Staff Training
Version 1, Ref D3
January 2014
Citation: Ministry of Health. 2014. Water Safety Plan Guide: Staff Training, Version 1, ref D3. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
Published in January 2014
by the Ministry of Health
PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand
ISBN: 978-0-478-42784-4 (online)
Previously published in 2001 as Public Health Risk Management Plan Guide: Staff Training, Version 1, ref D3. This publication’s title and any reference within the text to ‘public health risk management plan’ were changed in January 2014 to reflect the December 2013 legislation change of the term ‘public health risk management plan’ to ‘water safety plan’. No other changes have been made to this document.
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Contents
Introduction
Events
Causes
Preventative measures
Ref D3Water Safety Plan Guide: 1
Version 1, January 2014Staff Training
Ref D3Water Safety Plan Guide: 1
Version 1, January 2014Staff Training
Introduction
While this water safety plan (formerly known as Public Health Risk Management Plan, PHRMP) guide has been included in the Distribution System supply element, it is applicable to all aspects of supply operation.
The ability to make correct decisions that may affect the robustness of a water supply is based on staff having adequate knowledge and the ability to apply this knowledge.
The knowledge and skills required to manage and operate a public water supply so that the risk to public health is minimised include, but are not exclusive to, the following:
- management
- financial management and planning
- asset management
- risk management
- public health issues
- customer relations and charters
- technical design
- detailed technical knowledge
- proven ability to apply technical knowledge, ie, operating skills in treatment and network operations
- use of an appropriate data recording system (eg, WINZ)
- legislation and legal responsibilities
- monitoring responsibilities and skills
- laboratory skills
- operating skills.
Events
Events that can result from inadequate training, and their consequences for public health are:
- introduction of microbiological contaminants into the water supply, or the inadequate inactivation, or removal, of microbiological contaminants
–causing sickness from disease-causing organisms
- introduction of chemical contaminants (incorrect application of treatment chemicals), or the inadequate removal of chemical contaminants
–causing sickness from health-significant chemical determinands.
Causes
The cause of these events, in relation to the issue of training, is inadequate training, (in terms of breadth or depth, or both) of those having some degree of responsibility for the correct operation of the various supply elements.
Preventative measures
The discussion that follows sets out steps that need to be taken as preventative measures against inadequate training.
To determine whether the appropriate competencies exist within the organisation or structure, and whether up-skilling or cross-skilling (ie, training) is required, a detailed assessment of training needs is required.
For a water supply company or local authority this will be a formal process, but for owners of small water supplies with limited numbers of staff or those only serving a few customers the process can be informal. Regardless of the approach adopted the conclusions and recommendations must be documented.
The generalised procedure for such an analysis is as follows:
1.Prepare job descriptions
Each employee must have a detailed job description. As a general guideline the general requirements listed above can be used to define duties.
These general duties are normally further defined as job description duties in Training Needs Analysis (below) by using words/phrases such as responsible for, complete, carry out, provide, control, etc.
2.Training Needs Analysis
This is sometimes known as ‘gap ’analysis, or ‘skill gap analysis’. This must be matched to organisational requirements.
From the job description, the following information is derived in a formal one to one meeting with the individual.
- Duties from the job description using the water safety plans as a guideline, key result areas from these descriptions and performance criteria are defined.
- Identified training needs.
- Ranking and prioritisation of training needs developed from a skill audit report taking into account Recognition of Current Competency (RCC).
3.Training programme development
From the Training Needs Analysis the most suitable type of training can be determined.
Training needs can be met by a mix of:
- on-job training followed by on-site assessment by recognised job assessors.
- off-site training: cross-skilling and up-skilling
- informal meetings and conferences
- encouragement to belong to related professional and technical organisations
- internal advocacy of the ‘knowledge industry’ including internal distribution of technical journals and encouragement to attend local interest meetings.
- Recognition of Current Competencies.
4.Development and budgeting for a training programme for water supply staff
For small systems the approach adopted can be informal, but in essence the same elements need to be evaluated regardless of the size of the water supply system. It is recognised that the ensuing documentation will vary as to its complexity, and the approach adopted to develop this documentation may differ.
In summary the three key steps needed to meet the requirements of this water safety plan are as follows:
- Analysis as described above.
- Documented individual staff member and corporate training plans.
- Auditing of the training programme to assess whether the programme has been initiated and proof that the required levels of competency have been achieved.
Water supplies are managed and operated by people with a range of skills from ‘hands off ‘managerial input to ‘hands on’ operation. The training programme for this wide skill base can be developed from a wide background of available training programmes.
5.Links with other components of the water supply system.
Competency is an integral component of all the water safety plans. The specific training requirements for the water safety plan will depend on the staff level involved, existing core skills and the assessed knowledge/skill gaps that exist.
Ref D3Water Safety Plan Guide: 1
Version 1, January 2014Staff Training