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Coordinate OHS training: Content guide

Contents

Coordinate OHS training: Content guide 1

Overview 2

Key terms 2

OHS training 4

Types of training 5

Identifying training needs 6

Skills audits 7

Training needs analysis 8

Conducting the training 10

Training methods/strategies 10

Work group assessments and training 11

Coaching and mentoring 12

Training costs 13

More resources 13

Sample answers to ‘My workplace’ questions 15

Overview

Have you ever completed any OHS training? A good OHS training program brings many benefits to any workplace, as it increases the chance of employees being healthy and safe, which in turn has a positive effect on productivity. This Content guide contains information, resources and activities to help you to:

·  identify training needs

·  organise training and development for your team

·  give your team members opportunities for coaching and mentoring

·  identify and report training costs to management.

Key terms

Coach

A person who conducts on-the-job training, usually in a one-to-one situation. Also see coaching.

Competency

A way of describing all the knowledge, skills and personal qualities that you need to effectively carry out a particular part of your job.

Mentor

An experienced person who provides advice and support to a less experienced person.

Off-the-job training

Training that is undertaken away from the everyday workplace setting, eg local training rooms or a specialised training facility.

On-the-job training

Training that is conducted within the workplace and at the work location. Either the supervisor or a trainer may conduct this. Also see mentoring.

Risk

In managing occupational health and safety, a risk is the likelihood that a hazard will actually lead to an accident or injury.

Skills audit

A skills audit identifies all the knowledge and skills that you have; a simple and effective tool for individuals and teams. Often used as the step before a training gap analysis. Also see training gap analysis.

Training Needs Analysis

A formal process of identifying training needs, usually in term of a group of people and/or for a process.

Training plan

A training plan is an action plan outlining the training and development activities to be completed by you or your team, to enable you to perform your job properly or to the standard required.

OHS training

All employees have a right to work in a safe environment and adequate training helps an organisation to achieve this. Organisations and employers are legally required to provide their employees with OHS training.

Training is one of the most effective methods of reducing risk. By ensuring that your team has the necessary information and is given effective training, you can reduce the risk of accident and injury in the workplace.

A systematic approach to training, based on a properly conducted training needs analysis, is far more likely to succeed than ad hoc training, hastily arranged when the need arises or in response to an incident.

What are some of the benefits of OHS training?

The benefits of a well-structured OHS training program for your organisation are:

·  increased productivity and work performance

·  improved quality of products or services provided through more informed and skilled employees

·  maintenance of experienced and motivated employees

·  reduced recruitment and selection costs as a result of less employee turnover

·  progress towards diversity and equal employment in the workplace

·  long term behavioural changes

·  encouragement of shared values and teamwork

·  development of a support network for employees in times of organisational change.

There are also specific benefits for your team. OHS training can:

·  help introduce new team members to the workplace

·  develop the skills and knowledge of team members who need to complete new work tasks or to follow new procedures that are associated with plant and equipment

·  increase the skills and knowledge of team members who need to perform specific job tasks, including the operation of high-risk plant such as cranes and forklifts (operators of this type of machinery are required to have appropriate certificates of competency)

·  reinforce good health and safe work practices and develop an effective safety culture

·  assist your team to think about health and safety throughout daily work activities, particularly when working with hazardous chemicals, performing manual handling tasks and moving in confined spaces.

Types of training

Induction training

When new team members are employed, they need to receive induction training. Here is a list of some of the things that induction training should include:

·  an orientation tour of the organisation

·  information on general OHS rules

·  information on OHS policies and procedures

·  explanation of evacuation and emergency procedures

·  explanation of safety signs

·  explanation of any identified hazards in the work area.

Assigning a buddy to new team members is also a good way to support their introduction to the workplace.

Training for specific work roles or events

Induction training is not the only training that should be conducted for your team. They will also need specific training when they are:

·  performing specific duties, for example driving forklifts or being responsible for first aid in their work area

·  participating as OHS representatives or on OHS committees (they need to complete OHS consultation training).

Training is also necessary when certain events or circumstances happen within your organisation or work area. For example, when:

·  a risk assessment has been completed, hazards have been identified where there is a high level of risk and training is one of the control measures, and could be implemented immediately

·  a team member is moved to another position, for example when acting as a supervisor

·  new work processes, plant, technology, material and substances are introduced

·  work procedures and processes have changed.

Regardless of the amount of formal training that is conducted in your organisation, you’ll need to make sure that your team is kept fully and regularly informed about:

·  OHS legislation, duty of care and their requirements under the Act and regulations

·  risk management procedures within the organisation

·  correct safe systems or methods of work, such as manual handling techniques

·  ways to identify improvements in work place design, such as the correct layout for a computer workstation

·  correct use of tools, equipment and hazardous substances

·  correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

·  specific hazards and risk control.

My workplace

1. Find out what sort of training you need to do if you are an OHS representative or a member of an OHS committee in your state or territory. What other types of OHS training is conducted in your workplace?

Answer:

Identifying training needs

The first step you should take when preparing for the delivery of OHS training is to find out the training needs of your team. This is called a training needs analysis.

This needs analysis involves assessing the current knowledge and skills of your team and comparing it with the skills required to perform work tasks. The ‘gaps’ are the specific areas where training may be needed.

