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Investing in the training of staff benefits both the worker and the company, and can help to keep the workplace safe for everyone – but it could all be for nothing if that training is not put into practice.

Make sure you take steps to ensure that your staff follow the right procedures.

1. Make sure all staff attend relevant training sessions, and use signing in sheets to confirm their attendance. Make it someone’s job to check attendance rates, and to follow up with those who did not attend to find out why.
2. Ensure that your training sessions are relevant, they include the necessary information and are pitched at the right level. Ask for feedback on sessions to see what worked and what didn’t.
3. Consider in advance why staff might not follow their training in practice, or deviate from working procedures. Are there short cuts that can be made? Is there a language barrier? Perhaps staff did not understand how they should have used the information they were given.
4. Confirm what level of supervision staff are given when undertaking their work activities – often staff can devise their own ways of working if there is no clear direction from management.
5. Make sure management staff are clear on what is expected of them, and how they need to tackle non-compliance of procedures when staff flout the rules.

Contact us should you require advice.

A health and safety policy sets out your general approach and commitment together with the arrangements you have put in place for managing health and safety in your business. It is a unique document that says who does what, when and how.

The policy is usually made up of three parts: –

A Statement of Intent (what you intend to do) – A written policy statement which shows your staff, and anyone else, your commitment to health and safety.

Organisation details (who will be involved) – This section names those who will have responsibilities for health and safety matters in your company.

Arrangements (how you will put it in place) – This section explains how you will control the main hazards that have been identified in your risk assessment.

Your health and safety policy will only be effective if it is acted upon and followed by you and your staff. It should be reviewed regularly (at least annually) or sooner if there are changes to work processes, plant, equipment or staff.

It doesn’t matter what size your company is, you will need a policy which sets out certain arrangements, procedures or rules in place to make sure that accidents are prevented during the course of your day-to-day business. It is good practice to record all of these details in a policy document. If you have five or more employees, you must write your policy down.

Should you require a discussion about your health and safety policy, please contact us.

Our four-day IOSH managing safely course gives staff at management and supervisor level the knowledge to fulfil their responsibilities in handling resources and risk in compliance with their organisation’s policy and best practice in health and safety.

This course is suitable for managers and supervisors that are responsible for managing resources and risk in any sector, and any organisation. The course covers safety and risk management in the workplace

The course lasts four days (24 hours plus assessment time).

Its based on written assessment and workplace risk assessment. Successful candidates receive an IOSH accredited certificate.

This course is approved by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

If anyone would like to attend a course, please contact us.

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New sentencing guidelines for Health and Safety, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety Offences