And Safety Training For Your Workplace
Transcript Of And Safety Training For Your Workplace
Organising
health
and
safety training
for your
workplace
A practical guide for employers and managers
© Commonwealth of Australia 1996
ISBN 0 644 45158 0
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government Publishing Service. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Commonwealth Information Services, Australian Government Publishing Service, GPO Box 84, Canberra ACT 2601.
ii
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
Contents
Overview of the contents of this guide
iv
About this guide
1
Health and safety legislation
3
Part 1 Types of health and safety training
4
Part 2 Health and safety skills and knowledge at work
7
Part 3 What to expect from a good health and
safety training program
12
Part 4 How to select a good health and safety trainer
17
Summary Organising health and safety training for yourself
and you workforce
21
Appendix 1 Training needs chart
22
Appendix 2 Health and safety responsibilities checklist
24
Appendix 3 Principles for preventing hazards in the workplace 26
Want more health and safety information?
29
Your training plan
31
We would like to know what you think of this publication – tear-out evaluation
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
iii
Overview of the contents of this guide
What you need to be aware of
PART 1
Types of health and safety training
n Types of formal health and safety training:
n When you need to provide health and safety training:
• certificate/licence courses
• at induction
• approved/accredited courses
• when you buy new equipment or
• short courses • diploma/degree courses
substances • when jobs change
n Who can provide training
• when the work environment
n The role of the supervisor or experienced worker in providing OHS
changes • when there are new laws
training
• after an OHS incident
Key information to help you organise OHS training
PART 2
Health and safety skills and knowledge at work
n Everyone at work needs health and safety training:
• employer/owner or manager • supervisor • employees and trainees n The importance of induction training n OHS skills everyone at work needs: • consulting about OHS
• identifying hazards
• assessing risks • controlling risks • dealing with hazardous events • evaluating OHS n OHS knowledge everyone at work
needs: • OHS legislation and standards • safe work practices • how to control risks
PART 3
What to expect from a good health and safety training program
n A good health and safety training program:
• is based on what people at work do
• takes account of the skills and knowledge people at work already have
• takes place at a time and place that suits the workplace and employees
• uses a variety of methods for getting the message across
• includes ways of making sure learning has taken place
• provides records of what each person achieves in training
• meets OHS training needs
PART 4
How to select a good health and safety trainer
n A good health and safety trainer has skills and knowledge relating to: • relevant OHS legislation • the hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control approach to OHS • specific OHS issues in your industry • a competency based approach to training and assessment
n If hiring an OHS trainer, ask about:
• OHS expertise • qualifications and experience in
your industry
• how he or she proposes to conduct training in your workplace
• what the fees are
• training adults in the workplace
iv
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
About this
guide
This book is for employers, owners and managers, including those in small business, who are serious about health and safety training. There are many health and safety courses available and many training providers. It can be daunting trying to work out what training you need, who to go to for training and how to ensure the training meets your needs.
Purpose of this book
This book aims to provide information to ensure that you get good value from the money you spend on health and safety training. It will help you to work out answers to these questions: n What types of health and safety training are available? n What skills and knowledge do each of us need to ensure a safe workplace? n What should I expect from a good health and safety training program? n How do I select a good health and safety trainer? n How can I ensure that the training achieves my goals?
Everyone at work needs health and safety training
For the workplace to be healthy and safe, everyone requires some form of health and safety training.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
1
Health and safety training is good for business
Providing health and safety training is good for business because: n Health and safety training is a sound investment
The money you spend on health and safety training saves money in the long term. A workplace that is not healthy and safe may have to face insurance claims, medical bills, higher insurance premiums, replacement labour costs and lost productive time. n Health and safety training is not optional The law states that as an employer you are responsible for providing health and safety information and training to your employees. n Health and safety training is responsible Training reduces the risk of pain and injury at work.
A note about employer and OHS
The term employer, used throughout this book, should be taken to include managers who have responsibility for employees in many workplaces. OHS is an abbreviation for occupational health and safety.
2
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
Health and safety
legislation
Health and safety legislation aims to ensure that the workplace is
safe and healthy and to encourage consultation and cooperation between employers and employees on health and safety matters.
What the law says about employers providing OHS training and information.
What the law requires of employers
The law requires employers to provide and maintain:
• a safe working environment • safe systems of work • equipment in a safe condition
The law also requires employers to provide:
• information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risks to health
This legal requirement is called the employer's duty of care.
Employers who fail in their duty of care can face substantial fines.
The law expects employers to:
• provide information to employees on:
− workplace health and safety − the health effects of specific
hazards − the employer's risk
management program
• give employees who do hazardous work proper information, instruction and train ing before starting that work
• provide employees who could be put at risk by changes in the workplace with proper information, instruction and training before the changes take place
• provide managers and supervisors with the information, instruction and training they need to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risks to health while at work
What is the employee's duty of care?
