Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

4.8.4 Specialist 
training
Specialist health and safety training is normally needed 
for activities that are not related to a specifi c job but 
more to an activity. Examples include fi rst aid, fi re pre-
vention, fork lift truck driving, overhead crane oper-
ation, scaffold inspection and statutory health and safety 
inspections. These training courses are often provided 
by specialist organizations and successful participants 
are awarded certifi cates. Details of two of these courses 
will be given here by way of illustration.
Fire prevention training courses include the 
causes of fi re and fi re spread, fi re and smoke alarm 
systems, emergency lighting, the selection and use of 
fi 
re extinguishers and sprinkler systems, evacuation 
procedures, high risk operations and good housekeep-
ing principles.
A fork lift truck drivers’ course would include 
the general use of the controls, loading and unload-
ing procedures, driving up or down an incline, speed 
limits, pedestrian awareness (particularly in areas where 
pedestrians and vehicles are not segregated), security 
of the vehicle when not in use, daily safety checks and 
defect reporting, refuelling and/or battery charging and 
emergency procedures.
Details of other types of specialist training appear 
elsewhere in the text.
Training is a vital part of any health and safety 
programme and needs to be constantly reviewed and 
updated. Many health and safety regulations require 
specifi c training (e.g. manual handling, personal protect-
ive equipment and display screens). Additional training 
courses may be needed when there is a major reorganiza-
tion, a series of similar accidents or incidents or a change 
in equipment or a process. Finally, the methods used to 
deliver training must be continually monitored to ensure 
that they are effective.