North West scaffolding specialist Simian Risk has become the first accredited Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) training provider in the Middle East.

Simian Risk is one of the UK’s leading scaffolding training providers and is currently enjoying a sustained period of growth for its Middle East division. The UK-headquartered company has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The company said it has achieved CISRS accreditation – the UK industry standard – for its scaffolding and access training across the region.

Simian Risk is already working on a range of training projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman  and Iraq, and is now accredited to provide CISRS Overseas Level 1 and 2 Scaffolding; CISRS Overseas Supervisory Training; CISRS Overseas Basic Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) and CISRS Overseas Systems Scaffold Product Training Scheme (SSPTS) Kwikstage, Cuplok, Layher.

Ian Fyall, the operations director at Simian Risk, said:"“This is great news for our business and further enhances Simian’s position as a leading international provider of quality accredited training."

“We launched our Dubai training centre in 2011 and have since expanded our training operations across the region. The team here have built up excellent relationships with a range of Middle East contractors and scaffolders," remarked Fyal.

"Our first cohort of CISRS scaffolders – the first CISRS scaffolders to be accredited in the Middle East – are from a local company called AMS Scaffolding and they have all now passed the CISRS Level 1 course," he added.

Simian Risk’s UK registered instructors work across the oil, gas, petrochemical and construction sectors, with projects including training scaffolders on the vast Majnoon oil field in Iraq for Shell and the South Oil Company, as well as assisting Middle East governments with their scaffolding procedures.

Fyall said Simian Risk will continue to work alongside CISRS to develop training opportunities overseas, implement a better standard of work and create a safer working environment for all.

“By providing first rate work at height training programmes we can assist in reducing the number of accidents in the region, while also helping to build a skilled and self-sustainable local workforce,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service