What Does Health & Safety Competence Look Like?
When I started working in industry, I never set out to become a Health & Safety Professional and it was by chance that 11 years later I embarked upon my journey to become a competent health & safety professional.
I was working in a training role with no formal H&S qualifications, and I decided to apply for an advertised role as a Health & Safety Officer. It was clear from my CV that that I had no formal H&S qualifications in H&S management, but to my advantage, I had experience of working in industry and had acted as a workplace safety representative for a short period of time.
Although the hiring organisation needed someone who was competent in H&S Management to hit the ground running, I must have made an impression as they appointed an experienced H&S Officer and also appointed me as a trainee to work alongside them.
Enrolling on day release training to study for a NEBOSH Diploma was the start of my journey.
What is Health and Safety Competence?
Competence is the ability to undertake responsibilities and perform activities to a recognised standard on a regular basis. It combines practical and thinking skills, knowledge and experience. Competent workers should have:
- Detailed understanding of workplace hazards and risks
- Ability to implement effective control measures
- Awareness of relevant health and safety legislation and regulations
- Skills and experience to perform tasks safely
- Appropriate training, qualifications and certifications
- Have the time to expedite health and safety duties and responsibilities
- Have the physical attributes to expedite health and safety duties and responsibilities
Competence is not just about having the right technical skills, but also the ability to apply that knowledge correctly in the workplace. Employers must ensure workers are competent for the specific roles and activities they are expected to undertake.
Arinite offers a broad range of Health & Safety training that can help organisations to develop workers health & safety competence.
Legal Requirements
In the UK, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and supporting regulations place a general duty on employers to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the health and safety of their workers.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also require employers to have arrangements in place to appoint competent persons to assist with health and safety responsibilities.
There are also some specific regulations, such as the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, which set out more detailed competence requirements for certain high-risk activities and roles.
Developing Competence
Employers can develop worker competence through a combination of:
- Induction and on-the-job training
- Formal qualifications and accredited training courses
- Mentoring and supervision by experienced staff
- Continuing professional development activities
- Regular competence assessments and refresher training
It's important that competence is regularly reviewed and updated, as roles, equipment, and regulations can change over time. Maintaining a culture of continuous learning and improvement is key to ensuring health and safety competence.
Take a look at Arinite Fact sheet 035 Competence in Health & Safety which is a simple one pager that explains competence to manage H&S and to undertake risk assessments.
H&S Competent Person Qualifications
There is no single mandated qualification to be a health and safety competent person in the UK.
However, one or more of the following types of qualifications are typically expected:
- Relevant degree or postgraduate qualification in occupational health, safety, or environmental management.
- NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) Certificate or Diploma - These nationally recognized qualifications provide comprehensive training in occupational health and safety management.
- NVQ/SVQ Level 3 or 4 in Occupational Health and Safety.
- IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) Managing Safely or Working Safely courses - Shorter, more focused training programs covering key health and safety responsibilities.
The level of qualification needed will depend on the size and complexity of the organization, as well as the specific health and safety responsibilities of the role.
Experience
In addition to formal qualifications, a competent health and safety person should have:
- Substantial, hands-on experience working in a health and safety role, typically 3-5 years or more.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, assess, and control workplace hazards and risks.
- Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation, regulations, and approved codes of practice.
- Strong communication and training skills to engage the workforce.
- Ability to develop, implement, and monitor health and safety management systems.
- Continuing professional development to keep knowledge and skills up-to-date.
The combination of qualifications and practical experience is crucial for a person to be considered competent to manage health and safety within an organization.
Arinite published a previous blog on this topic ‘How to get into working in the health & safety industry’ in April 2022.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that health & safety competence, the legal framework and workplace risks have changed significantly since I embarked on my career, but the fundamental principles of health and safety competence are still relatively unchanged.
Contact us
Arinite clients worldwide appreciate we provide practical, no-nonsense advice about what you need to do to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
Our team of health and safety consultants take pride in keeping health and safety simple.
If you need to call upon our expert assistance, or just for an informal chat, please call our office +44 207 947 9581, or type an enquiry to: https://www.arinite.com/contact-us/.
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