The law also requires that employees take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety at work as well as the health and safety of others at work.
Employees are required to:
• use equipment provided for health and safety purposes
• follow instructions and training relating to health and safety provided by the employer
• comply with the health and safety policies of the workplace
• report any situation at the workplace which they believe is hazardous
Employees who fail in their duty of care can be fined too.
Further information
Further information about OHS legislation and the employer's and employee's duty of care is available from the following offices in your State or Territory:
• the health and safety organisation • Comcare Australia • employer organisations • trade unions See page 29 for contact details.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
3
Types of health and safety
training
There are many health and safety training courses available. As an employer, it is crucial that the 'training product' you buy suits your staff and your business.
For details of each type of formal training
course, refer to the next page.
Formal training Types of formal training programs and courses
There are basically four types of health and safety training courses available:
• licence or certificate courses • accredited and approved courses • short courses • vocational and professional courses
Arrangements for accrediting and approving OHS trainers and training courses are different in each State and Territory. Check with the OHS organisation in your State or Territory for specific information (see page 29 for contact details).
Who can provide training?
Most health and safety training is provided by:
• employer organisations • unions • the health and safety organisation in your State or Territory or the
Commonwealth sector • TAFE colleges and universities • private occupational health and safety consultants/trainers
Many employers send their supervisors to these organisations for training. Training can also be provided in-house by these organisations.
4
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
For informal training to be effective, the supervisor or
experienced worker needs to undertake
trainer-training to develop the skills to
train others in the workplace.
Informal training The role of the supervisor or experienced worker
Another important provider of training may be a supervisor or experienced worker who has skills and knowledge in health and safety. Such a person can provide information and training to others at work.
For this informal training to be effective, the supervisor or experienced worker needs to undertake trainertraining to develop the skills to train others in the workplace.
Your local TAFE college, private training providers and the trade unions may offer trainer-training courses which generally run for 3 to 5 days.
Types of formal training courses
Licence or certificate courses
Certain jobs require an operator to hold an officially recognised certificate or licence to do tasks like operating a steam boiler, driving a crane or working as a dogman on a construction site.
Training for these certificates or licences in most States and Territories is provided by an accredited trainer and assessment is carried out by a qualified assessor. Assessment can take place either at work or a place where training is conducted (eg a skills centre). The health and safety organisation in your State or Territory can advise you on these training programs.
Accredited and approved courses
Courses like introductory training courses for health and safety representatives are classified as accredited under legislation. Some States and Territories use the term approved for these courses. Courses for managers and supervisors may also be classified as accredited in some States and Territories. Accredited and approved courses have to meet certain criteria determined by the relevant Commonwealth, State or Territory health and safety authorities.
Short courses
Short courses are usually designed for a specific group of people such as operators of equipment, employees, managers and supervisors. The most common types of short courses are: • general introductory courses on topics such as hazard management • management and supervisory training courses on legal obligations and
managing health and safety in the workplace • courses on specific issues such as hazardous substances, manual handling,
confined spaces and workplace ergonomics • courses for employees with non-English-speaking backgrounds giving a
general introduction to basic health and safety principles
Vocational and professional courses
Traineeship and apprenticeship courses normally include health and safety modules as part of the course.
There are also 2 to 4 year health and safety courses for training health and safety professionals and managers. These courses usually involve part-time study at a college or university over 2 to 4 years and result in a qualification in health and safety.
When do people need health and safety training?
The need for health and safety training at work is continuous. As circumstances at work change, there will always be the need to ask the questions:
n How does this change affect health and safety?
n What health and safety instruction and training do I need to provide now?
Typical times when you need to ask these questions are:
n whenever you take on someone new at work - health and safety is an important part of induction training
n whenever you buy new machinery or equipment or new substances such as cleaning materials, chemicals, paints and so on
n whenever people's jobs change
n whenever you change the layout of your work environment
n whenever there are new health and safety regulations, standards or laws that affect your industry
n if there has been an accident, injury or health and safety incident at work
How do you select the training that meets your needs?
First, you need to make decisions about the amount of money and time you want to invest in training.
It is useful to ask other employers what they think of the health and safety training providers they have used. You may also want to ask training providers about how flexible they can be and what sort of service they can provide to you.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
5
Decisions you need to make
n How much money are you going to invest in training over the next 6 to 12 months?
n How much time will you devote to training? n What is the most cost efficient way for you to make this investment?
• To send one employee to the health and safety course and a trainthe-trainer course and then schedule time for him/her to train others at work?
• To send a group of people to the training course? • To arrange for a trainer to come to the work site and deliver training
to a group of workers? n What specific outcomes do you want to achieve as a result of the health
and safety training?
