Health and Safety Training and Supervision

Transcription

1 Intrductin: Health and Safety Training and Supervisin University f Nttingham is cmmitted t maintaining and develping standards f excellence in all aspects f its business. T that end, the University aspires t deliver high standards f health and safety management and recgnises that training and develpment at all levels is a key cntributr in delivering thse standards. Prviding apprpriate infrmatin, instructin and training will: Ensure staff and students are capable f undertaking their duties in an effective and efficient manner in accrdance with legislatin; Develp a psitive wrking envirnment, where safe and healthy wrking envirnments and wrking prcedures cntribute twards effective and efficient peratinal prcesses; Reduce the risk f staff, students and visitrs etc. being injured r made ill as a result f University activities and thereby reduce the financial csts f accidents and ill health t the University. Meet the University s legal duty f care t prtect the health and safety f staff, students, visitrs and anyne else wh may be affected by the University s activities. Duties under the Law: The Health and Safety at Wrk Act 1974 places a legal duty n the University t ensure that staff at all levels are cmpetent t undertake their duties. Cmpetency is usually acquired thrugh the prvisin f adequate infrmatin, instructin, training and supervisin, plus relevant experience. Hwever cmpetency cannt be achieved by experience alne and therefre a structured prgramme f infrmatin, instructin and training is essential t ensure cmpetency. This legal duty is expanded n by the Management f Health and Safety at Wrk Regulatins 1999, which identifies situatins where health and safety training is particularly imprtant e.g. On appintment On transferring r being prmted t a new pst; where there may be significant changes t the wrking envirnment; where there may be significant changes t the wrk activity, r the wrk equipment; the technlgy changes; where peple may be expsed t new r increased risks; and where existing knwledge and skills may need updating. Respnsibilities: The University Cuncil, as emplyer, carries the ultimate respnsibility fr safety in the University. Hwever, as with all matters relating t health and safety, Heads f Schls

2 and Prfessinal Services Departments have devlved respnsibility fr the applicatin f this plicy and ensuring that staff are trained and cmpetent t undertake their duties. When allcating wrk t staff, line managers and supervisrs have a legal respnsibility t ensure they have taken int accunt the emplyee s capabilities and prvide relevant training as relatin t health and safety. Similarly where there are self-emplyed peple r cntractrs wrking under the cntrl and directin f the University then mangers must ensure that they receive relevant training t ensure their safety. Fr the purpses f this plicy pstgraduate students will be cnsidered as emplyees and therefre academic supervisrs will have similar respnsibilities fr ensuring training, cmpetence and suitable supervisin f students. Individuals have a duty t c-perate with the University and cmply with this plicy. Definitins There is n legal definitin f the terms infrmatin, instructin, training, cmpetence and supervisin. The terms are intrinsically linked Infrmatin means prviding factual material which tells peple abut ptential hazards and risks, and apprpriate health and safety measures t minimise thse risks. Instructin means telling peple what they shuld d; and Training means helping peple t learn hw t d smething. This might be thrugh a cmbinatin f the fllwing: prvisin f written infrmatin, a classrm presentatin demnstrating a task r prcedure Cmpetence can be described as the cmbinatin f training, skills, experience and knwledge that a persn has and their ability t apply them t perfrm a task safely. This must be assessed, fllwing training, by a cmpetent persn using any f r a cmbinatin f the fllwing : Written test/exam [e.g. inductin infrmatin] Verbal discussin/questining Observatin [usually fr practical tasks] Supervisin is the prcess f nging mnitring the effectiveness f the training that peple have received, and whether they maintain the necessary capacity and cmpetence t d the jb Implementatin 1. Decide wh needs Health and Safety Training: Managers, Principal Investigatrs and Supervisrs have a key rle cncerning the effective management f health and safety issues. Therefre they need t knw what their health and safety respnsibilities are, what is expected f them and hw the

