Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

4.8.2 Job-specifi c training
Job-specifi c training ensures that employees undertake 
their job in a safe manner. Such training, therefore, is 
a form of skill training and is often best done ‘on the job’ – 
sometimes known as ‘toolbox training’. Details of the 
safe system of work or, in more hazardous jobs, a per-
mit to work system should be covered. In addition to 
normal safety procedures, emergency procedures and 

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the correct use of personal protective equipment also 
needs to be included. The results of risk assessments 
are very useful in the development of this type of train-
ing. It is important that any common causes of human 
errors (e.g. discovered as a result of an accident inves-
tigation), any standard safety checks or maintenance 
requirements are addressed.
It is common for this type of training to follow 
an operational procedure in the form of a checklist which 
the employee can sign on completion of the training. 
The new employee will still need close supervision for 
some time after the training has been completed.
4.8.3 Supervisory and management training
Supervisory and management health and safety training 
follows similar topics to those contained in an induction 
training course but will be covered in more depth. There 
will also be a more detailed treatment of health and 
safety law. There has been considerable research over 
the years into the failures of managers that have resulted 
in accidents and other dangerous incidents. These fail-
ures have included:
➤
lack of health and safety awareness, enforcement 
and promotion (in some cases there has been an 
encouragement to circumvent health and safety 
rules)
➤
lack of consistent supervision of and communica-
tion with employees
➤
lack of understanding of the extent of the responsi-
bility of the supervisor.
It is important that all levels of management, including 
the board, receive health and safety training. This will 
not only keep everybody informed of health and safety 
legal requirements, accident prevention techniques 
and changes in the law, but also encourage everybody 
to monitor health and safety standards during visits or 
tours of the organization.