Occupational Health & Safety

Practitioner

Reading

MANAGEMENT TRAINING

January 2009

®
Contents
OVERVIEW .....................................................................................................................1

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................2

SECTION 2: WHY TRAIN SENIOR MANAGEMENT?...................................................4

SECTION 3: SENIOR MANAGEMENT TRAINING........................................................7

SECTION 4: WHY TRAIN SUPERVISORS, TEAM LEADERS AND MANAGERS? .....9

SECTION 5: SUPERVISOR, TEAM LEADER AND MANAGER TRAINING ...............13

CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................14

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 READING – MANAGEMENT TRAINING

OVERVIEW

This reading emphasises the importance of OHS training for senior

management, supervisors, team leaders and managers and details
the training requirements for these groups.

Objectives
After reading this information you should be able to:

 give reasons why it is important to train senior management in

OHS;
 list the advantages of OHS training;
 describe the type of information that should be provided to
senior management;
 give reasons why it is important to provide OHS training to
supervisors, team leaders and managers;
 describe the type of training which should be provided to
supervisors, team leaders and managers; and
 list examples of specialised training needs.

Author
Rose Mary Ietto
Assoc Dip OHS (Curtin)

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 READING – MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Section 1: INTRODUCTION

Glossary of terms
When they are first used, glossary terms are indicated with an
asterisk (*). Make sure that you are familiar with the Glossary of
terms before going any further.

Risk management Describes the total procedure associated

with identifying a hazard, assessing the
risk, putting in place control measures,
and reviewing the outcomes.

1.1 Link organisational goals to

training goals
The management of OHS in an organisation is the responsibility of
senior management. An important part of planning the
organisation's overall development is by developing and
implementing a suitable
OHS training program.
Training can be used to
ensure the skills,
knowledge and attitudes of
people in the organisation
are more closely linked to
the organisation's goals.
So, improving the
contributions of employees,
supervisors, team leaders
and managers to these
goals through training will
result in the achievement of
the organisation's goals.

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One of the goals of an organisation, along with production and

service goals, should be eliminating or reducing accidents or
incidents which cause personal or property damage, or both. A
genuine commitment and coordinated effort by every person in the
organisation is needed to ensure personal or property damage at
work is eliminated or reduced. Senior management's role is to
show their commitment by providing adequate resources and
support for developing and maintaining OHS programs, including
training.

1.2 Importance of training

Training at all levels of the organisation ensures each person is
aware of their responsibilities, and the organisation's policy is
carried out. This results in the improvement of the physical,
mental, and social well being of every person in the organisation.
The organisation also benefits indirectly through reduced costs
associated with personal and property damage.

Put simply, efficient and safe working conditions are just good
business practice.

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 READING – MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Section 2: WHY TRAIN SENIOR MANAGEMENT?

2.1 Ultimate responsibility for OHS

Senior management is ultimately responsible for ensuring the
occupational health and safety of employees in their organisation.
The attitude of senior management is therefore an essential
ingredient in influencing and maintaining a positive safety culture
within the organisation. The level of senior management
commitment is important for two reasons. Firstly, it emphasises a
"top-down" approach of the attitudes and values for the
organisation. Secondly, it shows an acceptance and willingness to
commit resources to improving occupational health and safety.

The commitment of senior management should also be echoed in

the organisation's overall management of occupational health and
safety. An organisation should manage its OHS in the same way it
manages its other business. This means developing and
maintaining a OHS program which is supported by a health and
safety policy, systems, and training program. To do this effectively,
senior management must have an understanding of the work
carried out by the organisation, and the associated hazards.

By having this information, senior management will be better able

to accept their role in controlling those hazards and preventing
accidents. This raises their awareness of the type of training and
development required by employees in carrying out their work
safely. It also ensures senior management is aware of the
standards of success and failure, as well as having sufficient
information to make appropriate cost-benefit decisions on
occupational health and safety.

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2.2 Professional development

A factor which also influences the need for training is the rate at
which technology
changes and
provides new ways
of carrying out our
work. As a result of
this, any previous
education that has
been undertaken in
the field of OHS, or
a related field, may
become quickly
outdated. This can
be overcome by
regular "top up"
training, or continued professional development in the case of
senior management.

2.3 Record training

All training and development provided to every person in the
organisation, including senior management, supervisors, team
leaders and managers, should be recorded so there is evidence
that the organisation has taken steps to meet its legislative
obligations. This documentation will also be useful for an OHS
auditing system or quality system.

