Managing safely: Improving our health and safety
What I found most useful during the IOSH course was a refresher in writing risk assessments, this is so crucial to our industry as the nature of our work incorporates manual handling, hazardous chemicals and of course electricity. It was great to re-examine the safety precautions we already have in place and look at any areas where complacency had crept in."
Michael Keenan
Electrical Services Officer
Congratulations to over 50 managers, supervisors and staff from across the University who are better equipped to effectively manage health and safety within their role, after successfully completing the IOSH Managing Safely course.
By providing the qualification, from the chartered body for health and safety professionals, we aim to improve the health and safety culture and compliance across the University.
Colleagues were presented with their certificates by James Breckon, Director of Estates, and John Phillips, Interim Director of Health and Safety.
James Breckon said,
Ensuring we all look after ourselves and each other whilst at work and raising the profile of health & safety across the University is extremely important to me. We have just completed the IOSH Health and safety training for over 50 staff representing many departments within the University. Our culture needs to improve, our first action should be to support and encourage people to take positive action in addressing potentially hazardous incidents across campus. Courses like this will provide greater knowledge, skills and techniques but most importantly I hope all involved now have greater confidence to positively take action in ensuring all our activity is planned appropriately and health and safety is considered first on all our agendas."
John Phillips added,
The IOSH Managing Safely course has been in existence for many years now, and has been used by many leading organisations, in a wide variety of sectors, to enhance the health and safety competence of their managers and supervisors. It is a nationally recognised qualification, designed and quality-controlled by the UK’s Chartered body for health and safety professionals, and will give those who have completed the course the knowledge and tools to tackle the health and safety issues they’re responsible for.
Importantly – it brings home why health and safety is such an essential part of their job and will encourage better communication on health and safety matters, especially in terms of reporting ‘near miss’ incidents. I am really pleased to see so many members of the Estates team completing the course and I am sure they will put their new found knowledge to good use, helping the University with its continuing safety culture journey."