TRAINING - 21.04.2010

Do existing staff need induction training?

Off on the right foot

In a previous article we explained how BUPA had learned the hard way about the importance of induction training for new staff (yr.12, iss.4, p.7, see The next step). When this wasn’t carried out it led to the death of a patient, simply because the employee wasn’t aware of safety-critical procedures. It ended up costing them £25,000.

A perfect world

Now, unlike BUPA, you will already be putting your new staff through a full induction at a very early stage. But what about those employees who have been with you for a while, perhaps even many years? Is there any point in making sure that they’ve gone through the same programme, or can you assume that after so long they obviously know the ropes?

Legal setting

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 set out the general legal requirements for health and safety training in the workplace. However, in addition to requiring that all new starters are properly trained, they state that this should be repeated periodically. This is generally known as “refresher training”.

A bit of a refresher. There are a number of benefits to be derived from undertaking induction training with existing staff, for example:

• they might have changed location, role or inadvertently missed essential parts of their original induction training

• policies and procedures can change over time and so ought to be repeated

• information can be forgotten

• competency declines if skills aren’t used regularly

• your induction programme might have evolved as your business has changed, i.e. existing staff might not have completed your most up-to-date induction.

What should you cover and when?

There’s no legal requirement as to when refresher training should take place - it’s defined as “periodically as appropriate” - so it’s up to you. But an annual refresher for all staff will allow you to go through important points, e.g. changes in policies and procedures.

Tip 1. We would suggest that if any employees have missed out on induction training completely, that you to go back to basics and run through everything. Otherwise, you can pick out the key points and go over them as necessary.

Tip 2. Keep a record of what was discussed, when and with whom. A simple refresher training record which confirms that you have gone over safety-critical points should be sufficient here (see The next step).

Tip 3. Ask the employee to sign and date this record and retain a copy on their personnel file. In the event something happens, e.g. they or a third party are injured, you will be able to prove that they had been trained and when this took place.

For a link to the previous article (PS 12.09.07A) and a refresher health and safety training record (PS 12.09.07B), visit http://personnel.indicator.co.uk.