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2.4 Advantages of OHS training

OHS training has advantages for both the organisation and the
individual. They are summarised in the following list:

Organisation
 Best practice. Training emphasises the best work
KEY POINT
methods and procedures and communicates the
organisation's commitment to high performance Occupational health and
standards. safety training is crucial if
the organisation is to
 Compliance with industrial agreements and succeed.
awards. Training may be specified in industrial or
enterprise agreements and awards.
 Risk management*. Risk management ensures risks are
effectively identified, understood and eliminated or minimised
to a reasonably achievable, tolerable level. Training contributes
to this process.
 Contribution to productivity. Performance is enhanced by
increasing people's competencies. Schedules are more reliable
as less time is spent on rectifying mistakes and there are fewer
deviations from procedures.
 Cost reduction. Work-related accidents will be minimised -
reducing associated costs of injury, illness, death, damage to
plant and equipment, delayed deliveries, higher insurance
premiums and staff turnover.

Individual
 Clarification of roles. Training ensures people are clear about
what they have to do and how it is to be done - in relation to
their job, in carrying out specific responsibilities under the
organisation's health and safety policy and in line with the
provisions of relevant legislation.
 Responsibility to others. Responsibilities related to
membership of a workforce community aiming for a safe and
healthy workplace are reinforced.

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Section 3: SENIOR MANAGEMENT TRAINING

3.1 Minimum training required

As a minimum, senior management should be trained so they fully
understand their responsibility in maintaining a safe and healthy
workplace. They should be given the same information as
supervisors, team leaders and managers so they are able to make
informed decisions on the management of OHS in their
organisation.

The areas which senior management training should cover include

the following:

 The organisation's policy as it relates to OHS.

 Their responsibility and accountability for the OHS of
employees at work.
 Practices and procedures to ensure responsibilities are met,
particularly the importance of senior management's
involvement in safety matters.
 Basic concepts and theories of accident prevention.

Training should also cover the basic concepts of risk management

through hazard identification risk assessment and risk control, and
methods of leading by example.

3.2 Leading by example

The importance of senior management leading by example cannot
be underestimated. Their role in ensuring KEY POINT
there is no 'silent assent' to unsafe acts or
conditions is crucial to promoting a positive Senior management must
take the lead in promoting
safety culture in the organisation. This
a safety culture within the
means senior management needs to organisation.
appreciate that if they walk past unsafe work
without commenting on it, employees will not think "They haven't
noticed," they are more likely to think it has been noticed and
"They don't care".

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Senior management's presence also shows employees they are

concerned about working conditions in the organisation. Other
ways of being involved in the organisation's OHS program include
the following:

 Use of daily informal contacts between supervisors, team

leaders, managers
and employees to
ensure the need
for OHS is kept in
mind.
 Informal meetings
on OHS matters
whenever
appropriate.
 Safety training as
required.
 Encouragement
for reporting
hazards, and implementation of prompt action to remedy all
identified hazards.
 Active support and contribution to health and safety
committees, including employee-elected representatives where
appropriate.
 Insistence that health and safety rules and instructions be
observed by all levels of management and employees.

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Section 4: WHY TRAIN SUPERVISORS, TEAM

LEADERS AND MANAGERS?

4.1 Operational responsibility for OHS

Supervisors, team leaders, and managers play an important part in
the OHS management of an organisation. They have operational
responsibility for OHS, whereas senior management has policy-
making responsibility. This means they provide the link between
senior management and employees.

The success of employee participation in OHS is heavily

influenced by the motivation and leadership provided by the
supervisor, team leader or manager. So,
supervisors, team leaders and managers must accept OHS as part
of the job, the same as their other duties. KEY POINT
Their involvement in the day-to-day activities
in the workplace means they are well placed Supervisors, team leaders,
and managers have
to assist senior management in OHS
operational responsibility
planning. Supervisor participation is a key for OHS, whereas senior
ingredient of an effective safety program. management has policy-
Experience has showed that when making responsibility.
supervisors realise that OHS improvements
ensure undisturbed workflow, their interest in safety increases.

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However, supervisors, team leaders and managers are often

employees who are selected because they have performed well in
their job, not because they have the specific supervisory,
leadership or managerial skills required. So, training in the various
aspects of their new role will emphasise the advantages of
devoting time to OHS, and secure their commitment to achieving
the organisation's goals.

