modelling (BIM)

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