🚗 Vehicle Marshal Training: Keeping People & Vehicles Moving Safely

On busy construction sites, industrial yards, warehouses and loading bays, vehicle movements happen constantly. Delivery vans, wagons, plant machinery and site traffic all share the same space as pedestrians — and without control, the risk of accidents is extremely high.

That’s where Vehicle Marshals (sometimes called Banksmen or Traffic Marshals) play a crucial role. Their job is to guide vehicles safely, manage tight manoeuvres, and prevent collisions. But to do the job properly, they need the right training.

Vehicle Marshal Training equips workers with the skills, hand signals and awareness they need to keep vehicle movements safe, smooth and compliant.

Why Vehicle Marshal Training is Essential

1. Reducing the Risk of Accidents

One of the most common causes of serious workplace injuries is vehicle movement — especially reversing incidents. Limited visibility, blind spots and noisy environments create huge risks.

Vehicle Marshal Training teaches workers how to:

• Position themselves safely

• Use recognised hand signals

• Communicate clearly with drivers

• Stay visible at all times

• Manage vehicle movements in tight or busy areas

This drastically reduces the risk of collisions with people, structures or other vehicles.

2. Legal Compliance

Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) and the Workplace Transport Safety guidance, employers must control vehicle movements and ensure anyone directing traffic is trained and competent.

Accredited training helps demonstrate compliance and protects your organisation from enforcement action or liability.

3. Supporting Efficient Workflows

A trained vehicle marshal keeps sites flowing smoothly. When movements are coordinated properly, delays are reduced, confusion is avoided and work progresses efficiently.

Good marshalling helps:

• Speed up loading/unloading

• Minimise bottlenecks

• Reduce downtime

• Improve communication between drivers and site teams

4. Protecting Vehicles, Property & Equipment

A wrong signal or poor positioning can result in costly crashes, damaged barriers, or scraped vehicles. Training ensures marshals understand safe positioning, blind spot awareness, and how to guide drivers precisely.

5. Building Confidence

Being responsible for directing vehicles can feel daunting. Training builds a marshal’s confidence by giving them practical experience, ensuring they can step into the role safely and assertively.

What Vehicle Marshal Training Covers

At Kentra Training, our Vehicle Marshal course blends theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on learning. Topics include:

• The role and responsibilities of a Vehicle Marshal

• Health & safety and legal requirements

• Communication methods (hand signals, radios, PPE visibility)

• Understanding vehicle blind spots and hazards

• Safe positioning and exclusion zones

• Directing vehicles during reversing, turning and tight manoeuvres

• Pedestrian management and traffic flow

• Emergency procedures and incident response

By the end of the course, delegates will know how to guide vehicles safely and confidently in real working conditions.

Who Should Attend?

Vehicle Marshal Training is ideal for:

• Construction and industrial site staff

• Loading bay and warehouse teams

• Yard and depot workers

• Logistics and distribution staff

• Anyone responsible for directing vehicle movements

It’s also useful for supervisors overseeing vehicle activity on site.

Conclusion

Vehicle movements are one of the highest-risk activities in any workplace — but with the right training, those risks can be controlled. Vehicle Marshal Training ensures workers have the skills, awareness and communication abilities needed to direct traffic safely, prevent accidents and support smooth operations.

At Kentra Training, we have over 25 years of experience delivering accredited site safety and plant training. Our Vehicle Marshal courses give your team the competence and confidence to manage vehicle movements safely and effectively.

👉 Keep people protected, keep vehicles moving — invest in training that improves safety and efficiency across your site.

📅 Book Your Vehicle Marshal Training Today

Whether you’re looking to upskill your current workforce or train new recruits, our Vehicle Marshal Training provides the skills and certification you need to keep your operations safe, legal, and efficient.

📞 Call us on 01606 832 556 or visit www.kentratraining.co.uk to arrange your course.

Kentra Training – Our Mission : Making safety second nature.

Thank you for reading our blog about Vehicle Marshal Training, for more details on the individual courses, just follow the links above. 

Our awarding body is National Plant Operators Registration Scheme – NPORS.com