HS002

In the first of 3 articles, David Amess examines the need & importance of training, the problems encountered by employers & how to ensure that the full benefit of training can be achieved.

The requirement to provide employees with information, instruction & training (IIT) has become a cornerstone of modern health & safety legislation (Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs 1999, CoSHH 2002, PUWER 1998 etc.). Training is seen as a significant element of any risk control or risk reduction strategy. The requirement to provide employees with information relating to health & safety matters even extends to such laws as the Health & Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996. Whenever accidents occur or litigation is threatened, investigators, enforcing officers & insurers all ask "can I see the training records for this employee?"

However, my own experience with client organisations has been that there is sometimes a perception that large amounts of time, money & effort are being put into providing IIT with little positive return. There can also be a feeling that no matter how much training has been carried out, when it comes to litigation, the training is always found to be lacking.

So the question is posed: is there really any value in providing information, instruction & training?

Perhaps we should start by examining why the provision of IIT is such a key requirement of health & safety law & such an important part of risk control & reduction.

Employees who understand the hazards & dangers that exist in the workplace, who know what they must do in order to protect their own health & safety, and who know how to carry out their job & use the equipment safely will be in a much better position that those who do not. Provision of IIT is about developing employees with sufficient knowledge, understanding, skill & capability to be able to contribute positively to managing health & safety.

However, in order to successfully achieve this, the provision of IIT must meet a number of criteria:
1. The IIT provided must be relevant & comprehensible;
2. The employee's level of knowledge, understanding, skill & capability must be checked once the IIT has been provided;
3. Levels of knowledge, understanding, skill & capability must be maintained once the initial provision of IIT has been made;
4. The behaviour & actions of employees must be monitored to ensure that training & instructions are being followed;
5. The rules, instructions & training must be effectively enforced.

Secondly, we must examine & be clear about the differences between information, instruction & training.

The provision of information is about raising awareness & understanding. Employees need to be made aware of the hazards to which they may be exposed & how such hazards may cause them harm. An employee who is aware of & understands the dangers is more likely to use the control measures provided & take steps to ensure his or her own safety.
Providing instruction is about telling employees what the "do's & don'ts" are. They must be told what they must do in order to stay safe, & what they must not do. Again, if an employee knows what they must or must not do in order to remain safe, they will be in a better position.
Training is about teaching employees how to do the things they need to do in order to stay safe e.g. how to operate a machine, how to use a particular control measure or how to check a piece of protective equipment before using it. So now the employee becomes capable of doing the things he or she knows they must do.

When "training" is provided to employees all of these elements will necessarily need to be included. However, unless the employer is clear about exactly what information, what instruction & what training is required, some of the elements may be missed or inadequately provided.
The development of effective health & safety "training", & hence the development of "safe" employees can only be based upon a clear understanding of exactly what each employee needs in terms of information, instruction & training.

In the next issue's second part, we will examine how to ensure that the IT provided is relevant & comprehensible & how to ensure that it is meeting the need that exists.