New members of staff should receive a local health and safety induction on commencing employment. Schools (and Directorates where appropriate) must also provide students with a health and safety induction containing essential local health and safety information.

Key information such as emergency arrangements (First Aid, fire evacuation), and any other important local arrangements, should be given on the first day of work or as soon as possible thereafter. New staff should be made aware of the requirement to complete safety training which is deemed mandatory by the University, such as training in fire safety and the safe use of computers. Staff and student induction training may be in the form of briefings, presentations, handbooks, videos, and online training packages. Schools and Directorates should develop the content of the induction specific to the risks within their own area.

Further Information

After induction, further in-depth training relevant to the role should be provided. Foundation health and safety training needs will be similar for most categories of staff but may vary in the depth and detail of training required, depending on the role of the individual.

Foundation training includes fire safety, working with computers, risk assessment, electrical safety, office safety, and manual handling. Staff with management responsibility require additional training in the management of health and safety in order for them to undertake their role. Additional training needs may also be identified from local risk assessments, and in conjunction with line management. Training can be in the form of presentations, workshops, e-learning packages, external courses or face-to-face training. Training may be delivered through central health and safety programmes or delivered in-house by School/Directorate staff, by Safety Service staff or by training providers external to the University.

Further Information

While Foundation training will be received by all staff, Specialist health and safety training will be required by staff for specific purposes related to their activities (for example, scientific staff will received specialist COSHH and laboratory safety training).

Other specialist training will also be required for post holders such as First Aiders, Radiation Protection Supervisors, Biological Safety Officers and others carrying out specific roles or activities.

Further Information

In order to maintain and update competence staff should attend refresher training on a periodic basis, normally every three years.

Certain training, such as fire safety, must be undertaken annually. Some specialist training, such as First Aid at Work, requires training to be updated prior to expiry to retain the qualification. Consideration of, and planning for, refresher training should be part of the management annual health and safety review and/or staff appraisal process.