The management of health, safety, and wellbeing (HSW) risk is an essential part of delivering a modern workplace. Managers need to understand their role in the delivery of such a workplace. They need to be equipped with the tools and techniques that support the delivery of HSW.
Since 1992, Human Applications have been delivering risk management training throughout the world. The course has evolved and has been tailored to reflect the concerns of organisations in both public and private sectors. The course provides delegates with the opportunity to engage in a range of practical exercises based on real world scenarios, allowing managers to discuss issues and learn how to be more effective.
The two-day risk management course contains modules focusing on ‘Why’ organisations do HSW, ‘Who’ manages HSW and ‘How’ to ensure HSW is managed effectively within the organisation.
Workshop modules allow delegates to work in groups and explore the ‘why’, ‘who’ and ‘how’ questions. Learner-centred activities ensure that delegates explore how HSW management moves beyond the tick-box, compliance-driven approach to have a direct influence on the organisation.
We have found that many delegates want to understand their legal accountabilities, and often hold beliefs that are factually inaccurate. We explore the reality of the Health And Safety At Work Act and dispel some of the myths. We concentrate on the different roles in the HSW assurance process and the importance of delegates understanding how HSW is delivered through policies and procedures, whilst discussing the implications of civil and criminal actions when things are alleged to have gone wrong.
The reality of how to manage HSW risk and the requirements for management of Health And Safety At Work regulations is explored. We allow delegates to work through what terms such as “suitable and sufficient” and “reasonably foreseeable” mean and how we can limit assessments. Using group and individual exercises delegates can begin the process of developing confidence in understanding risk management and the different approaches to the management of HSW risk.
Delegates write and QA basic risk assessments, to ensure they have a feel for what good looks like and how to challenge inadequate risk assessments. A workshop explores risk control, the hierarchy of risk control and reasonably practicability. Our aim is to ensure that delegates understand the importance of controlling risk by balancing time, effort, cost, and benefit.
We believe that delegates need to understand what drives people to behave in unexpected ways. We facilitate discussions on core HSW values and how to develop effective values. We discuss the roles of different ‘actors’ in supporting values and behaviours and use a behavioural model to see how behaviours develop. This model, the COM-B model, is an applied behavioural science model that allows delegates to explore why people do the things they do and how to nudge them to behave safely.
A final component of HSW risk management, monitoring risk, forms the last module in the course. We encourage delegates to consider their own organisation and the tools and techniques used to monitor risk, including internal reporting processes, record keeping and risk registers.
Delegates create an Action Plan that serves as a call to action. Finally, a short open book test is administered to reinforce learning and reassure delegates that they have assimilated the main learning outcomes.
The risk management course is designed for managers, supervisors, and team leaders. We tailor the material to reflect sector concerns and deliver tailored training containing client-specific material and systems. Our aim is to give delegates a practical understanding of HSW risk management so that they can make better decisions.