4.2 Provide OHS training to

employees
Another role expected of supervisors, team leaders and managers
is that of providing OHS training to employees. Of course, there
may be circumstances where an external trainer is used, for
example, when it is more efficient to do so, or to provide
specialised training. But in most situations, training is provided in-
house by supervisors, team leaders and managers. This means
they will need to have the skills required to carry out effective
instruction, that is the 'trainer' may need to be trained first.

The type of training to be delivered by supervisors, team leaders

and managers ranges from induction and on-the-job training for
new or new-to-the job employees, to remedial or
refresher training for existing employees. KEY POINT
Remedial training may be needed to correct or
improve weaknesses such as using incorrect Supervisors, team leaders
and managers also provide
procedures, while refresher training should be OHS training for, and
regularly provided to reinforce what has supervision of, employees,
previously been learned. As supervisors, team so they should receive
training to equip them for
leaders and managers are the ones who most this role.
often train employees, so they themselves must
obviously be trained in safe work practices if they are to train their
employees properly.

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4.3 Identify specialised training

needs
In addition to the training they deliver, supervisors, team leaders
and managers are best placed to identify any specialised training
needs that may be required. Specialised training is specific
training, which may be provided by a specialist, and may be
required by some or all employees. Examples of specialised
training include:

 First-Aid training.
 Driver training and certification (eg, to operate plant such as
forklifts).
 Emergency evacuation training.
 English training for employees from a non-English speaking
background.

4.4 Provide adequate supervision

The role that is most commonly expected of supervisors,
team leaders and
managers is that of
supervising
employees.
As they are directly
involved in the daily
activities of the
organisation,
supervisors, team
leaders and
managers should
have the most
intimate knowledge
of the work practice and the employees under their control. This
puts them in the prime position for ensuring the systems of work in
the organisation are safe, and employees are following correct
policies and procedures.

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4.5 Apply risk management principles

Supervisors, team leaders and managers are also best placed to
carry out regular inspections of the workplace and accident
investigations, together with any employee-elected
representatives. They should therefore be able to take the
appropriate remedial action or action to prevent recurrence. Their
knowledge of the work processes would also enable them to
regularly review job safety analyses to ensure the best practices
are being used. To carry out this role effectively, supervisors, team
leaders and managers should be very familiar with the principles of
risk management.

4.6 Managers need OHS training

Too often, however, supervisors, team leaders and mangers tend
to view safety as being separate to other organisational goals,
such as production. The challenge is to integrate OHS in the
workplace with other workplace goals. This can be achieved by
providing supervisors, team leaders and mangers with appropriate
training to recognise and take up this challenge.

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Section 5: SUPERVISOR, TEAM LEADER AND

MANAGER TRAINING

5.1 Training required

So that supervisors, team leaders and managers can assist in
policy-making that affects the management of OHS, they should
receive the same training as senior management for that role. In
addition to this, they also need training to ensure they are able to
carry out their operational role to the best of their ability.

5.2 Training program outline

An appropriate training program for their operational role should
include the following areas:

 Explanation of, and how to supervise, the work practices of

employees under their control.
 Provision of effective communication between management
and employees.
 Interpretation of occupational health and safety legislation and
work instructions.
 Induction of new and new-to-the job employees.
 Continual instruction of all employees as the need arises.
 Ongoing monitoring of work practices to detect and correct any
dangerous acts and conditions in the workplace.
 Reporting and correct investigation of all accidents, including
those not involving personal or property damage.

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The following skills and techniques should also be included in the

training program:

 OHS inspection techniques.

 Report writing.
 'Human relations skills' to effectively supervise, lead or manage
employees, including disciplinary procedures.
 Identifying training needs, including induction, on-the-job,
remedial, refresher, and specialised training.
 Techniques for motivating employees to recognise and
respond to organisational occupational health and safety goals.
 Train the trainer skills.

CONCLUSION

Supervisors, team leaders and managers clearly have an

important role in preserving workplace health and safety. But to
achieve this, they must be motivated and have the active support
of management. It is unreasonable to expect them to perceive
OHS issues at the workplace as a predominant role unless this is
clearly, consistently, and continuously promoted by management.

Getting the right balance requires a focused effort by every person

in the organisation. But it will result in success for both the
organisation and its individuals; it makes good business sense.

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