Training and Health & Safety

Under Construction IIMalta Twinning Seminar

2 October 2009

Training and Health & Safety

Tonio Farrugia

O.H.S. Legislation

• Occupational Health and Safety Authority Act 2000

• 31 legal notices

• Employers required to provide information and training to safeguard employees’ health and safety

Key elements

• Duty of employer to provide information, instruction, training and supervision

• Appointment of Workers’ Health and Safety representatives.

• OHSA’s functions include education and training

Minimum H&S requirements

• Inform workers/representatives of H&S measures

• Competent persons:– Adequate qualifications– Suitable training– Experienced and skilled– OHSA to define more specific criteria

Fire-fighting

• Persons to be adequately trained and equipped

• Protective and remedial action only by trained persons

• Workers to be trained in proper use of fire-fighting equipment

General provisions

Aim to encourage:

• Exchange of information

• Consultation

• Participation

• Training

General provisions

Employers have to:

• Take all necessary measures to safeguard H&S.

• Ensure only suitably trained employees have access to dangerous areas.

• Designate competent trained person/s to assist in H&S protection

General provisions

Adequate H&S training required:

• On recruitment

• On transfer or change of job

• For new or changed equipment

• On new technology

• On new work practices

General provisions

Training to be given:

• To all workers, including temps and contract workers

• To workers representatives

• During working hours

• Paid by employer

Construction sector

• Availability of first aid and trained staff

• Lifting devices to be operated by qualified and trained workers

• Drivers or materials-handing vehicles to be specially trained

• Machinery and equipment to be operated by trained workers

Information and training

Help employers to:

• Safeguard employees H&S

• Develop positive H&S culture

• Manage H&S better

• Meet legal duties

Effective training

• Makes employees competent in H&S

• Avoids distress of accidents and ill-health

• Avoids unnecessary financial costs

• Is not just formal classroom courses.

Employers need training

Employers should:

• Be up to date on how to identify hazards and control risks

• Know where and how to get help

• Know how to consult employees / representatives on H&S issues

Managers need training

Managers and supervisors need to:

• Know employer’s expectations

• Understand company’s H&S policy

• Be trained in specific hazards of work processes

• Know how risks are to be controlled.

Employees need training

Employees and self-employed to know:

• How to work safely and without risk

• Company’s H&S policy and ways to implement it

• How to raise any H&S concerns with management

Employers obligations

Take into account workers’

• Capabilities

• Training

• Knowledge

• Experience

Employee training needs

• New recruits

• Changing jobs

• Inexperienced/young employees

• Refresher training

Outlook for Malta

• Rely on risk assessments to identify training needs

• Employers and employees to understand importance of training

• The future – incorporate H&S training in accreditation of professionals.

A Long way to go??