Health and Safety Training - What you should know
Why does my business need Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)?
OH&S is a very basic system that outlines the rules and possible dangers that may be involved in the workplace, and the proper procedures to deal with when accidents or disruptions occur in that workplace. It is critical to the success of any business that a safe work environment is created and maintained, and not just for the business, but for the workers as well as it is one of the key fundamentals to retain staff and maximise the productivity of your workplace.
Who has the responsibility for this system?
Business owners have the responsibility of installing proper safety gear and equipment and the instruction and implementation of safety procedures; for employers to not do so properly can result in rather severe consequences. This does not just apply to your employees, but your customers as well.
Having prior knowledge and understanding of the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Laws will further help you avoid any possible accidents, dramas, unnecessary costs and damages to your business that can be potentially caused by workplace incidents. Having a strong set of rules, regulations and procedures set up beforehand will help provide your business with a strong foundation to work from.
What should OH&S Training include?
The training required needs to cover all relevant workplace procedures, policies and practices to ensure that all staff have the appropriate knowledge, skills and competence to perform their work both safely and in accordance to the legislative requirements. It is a requirement for all staff and other employees to comply with any and all instructions given for workplace health and safety.
The requirements in Staff training include:
- General induction training (Typically this involves evacuation, lockdown and medical emergency procedures)
- Risk management applicable to their role
- Job specific training
- Refresher training on a regular basis.
The actual training of staff is dependent on the type of business and may include: formal courses, on-the-job training, or practical demonstrations. In addition to these, some more volatile work places require certificates from professional courses as a prerequisite for applying for a job. The training system has to be relevant to the tasks that the person is going to perform, and if practical skills are required then these must be demonstrated and practiced prior to training.
To be sure that the required procedures for your workplace is being properly implemented supervising staff can be a great tool to ensure that they understand and are able to enact proper safety procedures, should an incident occur. This also acts a great evaluation tool for training and will help determine if the program has been effective or not.
Check AussieWeb.com.au for more information on Health and Safety Training, it’s potential uses and the industries that support and develop its uses.
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