6
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
health
and
safety training
for your
workplace
A practical guide for employers and managers
© Commonwealth of Australia 1996
ISBN 0 644 45158 0
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government Publishing Service. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Commonwealth Information Services, Australian Government Publishing Service, GPO Box 84, Canberra ACT 2601.
ii
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
Contents
Overview of the contents of this guide
iv
About this guide
1
Health and safety legislation
3
Part 1 Types of health and safety training
4
Part 2 Health and safety skills and knowledge at work
7
Part 3 What to expect from a good health and
safety training program
12
Part 4 How to select a good health and safety trainer
17
Summary Organising health and safety training for yourself
and you workforce
21
Appendix 1 Training needs chart
22
Appendix 2 Health and safety responsibilities checklist
24
Appendix 3 Principles for preventing hazards in the workplace 26
Want more health and safety information?
29
Your training plan
31
We would like to know what you think of this publication – tear-out evaluation
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
iii
Overview of the contents of this guide
What you need to be aware of
PART 1
Types of health and safety training
n Types of formal health and safety training:
n When you need to provide health and safety training:
• certificate/licence courses
• at induction
• approved/accredited courses
• when you buy new equipment or
• short courses • diploma/degree courses
substances • when jobs change
n Who can provide training
• when the work environment
n The role of the supervisor or experienced worker in providing OHS
changes • when there are new laws
training
• after an OHS incident
Key information to help you organise OHS training
PART 2
Health and safety skills and knowledge at work
n Everyone at work needs health and safety training:
• employer/owner or manager • supervisor • employees and trainees n The importance of induction training n OHS skills everyone at work needs: • consulting about OHS
• identifying hazards
• assessing risks • controlling risks • dealing with hazardous events • evaluating OHS n OHS knowledge everyone at work
needs: • OHS legislation and standards • safe work practices • how to control risks
PART 3
What to expect from a good health and safety training program
n A good health and safety training program:
• is based on what people at work do
• takes account of the skills and knowledge people at work already have
• takes place at a time and place that suits the workplace and employees
• uses a variety of methods for getting the message across
• includes ways of making sure learning has taken place
• provides records of what each person achieves in training
• meets OHS training needs
PART 4
How to select a good health and safety trainer
n A good health and safety trainer has skills and knowledge relating to: • relevant OHS legislation • the hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control approach to OHS • specific OHS issues in your industry • a competency based approach to training and assessment
n If hiring an OHS trainer, ask about:
• OHS expertise • qualifications and experience in
your industry
• how he or she proposes to conduct training in your workplace
• what the fees are
• training adults in the workplace
iv
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
About this
guide
This book is for employers, owners and managers, including those in small business, who are serious about health and safety training. There are many health and safety courses available and many training providers. It can be daunting trying to work out what training you need, who to go to for training and how to ensure the training meets your needs.
Purpose of this book
This book aims to provide information to ensure that you get good value from the money you spend on health and safety training. It will help you to work out answers to these questions: n What types of health and safety training are available? n What skills and knowledge do each of us need to ensure a safe workplace? n What should I expect from a good health and safety training program? n How do I select a good health and safety trainer? n How can I ensure that the training achieves my goals?
Everyone at work needs health and safety training
For the workplace to be healthy and safe, everyone requires some form of health and safety training.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
1
Health and safety training is good for business
Providing health and safety training is good for business because: n Health and safety training is a sound investment
The money you spend on health and safety training saves money in the long term. A workplace that is not healthy and safe may have to face insurance claims, medical bills, higher insurance premiums, replacement labour costs and lost productive time. n Health and safety training is not optional The law states that as an employer you are responsible for providing health and safety information and training to your employees. n Health and safety training is responsible Training reduces the risk of pain and injury at work.
A note about employer and OHS
The term employer, used throughout this book, should be taken to include managers who have responsibility for employees in many workplaces. OHS is an abbreviation for occupational health and safety.
2
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
Health and safety
legislation
Health and safety legislation aims to ensure that the workplace is
safe and healthy and to encourage consultation and cooperation between employers and employees on health and safety matters.
What the law says about employers providing OHS training and information.
What the law requires of employers
The law requires employers to provide and maintain:
• a safe working environment • safe systems of work • equipment in a safe condition
The law also requires employers to provide:
• information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risks to health
This legal requirement is called the employer's duty of care.
Employers who fail in their duty of care can face substantial fines.
The law expects employers to:
• provide information to employees on:
− workplace health and safety − the health effects of specific
hazards − the employer's risk
management program
• give employees who do hazardous work proper information, instruction and train ing before starting that work
• provide employees who could be put at risk by changes in the workplace with proper information, instruction and training before the changes take place
• provide managers and supervisors with the information, instruction and training they need to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risks to health while at work
What is the employee's duty of care?
