BDA updates wire rope inspection course as online training portal grows

The British Drilling Association (BDA) has updated its online Wire Rope Inspection for Land Drilling course, the fourth course announcement in under three weeks on a training portal the trade body launched in late September.

The course covers how to inspect wire ropes used with land drilling machinery. The BDA describes wire rope as a safety-critical component used across drilling operations and said regular inspection is an important part of safe drilling.

According to the BDA's announcement on 23 October, the course costs £30 for members and £90 for non-members. Separately, the association's online shop lists bulk licences for a Wire Rope Inspections for Land Drilling assessment at £75 plus VAT per licence, with one coupon code per licence for staff.

The BDA said it will keep adding training to the portal so that members and the wider drilling sector can access relevant learning online.

The portal

The BDA Training Portal went live in late September 2026 as a single platform for individuals and employers. The association said it created the portal to support competence, safety and continued professional development across the sector.

The portal offers short online CPD courses written specifically for the land drilling industry, and learners complete them independently at their own pace. It is aimed at drillers and drilling operatives, as well as employers and staff responsible for training, health and safety and operations.

At launch the BDA said further courses and educational materials were planned. It has since made four announcements in quick succession.

On 5 October the association launched a new course, Hydraulic Hose Inspection for Land Drilling. On 7 October it updated Wireline Safety for Drillers, which covers moving and tensioned wireline, equipment and the working area. On 13 October it updated Rotary Coring for Drillers, adding questions to reinforce learning and a certificate on completion.

Course pricing

The wire rope course is the only one of the four for which the BDA has published a member price above zero. The other three are free to BDA members, according to the association's announcements.

Course	BDA members	Non-members
Wire Rope Inspection for Land Drilling	£30	£90
Hydraulic Hose Inspection for Land Drilling	Free	£60 per person
Wireline Safety for Drillers	Free	Not stated
Rotary Coring for Drillers	Free	Not stated

Link to the BDA audit

The BDA's Training & Education Sub-Committee, chaired by Paul McMann, reviewed the new platform at its September 2026 meeting. According to the association's précis of the meeting, members agreed the platform was easy to use and highlighted the automatic certificate function as particularly useful.

The sub-committee also said the Hydraulic Hose Training will form part of the pre-audit checklist and be a prerequisite for the BDA audit, tying portal training to the association's audit scheme.

The BDA is a professional trade association formed in 1976 to serve the land drilling and geotechnical sector. It describes its online courses as a growing programme of online learning.