University Health & Safety Arrangements: Chapter 11. Training and Competence

Transcription

1 University Health & Safety Arrangements: Chapter 11 Training and Competence Key word(s): Health and safety training; competence; competency Target audience: Managers assessing health & safety training needs; all involved in induction of new members of staff; staff with specific health & safety roles; anyone interested in developing health & safety skills; school and local safety advisers Contents Introduction... 2 Health & safety induction... 2 Mandatory health and safety training for those with specific health & safety responsibilities... 3 Safety Advisers Competency Development Framework... 4 Document control box... 5 Appendix 1: General health & safety appointments and mandatory minimum training requirements... 6 Appendix 2: Specialist appointments and mandatory minimum training requirements... 7 Appendix 3: Simple representation of Competency Development Framework... 9 Note. Senior Managers are responsible for health and safety within their organisational unit, specified areas or as a consequence of their activities, and for any additional activities as agreed and delegated to them (eg where they accept responsibility for dayto-day safety arrangements for staff who have other line managers, for reasons of geographical or other convenience). They may be Deans, Heads of School, Directors of Page 1 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

2 Institutes, Directors and Heads of Service in non-academic areas, the University Librarian, the Directors of the Manchester Museum and the Whitworth Art Gallery, and their equivalents. Introduction 1. This chapter describes the University s arrangements for Health & Safety Induction Mandatory training for those with specific health & safety responsibilities A competency development framework to assist those with health & safety responsibilities to assess their own competency and development needs and to contribute to discussions with their line managers and others during performance and development reviews. 2. Staff Learning & Development (L&D) has a Health & Safety Training Advisor who can assist individuals and managers to select and access appropriate course(s) or other training and development opportunities. L&D provide a comprehensive set of health & safety courses, both in-house and with external trainers as well as providing funding support for further education and external training. Information on courses and support for further development can be found at Health & safety induction 3. There are health and safety induction requirements for new, transferring or relocating staff, including those on temporary contracts and agency staff, and where staff move due to the physical relocation of their workplace, as people are more at risk when starting work or facing new situations. 4. On taking up their appointment, the employee must be advised by their line manager (or his/her representative) of the arrangements that will enable them to work safely, and information about first aid assistance, fire safety and evacuation. This should include an introduction to relevant local personnel with safety responsibilities. 5. The University s Staff Health & Safety Induction course (THS1E) must be completed by all new members of staff. The course is delivered via Blackboard for the majority of University staff, and records of completion will be uploaded from Blackboard to individual training records. 6. For staff whom do not have a Blackboard account, or limited access to PC s, a video format of this course is available for use by their Line Managers, via Staff Learning & Development s website. Records of course completion should be kept Page 2 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

3 by the local area, and provided to Staff Learning & Development who will update individual training records accordingly. 7. The University s Induction Checklist should be completed and signed off by the new member of staff, their line manager and the local safety adviser. The checklist cannot specify all possible risks and variations in practical arrangements, and should therefore be amended by a competent person (such as a school safety adviser, or in consultation with L&D or Safety Services) as local circumstances demand. 8. Where the member of staff indicates they do not understand the information given or the arrangements, the senior manager is responsible for ensuring that suitable additional assistance or training is given. 9. Completed copies should be returned to the local safety adviser for checking and retaining. These will be audited from time to time. Mandatory health and safety training for those with specific health & safety responsibilities 10. Managers are required to appoint sufficient numbers of staff to various roles to assist them in their management of local health and safety. Those appointed with specific duties must be competent and able to perform the tasks allocated to them. 11. The term competence is not defined in law, but a significant factor is training. The tables in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 set down the minimum training considered necessary for these appointments. Some appointments are necessary for all workplaces; others depend on the type of work being carried out and the risks involved. 12. In making and/or reaffirming appointments, managers should also take into account: knowledge and experience existing (non-university) qualifications or training the resources available to the appointees (including time, administrative support, IT ability) their communications skills (to receive, interpret and redirect health & safety information, and in many cases, to cascade training) their interest in / commitment to the work. Page 3 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