3 University expects them t deliver the health and safety message. They need a clear understanding f the University s Health and Safety Plicy and where they fit int the health and safety management structure. In additin t general health and safety management training, they may als need detailed training relating t specific hazards and their assciated cntrl measures. Every emplyee f the University will require a degree f health and safety training. They will need t knw hw t wrk safely and withut risk t themselves r thers wh may be affected by the wrk activity. They will require knwledge f the University s Health and Safety Plicy, health and safety arrangements within their Schl / Directrate, and what is expected frm them with regard t health and safety. Similarly, as mentined previusly, pstgraduate students and prject students will require training in rder that they cnduct their research wrk in a safe manner withut risk t themselves r thers. 2. Assess Training Needs A training needs assessment is designed t identify the skills and knwledge required t carry ut duties effectively and in a manner which takes accunt f safety, health and envirnmental issues. Persns undertaking a training needs assessment are als required t be cmpetent t ensure that the training needs identified cvers all apprpriate safety, health and envirnment issues. Methds f cmpleting a training needs assessment may include: Identify the skills and knwledge needed fr peple t wrk in a safe and healthy way. Cmpare the findings against peple s current skills and knwledge t identify any pssible gaps. Cnsider hazardus equipment, substances r activities such as manual handling, ergnmics, wrking at height. A review f risk assessments t see where infrmatin, instructin and/r training have been identified as key risk cntrl factrs; Cnsulting with emplyees r their representatives fr their views; and A review f accident / incident reprts where a lack f infrmatin, instructin and/r training has been recrded as a pssible causatin factr. Training needs assessment is an nging prcess, nt smething that is just cnsidered at the start f emplyment. Therefre it is imprtant that training needs f individuals are regularly reviewed. In this can be undertaken in a variety f ways. Review at regular team/grup meetings Review during prject supervisry meetings As part f the persnal develpment and perfrmance review prcess. 3. Deliver Training Training will need t be delivered by a range f methds and at different levels. University level - classrm based lectures delivered annually/biannually, by Safety Office staff and/r n-line training resurces. These are general awareness sessins t ensure key infrmatin is delivered t new staff and

4 students they are nt a substitute fr lcal inductin and jb specific/task training. External training prviders may als be engaged t prvide specific training where there is n suitable in-huse expert, e.g. cylinder handling, use f ladders, autclaves. Lcal Inductin training. All individuals shuld receive lcal inductin in the emergency prcedures f their wrkplace and als inductin int the specific prcedures that pertain in their wrk area [e.g. waste treatment, risk assessments etc.] Jb specific/task training Individuals will als then need jb/task specific training in hw t carry ut specific techniques r use particular items f equipment. This training shuld be delivered by nminated individual wh is deemed t be suitably cmpetent in perfrming the techniques r using the piece f equipment. This training shuld include issuing written infrmatin [i.e. the Standard Operating Prcedure fr the prcess] practical demnstratin by the authrised trainer, and assessment f cmpetency [see later] Refresher training It is imprtant that cmpetency is maintained s there needs t be nging/refresher training at suitable frequencies which will include: When prcedure r equipment changes High risk peratins where adherence t prcedure imprtant If prcedure/task is perfrmed infrequently Fllwing an accident /incident r if there is cncern that prtcls are nt being fllwed. 4. Assess Cmpetence Assess the knwledge and practical skills f the trainee fllwing training by a cmpetent persn. The methds f assessment will vary but culd include ne r all f the fllwing: Written test/examinatin/questinnaire [e.g. inductin infrmatin] Verbal discussin/questining Observatin [usually fr practical tasks]. Fr high risk peratins cnsider cld dummy run using nn harmful substances until satisfied that desired degree f skill is btained. Smetimes a cmbinatin f any f the abve is used e.g. supplementing bservatin with questins e.g. if X happened what wuld yu d? 5. Recrd training and attainment f cmpetence. Delivery f training and attainment f cmpetence must be recrded in an apprpriate manner. A training recrd is an imprtant dcument fr bth the University and the Individual as they prvide dcumentary evidence fr regulatry agencies but als prvide the individual with relevant infrmatin abut their skills that can be taken frward int new emplyment. T that end Schls/departments must ensure that there are systems in place that ensure recrds are securely stred but readily accessible by the individual and their manager/supervisr. See Training Recrd Template.

