Safety Training - Unit Management Why it is essential, who needs it and how to go about it

1. Safety Training - Unit Management Why it is essential, who needs it and how to go about it February 2015 Dr Emer Bell Integrated Risk Solutions

2. Legislative requirement • The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 requires • that the employer provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the safety, health, and welfare at work of employees

3. Failure to train • Failure to provide training is considered a serious offence. • Remember persons in a managerial position can be prosecuted and fined if found negligent in this respect

4. Case study • Health Service Executive failed to provide information, instruction and training to their employees in relation to the use of rear-hinged side doors on ambulances. • €350,000 fine

5. Following the death of Simon Sexton, the HSA discovered none of the paramedics had been formally briefed on the dangers of the doors.

6. The purpose of training is to ensure the competence of employees in the safety aspects of their work.  • Safety training is not an optional extra • University Policy set out in NUI Galway Safety Statement Part 2.5.3 and details on the Health + Safety Office and HR webpages

7. Safety training is provided in a number of ways • Safety induction training provided within the Unit by Unit staff • Task specific instruction provided by a supplier of a piece of equipment to Unit staff • Unit staff providing that instruction to other staff or postgraduates

8. Safety training is provided in a number of ways • Training provided through Organisation and Staff Development (HR) • Series of safety training sessions that can be booked centrally, e.g. fire safety, manual handling, first aid, evac chair, chemical safety, biological safety, etc. • Training by an external trainer organised by the Unit for specialised tasks, • e.g. confined space, laser safety.

9. Training has different forms • 15 minutes up to several days. • Can be provided by a competent person with experience. • Can take the form of an awareness session or practical instruction. • Can be one to one or in groups.

10. Training records • Outline of training content – bullet points • Who provided it • Date • Who attended – signatures • Send copies to Organisation and Staff Development (HR)

11. How do you know what or if training is required? • Everyone needs basic safety induction • The hazard identification and risk assessment process will identify other training needs. • Important that activities and use of equipment are assessed. • Legislation guides produced by the HSA e.g. where the manual handling risk assessment identifies the training need

12. Safety induction • Appendix 3 of Safety Statement has an outline Safety Induction Checklist • It provides basic safety information for staff • Can be tailored to make it Unit specific • Provide to all staff and postgraduates

13. Safety induction • Action in a fire • First aiders • Assembly point • Housekeeping • Reporting of accidents • Risk assessment • Reporting problems • Safety representative

14. Some training is mandatory • Induction • Fire safety • Manual handling – if staff are involved in lifting tasks • Abrasive wheels • SafePass if staff are working on construction sites

15. Some training content is legally defined • Manual handling • First aid with refresher after 2 years • SafePass

16. Safety Training Needs Assessment • Conducted annually by the Head of the Unit (with the Safety Co-ordinator) • identifies each staff member’s safety training needs and records them. • Originally sent to the Health and Safety Office to forecast the University’s collective safety training needs. Now generally established, used at Unit level to plan and manage attendance.

17. Specialised training • Must be arranged by the Unit • Look in-house first for expertise • Look to suppliers • May have to get an external trainer • Involve staff in providing a brief for the trainer • Make the training very specific to the Unit’s requirements

18. Refresher training • Every 2 – 3 years (Safe Pass – 4 years) • Fire drills – every year.

19. What about students? • Safety lecture at the beginning of each academic year • provided by a member of the relevant School i.e. fire safety and introduction on other risks where appropriate, • more specific training as appropriate to the academic activities being undertaken in each term.

20. Undergraduate safety induction(For Units with significant risks) • General housekeeping practices • safe access/egress • smoking prohibitions • VDU work practices/ergonomics • Security and late night working, Campus Watch • Accident/Incident reporting procedures

21. Undergraduate safety induction ctd. • Bicycle/car-parking prohibitions in relation to fire escapes/access roads • Practical electrical safety and fire prevention measures • Emergency procedures in the event of fire, or evacuation for other reasons • First aid measures

22. How to improve participation • Positive encouragement from the Head of Unit • Include in staff systems such as PMDS • Positive recognition for those who participate e.g. at team meetings • Arrange training at a time that suits staff as far as possible

23. How to improve participation – In house training • Make this training a social occasion • Get input from staff to the content • Keep these sessions to less than 1 hour • Make in-house sessions practical and helpful

24. How to improve participation • Only allow access to potentially hazardous equipment or participation in activities if training has been completed. • Do not compromise

25. How to improve participation • Set out what training each member of the Unit needs and have a plan to complete it. • Principal investigators • Administrative staff • Technical staff • Undergraduates • Postgraduates • Make sure everyone is aware of it.

26. Units where participation in training is good • Library • College of Engineering & Informatics • Academic Administration • Why?

27. Key areas for improvement • Realistic safety training needs assessment • Go beyond the standard list • Good risk assessments will identify safety training needs • Act on the assessments

28. Key areas for improvement • Induction training for everyone in the Unit • Record • If staff are lifting and shifting manual handling training is a must • Make sure the training relates to the tasks • Actively manage safety training attendance in your Unit