Employers must provide free of charge, health and safety training for staff to do their job. Any training or instruction given should be recorded and the staff sign off to acknowledge the training given and more importantly their understanding of it.
An untrained employee is an unsafe employee!
Reasons for training:
- Legal (e.g. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974).
- Financial (to improve worker performance).
- Moral (to further develop employee skills, confidence and safety awareness), i.e. it is what society in general expects.
When will training be necessary?
- For new workers (legal requirement to provide induction training for health and safety).
- Anyone who is under 18 is a young worker and therefore more vulnerable.
- Following a worker's change in job/method.
- Following a worker's promotion.
- If there is a change to the process of system of work.
- When new equipment is brought in.
- Following a major accident.
- Following requests or discussions with workers.
- From making observations and noting bad practices.
- Following a risk assessment being undertaken and training being identified as needed.
Induction training
- Induction training must be given to all new employees. This is a requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
- Failure to provide induction training will result in you being vulnerable to criminal liability, and for being sued by an employee if they subsequently have an accident.
What should be included in an induction course?
Tour of premises, showing them:
- safe and dangerous areas
- fire exits and assembly points
- location of first-aid points
- Company safety policies, rules and procedures.
- Provision of any PPE, including showing how to use, maintain and store it.
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