Course Duration: 40+ minutes
This IIRSM-approved Banksman and Traffic Marshal Training course explains traffic marshal/banksman duties, responsibilities and practices.
The course examines work site transport hazards and the control measures used to ensure safe vehicle operations. Users will gain the essential knowledge and skills to direct vehicle movements effectively and in line with legislation.
| Course Duration | 40+ minutes |
|---|---|
| Approval body | IIRSM |
| Format | Fully online |
| Assessment | Multiple choice |
| Certification | Same-day digital certificate |
| Certificate Valid For | 3 years |
This course contains the following sections:
Explains the vital role and responsibilities of a banksman in maintaining safety on work sites.
Outlines the legal frameworks and regulations that govern safe workplace transport operations.
Identifies common hazards associated with workplace transport.
Details the process of evaluating risks related to vehicle operations on work sites.
Describes general safety measures and controls for vehicle operations.
Covers specific risk controls for reversing vehicles.
Covers risks associated with vehicle blind spots.
Covers risk controls for working around overhead power lines.
Defines safe systems of work (SSW) and how they apply to vehicle operations and traffic management.
Prepares learners for planning and executing safe vehicle manoeuvres.
Explains risks and control measures for manoeuvring vehicles in various settings.
Teaches the standard signals used to guide vehicles.
The course certificate includes:
An IIRSM-approved Banksman and Traffic Marshal Training certificate will be available for download and printing instantly upon course completion.
Users must complete an assessment before earning their certification.
The end-of-course test is:
A score of 80% is required to pass. The assessment can be repeated until a passing score is achieved.
Vehicles and people sharing the same space is one of the most dangerous situations on any work site. Being struck by a moving vehicle causes around 16% of workplace deaths in Great Britain — an average of 21 workers a year over the past five years. Many follow the same pattern: a vehicle reversing in a yard where people are on foot.
A banksman, or traffic marshal, exists to break that pattern. They guide vehicle and plant movements, keep pedestrians clear and stop the manoeuvre the moment it becomes unsafe.
But a banksman only reduces risk when they are properly trained — positioned where the driver can see them, using signals the driver recognises, and ready to halt work without hesitation. A signaller standing in the wrong place can become a casualty rather than a control. This training gives operators that practical understanding before they direct a single vehicle.
Responsibility for safe vehicle movements sits with the employer and cannot be delegated away. Several regulations place clear duties on businesses wherever vehicles and people share space:
Trained banksmen help you show these duties are being met in practice, not just on paper.
This online Banksman and Traffic Marshal Training course provides comprehensive guidance on the risks, control measures and legal requirements for directing work vehicles. Users will understand how to fulfil the role of a banksman/traffic marshal and ensure safe, compliant vehicle operations.
This is a theory-based training course. Theory-based training alone does not make an individual a ‘competent person’ under UK law. Competence requires the practical application of learning and must be assessed by the employer in line with HSE guidance. This knowledge training, combined with hands-on skills practice and real-world job experience, plays a vital role in your competence development pathway.
This banksman training course is designed for users overseeing vehicle and heavy machinery movements. This knowledge can also benefit vehicle drivers by giving them a greater understanding of a banksman’s role and methods. Site managers, health and safety officers and logistics and transport professionals will also find this course helpful.
This online banksman training course gives you the knowledge and skills needed to safely coordinate vehicle and machinery operations. Having a trained banksman on site reduces the risk of accidents and helps ensure compliance with safety regulations.
This online traffic marshal course is a single-module course and takes about 40 minutes to complete. Learning is entirely self-paced, so you can pause and restart the course when you want.
A banksman is responsible for the safe direction and operation of vehicles and machinery in construction sites, warehouses, ports or loading docks. Their primary role is to prevent accidents by guiding drivers/operators and helping them navigate obstacles safely.
While both roles help guide equipment and vehicle operators, a banksman focuses on directing vehicle movement on the ground, whereas a signaller typically directs lifting operations.
This banksman course exclusively focuses on ground-level coordination and safety, but slinger signallers can benefit from understanding a banksman’s role and skillset.
The course focuses on transport supervision and safety measures within workplace settings, such as construction sites or industrial areas. It does not cover directing traffic on public roads.
Certification is valid for three years. After this, it’s necessary to retake the training to renew your certification and refresh your knowledge.
All Human Focus training is exclusively online, so you can complete this online course on your smartphone or tablet.
A score of 80% is required to pass. You can retake the test until you get a passing score.
This course is priced at £49.00 +VAT for an individual user. Discounts are available for bulk purchases.
No single licence is legally required to work as a banksman. What the law requires is competence: the employer must make sure anyone directing vehicles is trained and able to do it safely.
Competence comes from knowledge plus practical experience. Knowledge training, like this course, builds the understanding of hazards, controls, signals and legal duties. The employer then confirms competence through supervised, hands-on experience on the actual site.
On construction sites, a recognised card is usually expected. The most common is the CPCS A73 Plant and Vehicle Marshaller card, with the NPORS N403 Vehicle Marshal as an alternative. New holders receive a Red trained-operator card and can upgrade to a Blue competent-operator card after an NVQ and site experience. In workplaces such as warehouses and yards, a card may not be required, but the duty to ensure competence still applies.
A banksman needs more than a knowledge of signals. The role depends on staying alert and making safe decisions while a heavy vehicle moves close to people. The essential skills include:
These are the behaviours that turn a banksman from a person standing nearby into an effective safety control.
A banksman is responsible for guiding vehicle and plant movements safely and keeping people clear while they do it. Their main duties are:
During a manoeuvre, the banksman’s attention must stay on directing it and protecting the people nearby. It is not a task to combine with other jobs at the same time.
