Health & Safety

Abstract Health & Safety at work is a module designed to give students an insight into the current legislation in force in the UK. It identifies the responsibilities of both employers and employees inherent in the various acts.

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Health & safety at work - what is it and where can it be deployed?

Introduction

As part of the successful introduction of other BIT modules such as 5S and Kaizen the first unit to be delivered because of its implications as far as safety is concerned is Health and Safety at Work (H&S). This module, more than any other is a crucial element for everyone within the business to understand and employ.

What is it?

The H&S module has been developed to introduce employees to the most appropriate H&S tools available for their particular roles in the work place. This module emphasises the responsibilities under HASAWA 1974 for each and every employee in the business. This then naturally helps a company reduce incidents and raise awareness of the dangers faced by all personnel whilst at work.

H&S in the business

H&S in the workplace is essential to efficiency, safety and effectiveness; it empowers employees to think logically in their approach to H&S, emphasising to them the need to think before they do anything that may cause them or others harm. It must be appreciated that identifying the risks and hazards in the work place greatly reduces the risk of an accident.

How can it help the employer?

HASAWA 1974 and other legislation is a legal requirement that companies have to adhere to or face very serious consequences. The H&S module helps an Employer to get control over the work place by establishing meaningful and simple H&S tools on to the shop floor. In conjunction with the 5S and Kaizen they will help a company to develop and maintain safety more easily and efficiently. Once again this module is critical to the bottom line ensuring that profitability is maximised. This, in turn, allows the improved turnover and profitability with less downtime caused by work place accidents.

How can it help the employee?

To maximise the effectiveness of the H&S module it is critical that employees understand and supports the introduction of the necessary tools into their work place. It is imperative that employees are consulted and trained in what H&S can do for them.

What is involved in delivering H&S in the workplace?

Delivering H&S effectively requires the whole workforce or, at a bare minimum, a significant cross section of employees seeded with key personnel from the supervisory level within a company. This is necessary to maximise the benefit of the module across the whole

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company. To be effective, sufficient personnel need to be trained in the methods employed by the H&S module so that efficiencies in effectiveness and safety are realised almost immediately.

Techniques and what the module covers

• The Law • Environment • Personal Protective Equipment • Fire Procedures • Safety Signs • Manual Handling • First Aid • Accident reporting

As can be seen at above the techniques used in H&S are far reaching easily employable in any business as long as the methods have been taught to personnel as part of the BIT programme. Also, it can be seen that the module delivered indicates that H&S like Kaizen and 5S is also adaptable and can be developed and used across many and varied industrial disciplines.

What resources are required?

Timetables for the delivery of the training and scheduling the release of personnel need to be finalised to minimise the effect of the package as far as practicable on the business. Its effectiveness will soon make itself felt, employees will talk about it and comment on the pros and cons of how they see the training going. Supervisory staff need to be made aware of this and provide the necessary support and encouragement when necessary.

Initially, it is necessary to allocate time in the form of man-hours to the training of personnel. The most effective way to do this is to assign employees into classes of 5 or 6 personnel (maximum 8) to receive training. However, this is repaid in the form of real problem solving within the module as part of the BIT programme.

Subsidiary resources are necessary but these do not amount to a large investment. A classroom / office space with seating and desk space for students along with projection facilities such as an overhead projector or TV. A number of businesses sometimes allocate a meeting room or indeed, on occasion, a boardroom. With the addition of pens, paper and folders that is generally all the resources necessary for the delivery of H&S.

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How to deliver the necessary tools

When delivering any lean modules in to a business there are a number of golden rules that need to be applied. If these are not followed then there is a risk of alienating some employees.

• Business improvement Techniques (BIT) and H&S in particular at level 2 does not require a student to have an academic background, only an understanding of basic numeracy and literacy. This means care must be taken by the trainer to measure his / her delivery to accommodate all level of students, not to do this could effectively alienate them from the training process. In some circumstances candidates may have real reading and writing difficulties but perform excellently in the work place. It is up to the trainer to watch out for such circumstances and deliver and assist the student(s) accordingly.

• Engage students from the outset; use their ideas and knowledge of the business to adapt the bare course material to their workplace. Essentially creating a bespoke module that they will not only understand and relate to, but also be prepared to try. Get the courses to take ownership of the process.

• Communicate clearly and concisely ensuring course material links directly with their experiences and their working environment.

• Students must see for themselves that management and supervisory staff have also bought in to the programme and are indeed taking an active part and interest in what they are doing. Without this aspect employees will question why they are doing the training and ask what benefit, if any, they will get from the instruction.

• Training resources used by tutors must be up to date, easily understood and delivered at the appropriate level for the students engaged in the Kaizen programme.

Conclusion

Essentially the delivery of BIT H&S is a cooperative contract between the employer, employee and the training provider. Without the necessary cooperation the process will struggle or even fail. With company support and enthusiasm to deploy the process success will follow and the workforce will become skilled in health and safety in the workplace that can only benefit the business. This can only be seen as a win win situation for both the employer and employee alike as inefficiencies are eradicated and safety in the work place improved.

Health and Safety is a stand-alone unit in the NVQ Diploma in Business Improvement Techniques at Level 2 and 3.