Challenging The Myths Of Health And Safety: How Training Courses Can Help

By Author: Samuel Brown
Total Articles: 17
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Our health is important. In fact, studies have shown that our health is one of the things we value most highly, second only to family and friends. So why is it that certain companies and authority figures seem to know nothing about health and safety? There have been so many mad decisions made recently that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have created the Myth Busters Challenge Panel to tackle them.

The panel have investigated 39 cases already, and many companies seem to be using health and safety as an excuse when making potentially unpopular decisions. A school were told they couldn’t use Blu-Tack to put work up on windows, for example, because it could make the windows explode. The HSE found no evidence that this is the case, and the manufacturer’s website clearly states the product can be used on glass. The company which owns the building used by the school presumably had some other reason for wanting the work taken down.

The problem is that cases like these are undermining the real reason for health and safety – preventing accidents and illnesses. As media attention so often gets focussed on the ...
... misuse of health and safety, it is easy to forget that it is incredibly useful. Proper health and safety training in the workplace can make staff healthier both mentally and physically. This means they will work more efficiently and are less likely to be off sick, saving the company money.

Giving good training isn’t difficult either, especially since there are so many companies offering courses online. Staff can access the materials at their own pace from any computer with an internet connection, and with CD-ROMs you don’t even need web access.

Online training is arguably more effective than traditional methods. Hiring a speaker to deliver training to your company can be a little risky. While some lecturers are entertaining, others are undeniably dull. Subjecting your staff to such a presentation may increase their knowledge a little, but if it isn’t engaging it is unlikely they will remember much of it. Online training, on the other hand, has videos, quizzes and other interactive elements to make it more interesting. Staff can take ownership of their learning and are much more likely to retain the information.

As most people value their health highly, delivering good quality health and safety training to your staff can be one of the most effective ways to show that you value them. The courses deal with common problems such as the pain and discomfort caused by using a computer for long periods of time. Giving your staff the means to tackle their own problems can be very empowering, and means they have less recourse to ask people in management for help.

iHasco offer a wide range of online health and safety training courses, from fire awareness to manual handling. These courses are the perfect solution for workplaces wanting to train their staff quickly and effectively, and are available with a 14 day free trial.
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