Health and safety training has become essential given so much risk in manufacturing organizations. The workplaces have hazards due to machines that can’t be ignored. There are also risks present on a construction site, such as asbestos and slips. So, all the employees have to be acquainted with such risks so that no inexplicable accidents happen.
Asbestos is a dangerous material because the human system can’t digest it. It can cause a lot of deadly diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Hence the company personnel must be trained to take actions such as wearing a suitable PPE kit while working on construction sites that have used such material. The use of asbestos in construction has been banned since 2000, but it was used before that time assorted with other materials.
Why is such training required repeatedly?
The employers can’t choose to be satisfied with the steps taken for health and safety. It’s because any new employee can fall prey to an accident. Hence the health and safety training must be a continuous process. Moreover, as time passes by, new health and safety training challenges arise. Hence there should be new kinds of procedures established to detect new risks. When the organizations set up documentation for health and safety training, there should be comprehensible language used.
What are the benefits?
Health and safety training can make your company a better place and increase workers’ productivity. When employees know how they have to work to prevent any accidents, their concentration is more at work. They have clear instructions about working with machines and in other unsavory conditions involving chemicals. The organizations have proper written procedures for the workers; they have easy tasks before them. The employees don’t waste time on trial and error and use their working hours precisely for just work. So there is no wastage of manpower to figure out how something is to be done.
When health and safety training is not imparted in a company, they lose crucial employees due to accidents and have to expend time on finding substitute employees who have a learning curve.
The companies also have to understand why health and safety training is crucial because they also have to pay heavy damages to victims once any accidents occur. Companies that have failed to comply with any norms for such purposes have to pay fines amounting to millions in recent times.
Why is first aid needed?
Apart from providing proper health and safety training to employees, it’s also a company’s job to ensure adequate arrangements for the first aid service in the company. The employees need health and safety training to assess whether they need any first aid person in the company who also needs to take some training. His training levels depend on the training needs assessment, including profiling any risks in the workplace. Hence any first aider is given training so that he has the appropriate knowledge on how to handle an injury. An employer also needs to research when any training provider for a first–aider is suitable for his role. The employer can ensure that such training provider has been certified and recognized. Although the conditions at a company might not require a first aider, there must always be an appointed person as per HSE who can take care of any problems. Such employees can be trained in a first aid course. Even if a first aider is present, such a trained employee can help him in exigencies.
These are the reasons why a first aider is needed in a company:
Health and safety training videos can show whether any employee needs a first aider or not.
- Breakout of fire:
- Pre-existing diseases:
Fire has been a common problem for many organizations. It can happen for many reasons, such as not using the extension cords properly when the liquids are kept near them, and they spill, causing a fire. So, to douse the electrical fire, it’s better to use an extinguisher rather than water. Sometimes, the business might also be using faulty equipment like a multi assembly outlet which can cause an electric spark and a fire. Hence, it’s better to make sure that all the equipment is up-to-date. There should not be a loose wire anywhere connected to a switch that is not turned off.
The fires in an office can also be caused due to other reasons, such as flammable materials not being stored properly. So, employees need health and safety training on storing such materials.
The employer needs to train employees on the mandatory evacuation steps if a fire occurs. A simulation showing 2D characters is better in this regard. Till the proper firefighters arrive at the scene, everyone should have been removed because any injuries can result in disastrous consequences. An employer can be even sued for the same. A First Aider is required in companies where employees can be prone to injuries such as burns at the workplace, and a need assessment assists an employer in knowing it.
It’s also crucial that an employer has the proper fire alarms in place to alert the employees about a fire. When they are not informed in time, they might not be able to escape. Hence, the fire alarms need to be active at all times; they should be tested for functionality.
Health and safety training is also crucial for the company’s security personnel because fires can also be caused by arson. Hence any ex-personnel holding some grudges against the company should not be allowed an entry. The majority of office fires in the UK have been caused due to arsons. There should be CCTV cameras installed in every part of the building so that any unwarranted activity at night can be monitored when any place is particularly vulnerable to arsonists. The company must be cautious in maintaining proper nighttime vigilance in the company.
First aid is also required in cases where an employee is suffering from ailments like epilepsy and asthma, which requires immediate attention.
Hence health and safety training is pivotal to avoiding such undesirable circumstances.