Pest managers and timber pest inspectors have a new resource for upskilling in their report writing, developed by Wallace Risk Solutions.
A new online distance education course has been developed to help timber pest inspectors keep their inspection and reporting skills up to date.
Run by Wallace Risk Solutions and Reports Systems Australia, the course aims to help inspectors reduce the incidence of negligence claims. According to James Wallace, director Wallace Risk Solutions, a review of claims over the last five years has identified the need for upskilling when it comes to report writing. “There is more to a report than simply identifying issues; there is a requirement to further elaborate on the issue and provide advice about remediation or recommendations of a suitable tradesperson. Reducing liability by transferring risk through correctly formed statements is paramount for your business protection.”
The new course has been designed to help inspectors better understand how to structure and create accessibility and defect statements from scratch, which can then be practically implemented in the field to complete a report, especially when complex issues need to be brought to the attention of the client.
The course assumes participants are currently working as inspectors in the pre-purchase inspection industry and are suitably qualified and experienced to hold professional indemnity insurance as timber pest inspectors.
The comprehensive course covers all aspects of report writing and issues connected to carrying out timber pest inspections, including legal considerations and workplace health and safety issues. Timber pest case studies bring the course to life and provide real examples of the issues inspectors encounter.
Course exercises consist of a mixture of accessibility and defect statements and the completion of a pre-engagement inspection agreement and a pre-purchase Interpreting thermal images is a skill standard timber pest report.
“The pre-engagement inspection agreement is completed by using the My Reporting App web-based service that facilitates the delivery of the inspection agreement,” said Mr Wallace.
The app is available for both Android and Apple iOS, although the iPad version has the extra benefit of the new timber test report defect statement generator.
“To complete the pre-purchase timber pest report, participants are given access to the app. Inspectors can complete defect statements from a tailored list of inputs. The defect statements are not set in concrete and can be edited. The aim of the Defect Statement Generator is to produce a uniform and concise statement thereby reducing the risk of consumer misunderstandings,” Mr Wallace explained.
On successful completion of the course, a Continued Professional Development (CPD) Certificate will be issued. Interested parties should contact Wallace Risk Solutions for more information.
