Training basically means helping someone to learn how to do something. It can also be telling someone how to do something without endangering themselves or anyone else. It may be classroom or work based, there is no absolute way of training anyone but there is a legal requirement to do it for health and safety reasons.
The Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) law, 1989 demands that information, instruction, supervision and training be provided as part of Article 3 – Employers’ Duties.
Why provide health and safety training?
By giving health and safety information and training you are able to:
• Ensure your staff know how to work safely and without risk to their health;
• Develop a second nature or culture where safe and healthy working are the norm;
• Meet your legal duty to protect your staff and their health and safety.
Effective training will contribute towards making your employees competent in health and safety and can help your business sidestep the distress that accidents and ill health cause. It can also help you dodge the financial costs of such events; don’t forget that your insurances may not cover all related costs.
Who needs health and safety training?
You do – Whether an employer or self-employed, are you sure that you are up to date with how to identify hazards and control the risks from them that your work exposes you to? Do you know how to get help from trade associations, the Chamber of Commerce, Health and Safety Inspectorate, management consultants? If not, you would probably gain from some training.
Your managers and supervisors do – They need to know what you expect of them in terms of managing safely. They need to understand your policy, where they fit into it and how you expect risks to be controlled.
Your employees do – Everyone who works for you including sub contractors need to know how you manage health and safety, how they fit into your arrangements for it and most importantly how they raise concerns about it with you.
How should you do it?
Show your commitment so that those being trained recognise that training is important. Consult with staff and make sure you prioritise and plan their training. You may have appointed a “Competent Advisor” or health and safety professional who can offer help, or follow this 5 step approach.
STEP 1 Decide what training your business needs
• Identify skills / knowledge requirements
• Review your history of accidents, incidents, near misses, etc
• Review your risk assessments
• Consider awareness training needs starting with directors and working down.
STEP 2 Decide your training priorities
• Legal requirements (first aid, for example)
• New processes or machinery
• New or promoted employees
• All training must be provided during working hours
STEP 3 Choose your training methods and resources
• Training methods
• Meeting staff needs – language, literacy, learning abilities / disabilities
• Competent providers
• Recognised standards
• External / internal training
STEP 4 Deliver the training
• Make sure the information is easily understood and delivery styles are varied
• Ensure trainers have adequate preparation time
STEP 5 Check the training has worked
• Gather feedback
• Ensure learning is practiced
• Check business outputs – accident reports, incidents, near miss records, sickness records, etc
You may need a training needs analysis to give you an idea as to the way forward – don’t be afraid to ask!
For more information about the health and safety courses that H&S@Work deliver, please telephone us on 01534 887088 or email cara.leheuze@lawatworkci.com
