Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

4.8.1 Induction 
training
Induction training should always be provided to new 
employees, trainees and possibly contractors. While 
such training covers items such as pay, conditions and 
quality, it must also include health and safety. It is useful 
if the employee signs a record to the effect that training 
has been received. This record may be required as evi-
dence should there be a subsequent legal claim against 
the organization.
Most induction training programmes would include 
the following topics:
➤
the health and safety policy of the organization 
including a summary of the organization and arrange-
ments including employee consultation
➤
a brief summary of the health and safety manage-
ment system including the name of the employee’s 
direct supervisor, safety representative and source 
of health and safety information
➤
the employee responsibility for health and safety 
including any general health and safety rules (e.g. 
smoking prohibitions)
➤
the accident reporting procedure of the organization, 
the location of the accident book and the location of 
the nearest fi rst aider
➤
the 
fi re and other emergency procedures including 
the location of the assembly point
➤
a summary of any relevant risk assessments and 
safe systems of work
➤
the location of welfare, canteen facilities and rest 
rooms.
Additional items, which are specifi c to the organization, 
may need to be included such as:
➤
internal transport routes and pedestrian walkways 
(e.g. fork lift truck operations)
➤
the correct use of personal protective equipment 
and maintenance procedures
➤
manual handling techniques and procedures
➤
details of any hazardous substances in use and any 
procedures relating to them (e.g. health surveillance).
There should be some form of follow-up with each new 
employee after 3 months to check that the important 
messages have been retained. This is sometimes called 
a refresher course, although it is often better done on 
a one-to-one basis.
It is very important to stress that the content of the 
induction course should be subject to constant review 
and updated following an accident investigation, new 
legislation, changes in the fi ndings of a risk assessment 
or the introduction of new plant or processes.