Whether it's health & safety training in an office or a busy construction site, training is a crucial part of health and safety and is required in pretty much all workplaces.
Health and safety are things that should be taken seriously no matter the industry or nature of the business. Meeting the right health and safety standards will mean you most likely won't be found negligent, and it can make the workplace a safer place to work.
But what is occupational health and safety training? What types of health and safety training is there? Read on for our expert guide to occupational health and safety training, from first aid training to Asbestos awareness training and more.
What is Occupational Health and Safety?
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is put in place to protect the welfare of everyone in the workplace. It is designed to prevent work-related accidents, fatalities and illnesses as well as promoting a safe and healthy work environment for employees and employers alike. The main objectives of OHS are to promote and maintain worker's health and working capacity as well as improve the working environment.
Occupational health and safety is controlled by laws and regulations that keep employees safe at work. OHS focuses on eliminating safety hazards before they cause harm as well as the early detection and solutions of work-related health problems.
Overall, occupational health and safety is important to make sure all workers remain safe at work as well as enhance productivity in the workplace. Occupational Health and Safety is crucial for safeguarding the well-being of workers and enhancing productivity.
By implementing comprehensive OHS programs, businesses can create safer work environments, reduce the chances of work-related injuries and illnesses, and comply with legal obligations. But, what types of health and safety training are there? Keep reading to find out!
First Aid Training
One of the many types of health and safety training is first aid. Legally, employers in the UK are required to assess the risks of the workplace and provide appropriate first-aid training.
It’s a way of ensuring that the workplace is compliant with the health and safety legislation and that employees are aware of the risks, and what to do in the event of an emergency. The basis of first aid training is to learn how to provide emergency first aid and assistance if an emergency or incident occurs.
We offer an effective emergency first aid refresher course to ensure that you’re up to date with all the relevant information and resources. Our Emergency First Aid Refresher course highlights some of the issues and situations that may present in workplaces and will teach you the best actions to take to help.
Slips, Trips and Falls
One of the most common accidents in the workplace is slips, trips and falls - with the majority of non-fatal workplace accidents in the UK falling into this category. However, falls are the main type of fatal accident in UK workplaces - and are the second main cause of unintentional injury deaths in the world.
Falls are also the most common cause of TBIs - traumatic brain injuries - which is why it’s so important that employees undergo the right training to prevent the risk of slips, trips and falls. Many slips, trips and falls can be prevented, whether it be by placing ‘wet floor’ signs or by being aware of your surroundings.
With Beaconrisk, you can take an effective health and safety course all about slips, trips and falls. This course will introduce you to some of the facts and figures related to slips, trips and falls, and will dispel some of the main rumours and myths regarding them.
You will hear of real-life examples in this course - incidents of slips, trips and falls and what steps could've been taken to prevent them. We’ll also inform you of the current laws associated with occupational health and safety and how they relate to slips, trips and falls.
Asbestos Awareness
You may be under the impression that asbestos isn’t an issue anymore and was only an issue 20 or so years ago. However, this isn’t the case. Asbestos is an issue that many people may still come across, particularly in the demolition and construction industry.
Asbestos can cause damage when you inhale the dust and asbestos fibres, eventually leading to long-term asbestos-related illnesses - for example, cancers of the chest and the lungs.
Although it isn’t an issue if handled correctly, there is always a risk when it comes to ACM (asbestos-containing materials). Many people think that there is only one type of asbestos, however, there are more than one type, in fact, there are five different types and these are:
- Amosite asbestos (brown asbestos)
- Chrysotile Asbestos (White Asbestos)
- Crocidolite asbestos (blue asbestos)
- Actinolite asbestos
- Anthophyllite asbestos
At Beaconrisk, we offer a variety of effective courses to improve workplace safety - including an Asbestos Awareness Course. In this course, you’ll learn all about the risks associated with working with asbestos. This can help you recognise asbestos and where it’s used, and ultimately minimise the risks.
Manual Handling
Manual handling is responsible for a large percentage of workplace injuries in the UK. It involves lifting heavy objects - and can result in a variety of injuries including sprains, strains, back injuries, and broken bones.
However, knowing how you should handle heavy loads is key to preventing or minimising injury. This isn’t something that is limited to the construction industry- manual handling can be a part of any industry, from hospitality to office work.
We offer a course on Manual Handling Awareness, that can inform you on the ins and outs of manual handling, including the legislation associated with it. In our course, you can learn quality and safe handling techniques as well as good manual handling habits. Although this is an informative awareness course, you’ll need further training if your workplace duties involve high levels of manual handling.
Is Health and Safety Executive and Occupational Health and Safety the Same Thing?
The Health and Safety Executive and the OHS are not the same thing although they can get mixed up. But, what makes them different from each other? Here are the key differences between the two:
- OHS focuses on protecting the health and safety of people at work, whereas the HSE is the national regulator for workplace health and safety in the UK. It is responsible for enforcing health and safety laws and regulations.
- Occupational health and safety involves conducting training, completing a risk assessment and implementing safety practices within the workplace, whereas the HSE is responsible for enforcing laws, investigating accidents and carrying out inspections.
- OHS is not a legal entity, whereas the HSE is and it is sponsored by the UK's Department for Work and Pensions.
To sum up, occupational health and safety is the broader field of safety within the workplace, whereas the HSE is responsible for enforcing and promoting OHS principles across the United Kingdom.
The Health and Safety Executive is also responsible for putting the health and safety regulations and safety measures in place and setting safety and health standards. The HSE also has the power to shut down or temporarily close your business if you don't follow the health and safety regulations.
This is why it is important that all workers have the correct amount of training and knowledge of occupational health and safety within the workplace at all times.