The law also requires that employees take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety at work as well as the health and safety of others at work.
Employees are required to:
• use equipment provided for health and safety purposes
• follow instructions and training relating to health and safety provided by the employer
• comply with the health and safety policies of the workplace
• report any situation at the workplace which they believe is hazardous
Employees who fail in their duty of care can be fined too.
Further information
Further information about OHS legislation and the employer's and employee's duty of care is available from the following offices in your State or Territory:
• the health and safety organisation • Comcare Australia • employer organisations • trade unions See page 29 for contact details.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
3
Types of health and safety
training
There are many health and safety training courses available. As an employer, it is crucial that the 'training product' you buy suits your staff and your business.
For details of each type of formal training
course, refer to the next page.
Formal training Types of formal training programs and courses
There are basically four types of health and safety training courses available:
• licence or certificate courses • accredited and approved courses • short courses • vocational and professional courses
Arrangements for accrediting and approving OHS trainers and training courses are different in each State and Territory. Check with the OHS organisation in your State or Territory for specific information (see page 29 for contact details).
Who can provide training?
Most health and safety training is provided by:
• employer organisations • unions • the health and safety organisation in your State or Territory or the
Commonwealth sector • TAFE colleges and universities • private occupational health and safety consultants/trainers
Many employers send their supervisors to these organisations for training. Training can also be provided in-house by these organisations.
4
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
For informal training to be effective, the supervisor or
experienced worker needs to undertake
trainer-training to develop the skills to
train others in the workplace.
Informal training The role of the supervisor or experienced worker
Another important provider of training may be a supervisor or experienced worker who has skills and knowledge in health and safety. Such a person can provide information and training to others at work.
For this informal training to be effective, the supervisor or experienced worker needs to undertake trainertraining to develop the skills to train others in the workplace.
Your local TAFE college, private training providers and the trade unions may offer trainer-training courses which generally run for 3 to 5 days.
Types of formal training courses
Licence or certificate courses
Certain jobs require an operator to hold an officially recognised certificate or licence to do tasks like operating a steam boiler, driving a crane or working as a dogman on a construction site.
Training for these certificates or licences in most States and Territories is provided by an accredited trainer and assessment is carried out by a qualified assessor. Assessment can take place either at work or a place where training is conducted (eg a skills centre). The health and safety organisation in your State or Territory can advise you on these training programs.
Accredited and approved courses
Courses like introductory training courses for health and safety representatives are classified as accredited under legislation. Some States and Territories use the term approved for these courses. Courses for managers and supervisors may also be classified as accredited in some States and Territories. Accredited and approved courses have to meet certain criteria determined by the relevant Commonwealth, State or Territory health and safety authorities.
Short courses
Short courses are usually designed for a specific group of people such as operators of equipment, employees, managers and supervisors. The most common types of short courses are: • general introductory courses on topics such as hazard management • management and supervisory training courses on legal obligations and
managing health and safety in the workplace • courses on specific issues such as hazardous substances, manual handling,
confined spaces and workplace ergonomics • courses for employees with non-English-speaking backgrounds giving a
general introduction to basic health and safety principles
Vocational and professional courses
Traineeship and apprenticeship courses normally include health and safety modules as part of the course.
There are also 2 to 4 year health and safety courses for training health and safety professionals and managers. These courses usually involve part-time study at a college or university over 2 to 4 years and result in a qualification in health and safety.
When do people need health and safety training?
The need for health and safety training at work is continuous. As circumstances at work change, there will always be the need to ask the questions:
n How does this change affect health and safety?
n What health and safety instruction and training do I need to provide now?
Typical times when you need to ask these questions are:
n whenever you take on someone new at work - health and safety is an important part of induction training
n whenever you buy new machinery or equipment or new substances such as cleaning materials, chemicals, paints and so on
n whenever people's jobs change
n whenever you change the layout of your work environment
n whenever there are new health and safety regulations, standards or laws that affect your industry
n if there has been an accident, injury or health and safety incident at work
How do you select the training that meets your needs?
First, you need to make decisions about the amount of money and time you want to invest in training.
It is useful to ask other employers what they think of the health and safety training providers they have used. You may also want to ask training providers about how flexible they can be and what sort of service they can provide to you.
Organising health and safety training for your workplace
5
Decisions you need to make
n How much money are you going to invest in training over the next 6 to 12 months?
n How much time will you devote to training? n What is the most cost efficient way for you to make this investment?
• To send one employee to the health and safety course and a trainthe-trainer course and then schedule time for him/her to train others at work?
• To send a group of people to the training course? • To arrange for a trainer to come to the work site and deliver training
to a group of workers? n What specific outcomes do you want to achieve as a result of the health
and safety training?
6
Organising health and safety training for your workplace