Passport to safety
December 1st 2004 Anything that can help eliminate the chance of an accident at work has to be welcomed and, as such, the IOSH-SPA General Manufacturing Passport, introduced jointly by the Institution of Occupational Health and Safety and the Safety Pass Alliance, will benefit employers, employees and any company providing on-site services.
Every business is accountable for the health and safety of those working on or about its premises and, in an ever-increasing culture of litigation, it is vitally important that every individual is aware of his or her responsibilities. This particularly includes contractors working on site such as general tradesmen, machine tool service engineers and technicians.
With the Passport scheme being adopted by organisations such as Rolls-Royce and supported by the Engineering Employers Federation, it is expected to have far-reaching business implications for any company supplying products or services to participating companies. Those businesses that dismiss such schemes as red tape and of no importance to my business may be putting more than the health and safety of their employees at risk. The issue of contracts for equipment such as machine tools, for example, could depend on the supplying companys installation, service and maintenance engineers possessing a valid Safety Passport, and existing contracts may also be at risk.
IOSH and SPA, together with, in the case of the General Manufacturing Passport, the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF) and a consortium of leading industry clients, have developed a series of sector-specific Passports based on health and safety best practice. To obtain one of these Passports, that are acknowledged by the Health & Safety Executive, individuals will have to attend a Core Day of generic health and safety instruction. This will be followed by a one-day sector specific course made up of a series of modules. Every applicant will be tested at the conclusion of each module and must achieve an 80% pass rate to qualify.
Having already launched such a scheme for the food and drink industry, IOSH found itself inundated with calls for a similar scheme to be developed for the general manufacturing sector. The EEF, which recognises the need for businesses to strive for continual improvement in health and safety performance, was involved in the development of the General Manufacturing Passport from the outset. The subsequent launch took place at the Rolls-Royce Learning and Career Development Centre in Derby, a location chosen because Rolls-Royce is the first major employer to introduce the scheme at its sites.
The impetus for such a scheme at Rolls-Royce was provided by the companys increasing use of contractors and an understanding that their employees health and safety requirements were every bit as important as those of Rolls-Royce employees. What was needed was a scheme that would reassure the company that a contractors staff were working to the same health and safety standards as its own employees.
While all contractors staff should still be put through a site induction on arrival, the time required will be reduced dramatically by eliminating the need to scrutinise individuals health and safety skills. The credit card-sized Passport must be shown on demand, and there are in-built security checks to eliminate forgery.
The Institutions chief executive, Rob Strange, explains: Since the launch of our first Passport scheme in November 2001, there has been considerable demand from our industry clients for sector-specific Passport training. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Rolls-Royce and other leading names to produce this Passport, which signifies best practice in the general manufacturing industry and covers induction and security, transport, heavy vehicles and cranes, machinery and tools, hazardous substances and materials, access and working at height, confined spaces and the environment.
IOSHs intention is that every contractor requiring access to a clients premises will need to hold a valid IOSH-SPA Passport and it expects between 12,000 and 15,000 Passports to be issued over the next 12 months.
Speaking on behalf of Rolls-Royce, Ian Reed, head of health and safety management said: We are looking for all of our contractors staff to have Passports. The incentive for individuals to take part in the scheme is that it is specific to an individual and will make them more employable. We are providing the training and the contractor is expected to provide the people.
We see the scheme generating its own momentum. Effective health and safety is essential for good business and we consider it vital that contractors are properly trained in health and safety awareness. We anticipate that it will become obligatory for all contractors staff working with Rolls-Royce in the UK to possess an up-to-date IOSH-SPA Passport.
Picture: Dr David Welsh, Rolls Royces director of health & safety and environment (left) receives from IOSH chief executive Rob Strange the certificates that mark its role as the first major employer in the UK to run the General Manufacturing Industry Passport More articles from IOSH: | 