5 Fr certain types f wrk recrding training is mandatry [.e.g. driving frk lift trucks, wrking with Hazard Grup 3 Bilgical Agents] hwever the University requires training recrds t be kept fr all individuals and all types f wrk. The infrmatin recrded must include details f the training prvided, the signature f bth the trainer and the trainee and the methd by which cmpetency was assessed. The cmplexity and amunt f detail included in the recrd shuld reflect the degree f risk and the cmplexity f the rle. Fr example fr an ffice based rle the recrd wuld include general health and safety inductin int the area, fire prcedures, safe use f DSE, whereas fr wrk in a labratry area the recrd will be much mre extensive and include training in specific prtcls, use f specific equipment etc. Suitable templates fr recrding training are cntained in the appendix. 6. Maintain Cmpetence thugh effective Supervisin. It is the manager s/supervisr s respnsibility t decide n the apprpriate level f supervisin fr particular tasks. The level f supervisin will depend n the risks invlved as well as the cmpetence f emplyees t identify and handle them. A higher level f supervisin will need t be maintained fr new wrkers/students wh are still underging training. It is imprtant that the supervisr is able t demnstrate regular review f any health and safety implicatins arising frm the prgress and develpment f the research prject and the cmpetence f the research student. The rutine recrded supervisin meetings prvide an pprtunity fr cnfirming this and a mdified supervisin recrd frm the Quality Manual is prvided in the appendix. Prcesses that invlve the use f very hazardus substances [e.g. carcingens r dangerus pathgens] r equipment will require mre cmplex cntrl measures t be applied t reduce risk. It is imprtant that managers/supervisrs are cnfident that the persn is wrking safely and cntinues t d s. Therefre regular bservatin f what they d is imprtant. Fr lw risk peratins such as thse invlving use f lw hazard reagents it may be sufficient t demnstrate the prcess, bserve they d it crrectly and cnfirm that all is satisfactry thrugh nrmal bservatins and discussins. 7. Review and Mnitring. Each Schl/Department will be respnsible fr mnitring the apprpriateness and effectiveness f the training prvided t its staff and students. The University Safety Office will review annually the prvisin f health and safety training at University level and will als mnitr cmpliance with this plicy thugh the Annual Safety Review prcess. 8. Wrking Acrss Multiple Premises. There are additinal cnsideratins where smene wrks acrss tw r mre lcatins. This includes cllabrative wrking t share facilities r expertise, r peripatetic wrking such as building maintenance wrk where the nature f the persn s rle is such that they will be perfrming similar tasks acrss a number f lcatins. This des nt apply t lw risk activities such as visiting ther lcatins as an bserver r visitr where the persn will be under the supervisin f lcal persnnel. It als excludes delivery f lectures and seminars etc. a. Cllabrative wrking.

6 Members f staff, pstgraduate researchers and visiting researchers will have received a general inductin n arrival/starting wrk as described abve and arranged by their line manager r supervisr. Where the wrk will invlve activities carried ut at a different lcatin, labratry, building r site then a supplementary inductin will be required t ensure that they are aware f any lcatin-specific differences. A mre specific inductin will be required fr any labratries r ther areas with hazardus activities that they will be engaged in r expsed t. This latter inductin is the respnsibility f the Principal Investigatr r manager fr the facility. b. Peripatetic wrking The risk assessment fr peripatetic wrkers fr their activities shuld include any particular, nn-standard risks r prcedures relating t the varius lcatins that they will be wrking in. The persn s manager shuld ensure that they are familiarised with each lcatin, access arrangements and key cntacts at them. A mdified versin f the checklist culd be used t cver all the lcatins.

7 Recrd Templates A Training Recrd Template that incrprates sheets fr recrding the fllwing has been put tgether: Link t Frm University Level Training Faculty/Schl/Departmental and Building Inductin Specific Wrkplace Inductin Jb Specific Training It is recmmended that this r similar recrd keeping is instigated t create the apprpriate evidence fr the training and cmpetency checks that are taking place. Quality Manual - Research Degree Supervisin Recrd Supervisrs must als recrd the frmal meetings with their research students and the University Quality Manual Supervisin Recrd frm is available fr this. The Quality Manual recmmends a minimum f 10 meetings per year fr full-time students and 6 meetings per year fr part-time students. Link t Frm