OHS training: keeping your employees safe and aware

From an office to a factory floor, a building site to a shop, a variety of hazards can be found in any workplace - many of which have the potential to kill, injure or cause illness or disease. 

Protecting the health and safety of your employees isn't just the right thing to do - it's also required of every employer by law. But occupational health and safety (OH&S) doesn't happen by chance.

John Wellington from the National Safety Council of Australia advises that OH&S training and education play a vital part in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

Meeting your obligations as an employer

"OH&S legislation places specific obligations on anyone conducting a business," says John. "You're responsible for making sure that the conduct of your business does not affect the health and safety of anyone working for you."

You are also responsible for anyone else working at your premises (such as a contractor) and any people who may work for them.

To meet your obligations, and uphold workplace OH&S, essential issues you need to consider include: 

• the provision and maintenance of a safe environment
• the safe use, handling, storage and transport of substances
• the provision of safe systems of work.

A further key proviso to ensuring workplace OH&S is the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision. 

Identifying training needs 

In order to work out your OH&S training requirements, first you need to undertake a thorough analysis of the tasks your staff are expected to carry out as part of their duties.

"Needs analysis must take into account both workplace health and safety issues, and the personal skills associated with the work-related tasks," says John. Obviously a key requirement in the provision of training is what is specifically required by legislation.

Types of training

Depending on your particular business and the needs of your staff, types of training required may include: 

• OH&S induction training - this includes basic OH&S information that every staff member requires at the commencement of their employment, e.g. emergency procedures, location of first aid kits, general safety-related responsibilities, accident reporting, use of safety equipment, etc.
• Office safety
• Hazard identification and control
• Manual handling
• On-the-job training - OH&S training that covers the safety requirements of a specific job or type of work, e.g. forklift driving, laboratory work, etc.
• Compulsory certified or accredited training - training that has been mandated by statute, e.g. first aid, certificates of competency, etc. This type of training is often provided by licensed and/or accredited organisations, either in-house or externally.
• Needs-specific training - covering other issues that you identify as being necessary, based on analysis of role requirements. This may include supervisor or managerial skills, risk assessment, hazard management, etc.

OHS training is a vital component in the creation of a safe, healthy and productive workplace, so for specialist advice, contact a professional advisor.