You’ll also need to identify which jobs require team members to be qualified or certified to undertake them.

The analysis should look at three different levels:

·  organisation level

·  task/job level

·  team level.

Organisation level

At the organisation level, you need to find out the health and safety goals of your organisation. To do this, you will need to look at your organisation’s health and safety policy, identify management’s commitment to health and safety matters and identify the resources that are available to improve health and safety.

Task/job level

At the task/job level, you’ll need to identify the actual duties and responsibilities that make up the particular work tasks or job. What are the hazards/risks of particular tasks? What are the legal requirements to undertake the job/task? You’ll also need to examine job descriptions and work method statements and identify the expected knowledge and skills required.

Team level

At the team level, you’ll need to identify the current skill levels of your team. What is the profile of your team members? Who should receive training? You also need to consider whether members of your team have special training needs, for example if they are from language backgrounds other than English and/or have poor literacy skills. You may also need to consider the level of supervision that each team member has in the work environment.

When looking at the skills or competencies of your team, other factors to consider include:

·  high risk work activities

·  the mix and type of jobs

·  new employees, contractors and visitors, labour hire employees

·  new technology

·  industry standards.

To assess the current skill levels of your team members, you may need to get them to complete a skills audit or complete one for the team as a whole.

Skills audits

A skills audit identifies all the knowledge and skills that you and your team have. It is a simple and effective tool for individuals and teams and is often used as the step before a training gap analysis.

What are the current knowledge and skill levels of your team members? Is this enough for them to meet the shared goals of your team? Does each person have the knowledge and skills they need to do their own job?

Make sure you adjust the categories to suit the skills. Use the checklist below to help you.

Applying a skills audit to a work team in a food business

Knowledge and skills / This is a strong point / OK / Needs to improve
Collecting and understanding information about the work of the section:
·  Following the correct procedures for safe handling of food
·  Following the correct procedures for personal hygiene
Zara / ✔
Chee / ✔
Paul / ✔
Ben / ✔
Communicating with other people, inside and outside of the work team.
·  Communicating with other team members
·  Communicating with suppliers
·  Communicating with customers
Zara / ✔
Chee / ✔
Paul / ✔
Ben / ✔

Training needs analysis

A full training needs analysis can be undertaken by a range of people such as specialist/technical safety personnel, managers and supervisors, or by employees themselves.

As a team leader or supervisor, you may need to conduct a training needs analysis in consultation with your team. You can consult with your team about training needs:

·  in meetings about health and safety issues

·  by asking them to complete an OHS hazard report form or organisational training needs analysis questionnaire

·  through employee representatives such an OHS committee member, OHS representative or union delegate

·  by conducting interviews or focus groups on OHS issues.

To complete a training needs analysis, you’ll need to:

·  conduct a workplace inspection that identifies hazards and risks

·  identify the legislative requirements for managing specific workplace risks, such as manual handling or working in confined spaces

·  analyse information such as workers compensation claims and the injury register. Which types of accidents are causing the most injury? What is the cost of these injuries to the organisation?

·  observe on-the-job work activities, job tasks and work behaviours with a view to identifying hazards in work practices or threats arising from non-compliance to procedures

·  complete a gap analysis of OHS competencies that relate to a particular job or task. This could be undertaken as part of the organisation’s employee performance appraisal system. To help you to identify performance gaps, you may:

·  organise interviews with line managers

·  examine job statements or descriptions

·  compare existing work process documentation against new work processes

·  conduct interviews with line staff

·  review staff, employee learning and professional development plans

·  collect and analyse data from accident/incident investigation processes. This should include details such as: when and where an accident occurred; a description of the job task/activity that was going on at the time: the possible causes of the accident and suggested solutions; and recommendations to minimise the risk of recurrence. Lack of training may have been one factor that was identified as a possible cause

·  consult with your team about the arrival of any new plant or equipment, particularly on any potential risks associated with it. Additional training may be required to ensure compliance to new procedures.

My workplace

2. Where would you find data from accidents/incidents that may have occurred in your work area?

Answer:

Conducting the training

Before you can finalise any training and development plans, you’ll need to:

·  choose appropriate training strategies to address training needs

·  develop a training schedule

·  organise for staff to perform the roles of team members who are attending/ completing training

·  develop a budget for the training.

Training methods/strategies

Once you have identified the training needs, you’ll need to consider the most appropriate training strategies. These are varied and may include one or more of the following:

·  Individual learning contracts that are negotiated between a manager or supervisor and a team member, which include opportunities for learning, for example, work-based projects. The contract may have been developed as part of an employee performance appraisal review.

·  The use of individual or group learning strategies using workbooks, CD-ROMs, Intranet or Internet sites supported by a trainer, manager or supervisor.

·  A customised presentation of a practical workplace operation on video, DVD or CD-ROM, for example. Please keep in mind these methods should not replace an on-the-job-training program but complement such a program.

·  The use of Toolbox talks or five-minute safety talks given as part of staff meetings, hand-over of shifts or team meetings.

·  Attendance at a training course or program, which can be either conducted internally by the organisational trainer unit or by an external consultant from training providers, unions, professional associations or government agencies.