4 13. Appointments should be made in writing, detailing the role and responsibilities involved. 14. Managers are key to ensuring that appointees receive the support they will need to perform their role(s) effectively, and remain competent and able to perform the tasks allocated to them. They can use the mandatory training tables and the University s Safety Advisers Competency Development Framework to inform their assessment of development needs. 15. Managers should take steps to ensure that any training or development requirements are met within a reasonable time of initial appointment normally within 3 months, but this will be dependent upon course dates. The training of existing appointees should be reviewed and updated regularly, ideally as part of the Performance and Development Review process. 16. In all cases, further advice about initial training, equivalent alternatives, refresher periods, etc is available from Safety Services and Staff Learning & Development. Specialist staff contacts are included in the table. Safety Advisers Competency Development Framework 17. The purpose of the University s competency development framework is to identify the key characteristics that make safety advisers effective in their roles. The framework is a tool for self-assessment and reflection, together with performance development and review with a line manager, for those appointed to safety roles to assess their performance and highlight any further area for development. 18. The framework identifies four attributes from which twelve key characteristics are described. The 4 attributes are: Making a Positive Impact (A) Applying your Knowledge and Expertise (B) Being Effective in Your Health & Safety Role (C) Managing your Professional Health & Safety Knowledge (D) 19. Contained within each characteristic are a number of specific descriptors, which are then linked to observable behaviours that can be used for assessment purposes. A representation of the framework is in Appendix The framework is supported by a number of online resources, including online self- assessment and 360o questionnaires, and SafetyNet, which is an online resources area developed for University Safety Advisers. Page 4 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

5 Document control box Title Chapter 11: Training & Competence Date approved: OHSTAG, 17 August 2012; SHE, 5 September 2012 Approving body: Safety, Health & Environment Committee Implementation September 2012 date: Version: 2.0 (June 2016) additional resources made available. 1.1 (March 2016) personnel change 1.0 Next review date: June 2019 Owner of this Occupational Health, Safety & Training Advisory Group (OHSTAG) chapter Chair : Professor Nalin Thakker Secretary: Dr Patrick Seechurn Page 5 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

6 Appendix 1: General health & safety appointments and mandatory minimum training requirements Appointment Usual Minimum training (or Length How to access Refresher Source of advice abbr equivalent*) of course course period School (or SSA IOSH Managing Safely (low 1 day directorate/ risk areas) THS78 unit) safety advisor IOSH Managing Safely 4 day (higher risk) THS12 Recommended in higher risk Equivalent Your University Safety Co- areas, NEBOSH General of 2 ordinator and Rachel Certificate in Health & Safety weeks THS66 Valentine, L&D, for advice re equivalence First aider n/a First Aid at Work Certificate 3 days Requalification (2 Janet Makin, University (higher risk areas) THS87 days) every 3 First Aid Co-ordinator years Emergency First Aid at Work (low risk areas) 1 day Requalification (1 THS119 day) every 3 years Display screen DSA DSE Assessment/ 2 hours L&D course assessor Workplace Assessment THS17 Arthur Nicholas Fire Evacuation FEM University Evacuation Marshal 3 hours. Marshal training THS47 University Fire Evacuation & Training Co-ordinator for how many / where Page 6 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

7 Appendix 2: Specialist appointments and mandatory minimum training requirements Appointment Usual Minimum Length of How to access Refresher Source of advice abbreviation training (or course course period equivalent*) School SBSA / O Safety for 3 hours Biological Biological Safety THS44 Safety Advisor Officers Patrick Seechurn, University Biological Safety Advisor and Or equivalent your University Safety Coordinator for advice re equivalence. Radiological RPS Radiation Radiation Safety Dr Ian Haslam, Head of Protection Protection Unit, Radiological Safety for advice. Supervisor Supervisors course xorg.manchester.a or equivalent as c.uk/sites/radiatio agreed with RSU in n respect of complexity of needs To engage with training blog and ad hoc workshops School Laser SLSA Laser Safety - for 3 hours Safety Officer lasers > class 3 or THS42 B Katherine Sullivan, Technical Page 7 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

8 Adviser, Radiation Safety Unit for advice. Non-ionising n/a Safe uv practices : 1 hour radiation a users guide THS75 advisor Katherine Sullivan, Technical Adviser, Radiation Safety Unit for advice. Page 8 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11

9 Appendix 3: Simple representation of Competency Development Framework Page 9 of 9 Health & Safety Arrangements, Chapter 11