With so many people providing courses it is important that you choose ones that are actually worth investing in. Accredited health and safety courses need to be able to give you up to date information on the latest regulations and legislation as well as recognised qualifications. In most instances the more well-known and respected the course is the more useful the training provided will be to the individual and the company as a whole. So what training courses should you be considering?
Look for Respected Examination Boards
There are a few workplace health and safety courses that are provided by very well-known and respected bodies within health and safety. Here is a list of some that are always worth investing in:
- NEBOSH – National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health
- IOSH – Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
- City & Guilds
- CITB – Construction Industry Training Board
All of these provide excellent training that will be a great asset to your company. The skills will benefit your organisation and the individual will learn multiple skills as well as a qualification that will work well for them in the future.
Look for Flexible Learning Options
The workplace health and safety courses need to work for you and not cause multiple problems for the individual who is being trained. First of all you want to choose a course with multiple start dates so there is no need to wait several months to provide the training. Some courses run on a weekly or month basis while others allow you to start training straight away. Either of those options s more suitable for business rather than having to wait for the following student year to roll around.
Additionally you may need flexibility when it comes to the set time needed to take to finish the course. Some workplace health and safety courses are delivered over the period of a day or a week. In that week the students are expected to attend a learning centre each day and they will complete the exam or practical assessment as soon as the training is over. These courses are ideal if you need the individual to get trained and qualified quickly, or if the candidate learns better with a tutor on hand to help.
The other option is ideal if you cannot afford to lose the individual for days at a time. E-learning or distance learning courses provide you with an option of spreading out the training time. You could provide a couple of hours a day for your employee to train or even an hour a week, depending on their other roles and available time within their working hours. Legally you must provide time for your employees to train within their usual working hours, but you can choose this time, especially when you opt for a long distance learning course.
Use Risk Assessments to Help Make Your Decision
If you are unsure of what course the individual needs to attend it is worth conducting a risk assessment based on their daily jobs. Use the assessment to establish the risks that they face and what is expected of them. You may recognise that one individual needs to be trained to lift objects, others need training on how to spot hazards and write reports and some other individuals may need training on how to use certain materials or equipment.
Attending Workplace Health and Safety Courses
Managers and supervisors all need training in health and safety as they will have to help manage your procedures and policies in your absence. They will need to attend workplace health and safety courses that will give them details of their own legal responsibilities and the skills they need to work in this area.
Make the right decision when choosing the right workplace health and safety courses. When in doubt contact us on 0808 166 830 for assistance.