Construction and the built environment
Insulation installation operative - Cavity wall - blown and sprayed insulation
Insulation for cavity walls -sprayed and blown and framed sections insulation to floors, cold roofs, warm roofs and partition walls
Summary
This occupation is found in the new build and retrofit sectors of the construction industry. Projects requiring services from insulation installation operatives include all buildings requiring the retrospective fitting of energy efficient insulation as well as new build. This would include commercial, residential (including park homes and heritage assets), industrial sites, schools, hospitals, and prisons.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to install insulation by placing it, blowing it or spraying it in a range of buildings and apply treatments to a range of surfaces including timber, brick and concrete. All work needs to be carried out safely, using the appropriate tools. The insulation operative will focus on the installation of new and/or the upgrade, retrofit or replacement of existing insulation. They will apply wall treatments and apply insulation to roofs, walls, floors, suspended floors and framed sections of buildings along with ancillary products that form part of the application of the product or system. Cavity wall insulation operatives install insulation materials into cavity walls or remove and replace failed or outdated insulation. A framed section insulation operative will place, spray or blow standard, specialised or new and emerging materials to floors, cold roofs, warm roofs and partition walls to support heat efficiency. A qualified insulation operative will sometimes need to work at heights or outdoors, using scaffolding or plant, or in cramped spaces such as domestic housing roofs or cellar spaces.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation will typically interact with the team leader or area manager who they will report to as well as personnel responsible for materials storage, building merchants, clients, homeowners and residents, retrofit coordinators and site managers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working in a team, using machinery and tools to install insulation to specification. Key requirements for successful insulation installers include professionalism and high regard for customer service throughout the job, undertaking work and handing completed work back to the customer or client.
Typical job titles include
- Insulation installer
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Awareness of health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance and impact on role of the team and other construction trades. Employer and employee responsibilities. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH). Fire safety. Health and Safety at Work Act. Asbestos awareness, Combustible Appliances ventilation and safety requirements. Manual handling, fire extinguishers. Safety signage. Situational awareness. Slips, trips, and falls. Working in confined spaces. Working at height. Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR), Provision and use of work equipment regulations (PUWER) & near miss reporting.
K2:
Industry legislation, standards and regulations associated with insulating activities: British standards, building regulations, manufacturers’ instructions and warranty requirements.
K3:
Safety control equipment and techniques: Personal protective equipment (PPE), Respiratory protective equipment (RPE), dust suppression and Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).
K4:
Impact of the sector on the environment including surface water contamination and carbon footprint.
K5:
Awareness of environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance:, recycling, reuse and disposal of products and waste.
K6:
Principles of building construction:, roofs, fenestration, walls, floors, utilities and services, insulation, fire, damp proof courses (DPC) and quality of materials, Damp Proof Membrane (DPM), fire protection.
K7:
Principles of thermal insulation: airtightness, ventilation, moisture movement, mould prevention, heat transfer, air flow and building fabric.
K8:
Safe systems of work: Risk assessment method statements (RAMS), control measures, hazard identification and dynamic risk assessment principles.
K9:
Principles of interpreting and using technical instructions, drawings and specifications for example manufacturer’s instructions in paper and digital formats.
K10:
Principles of assessing ambient and environment conditions including surface condition, temperature, humidity and moisture content.
K11:
Principles and methods of surface preparation to receive insulation material.
K12:
Principles of insulation and expansion joints.
K13:
Heritage buildings: insulation application techniques, material breathability and compatibility to preserve building integrity.
K14:
Property archetypes: Timber frame and concrete construction and their implications for insulation.
K15:
Verbal communication techniques used when working in, commercial and domestic environments. Construction terminology.
K16:
Escalation procedures: defects or faults in line with regulatory, manufacturers and company guidance.
K17:
Documentation requirements such as calibration paperwork, flow rate, material usage, batch numbers and handover documentation.
K18:
Team working principles.
K19:
Principles of customer service including work impact on vulnerable people.
K20:
Inclusion, equity and diversity in the workplace.
K21:
Well-being: Mental and physical health considerations in self and others and how to access support.
K22:
Employment types: self-employed and employed, small business start-up principles, tax responsibilities, roles and responsibilities.
K23:
Principles and characteristics of insulation materials: mineral Wool, cavity rockwool, Natural Grown Hemp Products, Sheep Wool.
K24:
Principles and methods of construction ventilation: flues, chimneys and combustion air ventilators.
K25:
Cavity wall construction materials and components: block, brick, local materials, wall ties, weep holes, cavity trays and Insulation retaining clips.
K26:
Principles and methods of cavity wall insulation preparation: suitability and compatibility of insulation materials.
K27:
Techniques and principles of pre-installation checks, including cavity wall width, identifying areas that could create cold spots or voids, debris, building fabric, defects and suitability for insulating.
K28:
Preparation techniques of site and task specification including drilling techniques, interpretation and application of design and drilling pattern, closure of cavity vents, protection of sub floor vents and blowing test boxes
K29:
Application techniques of blown and sprayed insulation material.
K30:
Material selection, calculation and confirmation of shelf life of material, blowing and checking for consistency of fill
K31:
Cavity wall insulation tools and equipment, types, use, calibration and storage techniques.
K32:
Techniques and principles of repairing cavity walls from, for example, pre-existing masonry defects and patching up insulation holes after installation.
Technical Educational Products
- ST1480: Insulation installation operative - Cavity wall - blown and sprayed insulation (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC1480A
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £27,597 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8159 Construction operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8159/08 Insulation engineers
- 9129/05 Insulation labourers
S1:
Comply with health and safety regulations, standards and guidance.
S2:
Select and use safety control equipment including personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment (RPE), dust suppression methods and local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems.
S3:
Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
S4:
Risk assesses before and during work tasks and implement control measures.
S5:
Interpret and use technical instructions, drawings and specifications in paper and digital formats
S6:
Assess ambient and environment conditions including surface condition, temperature, humidity and moisture content.
S7:
Prepare surfaces for application.
S8:
Prepare and maintain building ventilation
S9:
Communicate with others verbally using terminology to suit the context for example, customers, residents, colleagues, and managers.
S10:
Use digital and paper based documents to record workplace data and information.
S11:
Apply team working principles.
S12:
Apply customer service principles.
S13:
Comply with equity, diversity and inclusion principles.
S14:
Identify well-being support available on site or through employer.
S15:
Apply cavity wall pre-installation check techniques and principles
S16:
Prepare site for Installation.
S17:
Calculate quantities of cavity wall insulation materials.
S18:
Select, use and store cavity wall tools and equipment.
S19:
Prepare and calibrate cavity wall machines and equipment.
S20:
Select cavity wall insulation material.
S21:
Blow and spray cavity wall insulation materials.
S22:
Apply cavity wall repair techniques and principles.
S24:
Assess suitability for insulation, moisture levels, ventilation, and compatibility of insulation materials.
Technical Educational Products
- ST1480: Insulation installation operative - Cavity wall - blown and sprayed insulation (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC1480A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £27,597 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8159 Construction operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8159/08 Insulation engineers
- 9129/05 Insulation labourers
B1:
Put health and safety first.
B2:
Consider the environment and sustainability.
B3:
Support equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
B4:
Seek learning and development opportunities to enhance personal competence
B5:
Respond and adapt to work demands and situations and know when to seek advice from others.
B6:
Take ownership of own work.
Technical Educational Products
- ST1480: Insulation installation operative - Cavity wall - blown and sprayed insulation (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC1480A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £27,597 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 8159 Construction operatives n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 8159/08 Insulation engineers
- 9129/05 Insulation labourers
