Staying relevant

All workplaces are different. Factories, offices, shops and warehouses for example, face different kinds of challenges when it comes to health, safety and environmental management. Hazards and risks vary.

 

Within these different workplaces, people’s roles also vary greatly. No two jobs are ever the same. So when it comes to health, safety and environmental training, we need to ask, how can we provide some core knowledge covering the principles, but at the same time offer flexibility to ensure people find it relevant to their role and place of work?

 

Around three years ago NEBOSH launched its Health and Safety at Work qualification. The idea behind this qualification was to offer an introductory level progression route on to NEBOSH's International and National General Certificates that would provide a common standard of knowledge. Importantly, we also wanted the qualification to be helpful in any role in all types of workplace. A basic health and safety qualification for everyone.

Recognising that all workplaces are different and that no two roles are the same, meant we needed to develop a syllabus that was flexible. A qualification that would allow courses to be tailored to all kinds of activities and situations. After all, what use is a qualification, unless what is learned can be applied in a practical sense and therefore benefit the workplace? 

Feedback suggests our approach is working. 

Steve Booker, group director for Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at Norland explains: "Continual improvement through a focus on exceptional service and exceptional people is demonstrated through customer retention levels of over 93% and year on year growth of over 20% for more than a decade.

"Delivering success requires a truly integrated approach to business. We invest significantly in our people through training which delivers tailored solutions to enhance competence; focussed heavily on behaviours and culture.

"Introducing the NEBOSH Award has generated greater enthusiasm for being involved in risk management, as well as providing a solid foundation for higher level qualifications, which is a significant added value. The course has sufficient flexibility to be tailored to the way we do things and has resulted in savings in both time and money over the previous non-NEBOSH route. Successful pilot courses, run for "risk champions”, have subsequently been extended to the wider team, including managers and supervisors. This helps continually promote a positive QHSE culture within our 4,200 strong workforce and with our all-important customer and supplier relationships.

The success of the Health and Safety at Work qualification has paved the way for adopting the Environmental Awareness at Work qualification in the future”. 

Equally Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service have used the qualification to provide around fifty of its firefighters with health and safety training.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Health and Safety Manager, Nick Burchell, explained that before the availability of the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work qualification, it was not possible to tailor introductory level courses to suit their diverse workplace. "We wanted something that was suited to the role of the firefighter, but that would still lead to a recognised qualification,” he explained.

Working with Wiltshire College, a bespoke course was designed around the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work qualification.

"We’ve found this has had a big impact on health and safety culture here,” said Nick Burchell. "It’s early days, but we’re seeing differences from accident investigations and audits, as well as in 100% positive feedback for the course.”

At NEBOSH, we are now aiming to achieve similar success through an introductory level environmental qualification. 

A group of employees from food ingredients suppliers ADM Cocoa UK were among the first to take the NEBOSH Environmental Awareness at Work qualification at the end of 2013. The relevant course, developed by EMS (Environmental Monitoring Solutions), was once again designed to fit around the specific needs of the employer.

ADM Cocoa UK has developed a strategy for continuous environmental improvement that has featured ISO 14001 certification for example. As part of this strategy the company wants a strong cross section of its employees, from process workers and hygienists to managers and supervisors, to have some knowledge of environmental issues.

As the company’s HS&E Coordinator, Greg McCannon, explained: "It’s important that people understand the role they play in improving our environmental performance. How to control environmental risks, aspects and impacts. That was the whole idea really of the NEBOSH qualification and the training we did on site, to raise everybody’s awareness.

"Since taking the course, staff have been coming forward with suggestions on ways to further control environmental risks and feedback has been positive.”

ADM Cocoa UK Food Safety Manager, Anna Ollier, who gained the NEBOSH Environmental Awareness at Work qualification, commented: "I think it’s been really beneficial. It’s given everyone a good understanding of how everything fits together and importantly, you can relate it to your job.”