Safety is a can do business

Whether it is to enhance your skill set, meet government requirements or simply to protect yourself and others from harm, the benefits of training are obvious. However, previous bad press has perceived health and safety training as "dull, boring and unnecessary” and in some cases this attitude still holds true today. Wrong assumptions are made that jeopardise personal safety and countless accidents arise from a misplaced belief in a person’s capabilities. People still fail to realise that training is a legal requirement and above all, vital to ensuring a safe working environment. Fortunately, this ignorance and negativity is changing and with improved training techniques and more courses available than ever, enquiries into workplace training are on the rise. 

Increased productivity and reduced absence

Through learning new skills and developing their knowledge, workers will undoubtedly prove more valuable to a company and also more productive. By putting training procedures in place, an employer is demonstrating that they are willing to invest time, money and energy into their employees, which in this tentative climate, is comforting to those who are uncertain of their job security. Training is proven to increase morale and confidence and encourages learning, all of which are crucial to work place development. 

Additionally, health and safety training creates an awareness of potential hazards and safety issues in the workplace, which in turn can help prevent the occurrence of accidents. If workers are taking time off with injuries, the workforce is lacking, production will decrease and employers will ultimately lose profit. 

Cost benefits and enhanced reputation

Proving that you have workers who are trained in health and safety will be cost effective for several reasons. Firstly, trained workers are less likely to have an injury and make an insurance claim. Secondly, by meeting regulations and standards, a company itself is more employable. There are numerous examples in the construction industry of increases in orders from clients purely because they have had the correct training and hold a good health and safety record. There are companies who have been noted for their low accident statistics and those that have achieved award wins for their safety standards and practices.  All of these enhance a company’s reputation, increase their credibility and instil clients with confidence. 

Legal protection

Having training procedures in place offers a workplace legal protection. It is a legal requirement for companies of five or more to take reasonable steps to protect the health of their staff. A business owner who is proven to have been negligent in protecting their staff against accident or illness can be held personally responsible, fined and even imprisoned. Health and safety training will ensure that any minor incidents are documented and investigated so that such incidents will not reoccur and ensure that workplace practices are legally sound. Accident insurance covers some claims but even with insurance a company will need to prove that reasonable preventative steps were taken. Further, insurance pay outs often do not cover all the costs involved in accidents and costs for equipment repairs and lost profits are commonly left to the business owner. The cost and time spent on health and safety training are minor when compared to the potential damages that occur from workplace accidents or work-related ill health.

Trends and training selection

The UK’s economic downturn has led people to actively seek out training programmes in order to gain additional qualifications, improve their prospects and enhance their CV. It is amongst this backdrop that enquiries into training courses have thrived. Popular courses include IOSH managing safety, manual handling and training on hazardous substances. Interest in specific courses fluctuates based on media attention, changes in legislation and public hazard awareness; a recent example of this is the upsurge in requests for confined space training. In the future, such training courses will become standard practice as people become aware to the risks involved. 

An interactive, educational and flexible course is crucial for ensuring trainee satisfaction. Many courses offer flexible hours to fit around the individual which allows shift workers to benefit from training sessions. Training that can be brought to the workplace is also beneficial. By lessening disruption to shifts and cutting travel costs for workers, a training course that offers flexible learning is undoubtedly a cost effective solution. 

Ultimately, undertaking training will reduce accidents, cut costs and save employers from potential legal retribution, therefore it is vital that health and safety training and procedures are in place from day one. By using a trainer who is an expert in their field and has appropriate industry experience, employees will benefit from an experience that is relevant, realistic and above all life saving.