Employees must receive regular instruction on occupational health and safety. This can be combined effectively with a risk assessment and is inseparably linked to it, but constitutes only a small part of the assessment. Such training implements preventive measures that have already been defined, essentially irrespective of the level of risk posed by potential injuries and other incidents.
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Tailored Safety Instruction: What Should Be Considered?
The appropriate approach always depends on how many employees are expected to attend a particular safety training session. The sessions can, of course, be tailored specifically to participants' prior knowledge and individual needs. Consider the following factors:
- Do participants have prior knowledge? If so, how extensive is it? Do they all have the same level of knowledge?
- Will new employees who have not yet received occupational safety instruction be taking part?
Which Topics Can Be Covered in Safety Training?
To support hazard prevention, it makes sense to include several topics in the training.
- Protective clothing and equipment: How should they be maintained and stored, and when and how must they be used? (Hearing protection, protective gloves, steel-toe boots, etc.)
- How should hazardous substances be used, and what needs to be considered?
- Instruction in the use of machinery (emergency stop switches, extraction systems, safety guards, etc.)
- How should the workplace be designed? (Ergonomic work surfaces, sitting posture, etc.)
- Working hours and rest periods (including breaks from screen work)
- Working conditions for pregnant women and young people, interns and apprentices
- Safety instruction can also be combined directly with a first aid course.
During this instruction, your employees must also be informed of the locations of first aid kits. An escape route plan and safety data sheets, for example for all non-natural liquids, must also be provided as training materials, preferably in paper form.
Occupational safety instruction must be documented so that evidence can be provided at any time. It must also be ensured that every employee has fully understood the content of the training. Use interpreters where necessary or, where possible, deliver the course in your employees' native language.
Occupational Safety and the TOP Principle
The TOP principle is a mnemonic that helps ensure the three most important aspects of occupational safety are not overlooked. It covers the following areas:
- T echnical measures, such as protective devices, barriers or partition walls.
- O rganisational measures, such as using breaks to prevent monotonous work processes. This also includes breaks from screen work.
- P ersonal measures, such as personal protective equipment, safety instruction or medical examinations.
The Works Council's Responsibilities
The works council's responsibilities include ensuring a healthy working environment, continuously improving the quality of work at the company's premises and ensuring compliance with applicable protective regulations on both the employee and employer side. For this reason, it is also required to participate in the risk assessment.
The works council may therefore need to acquire additional knowledge about occupational health and safety. If so, it has a clear entitlement to training on employee health and safety. This is required under Section 37(6) of the German Works Constitution Act (BetrVG).
It is also essential to bear in mind that the topics covered by occupational safety are continually changing and evolving. The works council has a duty to keep its knowledge up to date. Burnout syndrome is one example. Although it is not an officially defined disease under ICD-10, the works council must have completed appropriate training. This also applies if burnout has not yet occurred in the organisation but the works council has repeatedly been informed of excessive workloads. The same applies to topics such as bullying or sexual harassment. Training must always address both psychological and physical hazards and be refreshed accordingly.
Can the Works Council Attend Free Training Offered by a Statutory Accident Insurance Association?
Training courses of this kind offered by statutory accident insurance associations generally cover the necessary subject areas inadequately and are therefore useful only in rare cases. Given its right and duty to participate, the works council is free to select suitable training courses that will bring its knowledge up to the required level. The organisation must bear the cost.
Why Must Employees Also Receive Appropriate Safety Instruction?
All members of the workforce need a basic knowledge of occupational safety. Without it, appropriate hazard prevention could not be ensured, which would conflict with the fundamental objectives of the risk assessment.
Optimising Employee Protective Equipment During Procurement
The free market has led an increasing number of suppliers to enter the protective equipment market, giving buyers an ever-wider choice. Some low-price offers may be tempting. However, remember that cost is not the only important factor. The following questions should be considered:
- Does the PPE (personal protective equipment) fulfil its protective function in day-to-day work? Is its quality sufficient?
- What is the relationship between price and wear?
- Can the use of potentially harmful materials in production be ruled out? (For example, plasticisers or materials that can cause uncontrolled reactions when they come into contact with chemicals)
If specific employees in your organisation are responsible for procuring personal protective equipment, they must also be informed regularly of the latest risk assessment findings. Only then can they ensure that genuinely relevant equipment is purchased.
Periodic occupational safety training can also be very useful for departments such as purchasing and procurement. However, bear in mind that these employees generally do not come into direct contact with the sources of hazards. The training may therefore need to be structured differently to ensure understanding. For example, a purchasing employee will not normally know which type of safety footwear is needed to avoid additional hazards when working on an electrical circuit.
Our experience with LamaPoll so far has been very good. In the autumn, we carried out a satisfaction survey in our fire brigade. We also conducted a hybrid training session where those who could not attend in person were able to complete the training online from home and receive an online certificate as a PDF at the end. Another training session is already planned. The support was excellent. Thank you very much.
