Health and safety training needs commitment from the top

• EXHIBITOR: Apple Construction Training, an accredited training/testing provider • EVENTS: PlantWorx AND Safety & Health Expo • STAND NUMBER Plantworx: PAV B1 (Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire) • STAND NUMBER Safety& Health Expo: B62 (NEC, Birmingham) • DATE: May 14 – 16 2013 Nearly a fifth of construction sites failed safety checks in March as part of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) month-long inspection drive. Whilst, figures released by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in April saw a rise in corporate manslaughter claims, with five new cases since July 2012. According to Kim Bendzak, Managing Director of Apple Construction Training, businesses that want to survive and reap the benefits of any upturn in the construction industry need to ensure that health and safety is led from the top, with strong leadership driving change in the way safety is managed and maintained on site. Senior management taking ownership of health and safety is especially important since the introduction of The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in 2007, which means senior managers themselves can now face penalties or even imprisonment or disqualification from being a director. Kim Bendzak explains further: “There’s hope that the construction sector will improve should work come through from the Government’s commitment of £33 billion investment in infrastructure this year. But, to be in a strong position to win this work, senior management within firms need to have a strong standpoint on health and safety and be driving and communicating this across the company. “A breach in health and safety puts the safety of workers at risk, leaves the company facing a hefty fine and senior managers could too be held liable. The publicity it generates can be damaging, either putting the company out of the running for any major projects or even out of business completely. Between 2011 and 2012, 646 cases were prosecuted by the HSE and local authorities, with fines totalling £16.9 million.” Kim continued: “Leaders and senior managers need to build a strong health and safety culture that expects high standards of safety across all parts of the business at all times. Staff should be required to have the most recent and relevant training qualifications to carry out their duties, and managers kept up to date on the latest health and safety legislation and skill requirements. Site supervisors responsible for the safety of others, should at least have had site management safety training and all staff should have regular refresher courses so they can recall safety instructions. “Budgets are tight but health and safety legislation is becoming tougher. Site inspectors can now issue on-the-spot fines, which companies can’t afford not to be ready for.” Kim Bendzak recently won The Banbury Women in Business awards for Most Established Business and Most Inspirational Women Business Owner. She and her team will be at Plantworx and Safety & Health Expo on 14, 15 and 16 May. Kim and her team will be at both PlantWorx and Safety & Health Expo. She is available for face-to-face briefings or telephone interviews to offer advice to companies on the challenges of health & safety legislation, the legal requirements that a business owner needs to be met through training and development, and training funds and grants available. Apple Construction Training will also be showcasing its range of training services for companies both large and small, to help run their business competitively and safely. Plus, it will be announcing details of its latest discounts and offers on training courses. Training services include: • Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) Plant Training and Testing • NVQ qualifications in Plant, Lifting, Construction and Management • CITB Management qualifications • General occupational safety training • Streetworks • Confined Spaces