Choose construction safety training that fits each role

A small refurbishment and a busy multi-contractor project do not call for the same training arrangements. Under CDM 2015, people need skills, knowledge, training and experience suited to their work, or the training and supervision that will enable them to work safely. The practical task is to identify the gaps, choose relevant learning and make sure it carries through to site induction and day-to-day supervision.

What training does the work actually call for?

Start with the tasks people will perform, not a course title. List the hazards, the decisions each person must make and the controls they need to follow. Consider whether people are operatives, supervisors, managers, temporary workers or employees who only occasionally enter the site. Training needs to be proportionate to their responsibilities and the risks; a general awareness course is not a substitute for instruction in a specialist task.

CDM 2015 requires workers to have relevant skills, knowledge, training and experience, or to receive the training and supervision needed to work safely. The HSE’s guidance on construction workers’ responsibilities also says workers should understand the risks on each site and follow its rules. Employers should therefore check both what people already know and what the planned job requires.

If your business is commissioning construction work, training is only one part of managing the project. Clarify who is responsible for planning and coordinating safety, and make sure relevant site and risk information reaches the people doing the work. The broader duties and course-selection considerations are set out in this workplace training overview.

How do the main course options differ?

CITB’s Site Safety Plus range gives a useful example of how courses can be aimed at different roles. Its current overview lists Health and Safety Awareness for people working on site, the Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) for supervisors, and the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) for site managers. CITB describes these as one-, two- and five-day courses respectively; check the CITB course information for current delivery and requirements before booking.

That does not mean every business needs to put staff through this particular scheme. Compare the course objectives with your risk assessment and the person’s actual responsibilities. A supervisor who coordinates work and checks controls may need different learning from an operative, while a manager responsible for a site may need broader coverage. Specialist hazards may call for separate task-specific training.

For managers whose remit is wider than construction, IOSH Managing Safely may be relevant to general safety responsibilities, but it is not a substitute for construction-specific instruction or site induction. Check the course scope and assessment before deciding whether it addresses the gap; the IOSH Managing Safely exam format and course content can help you assess those particular points.

How can you put the choice into practice?

Record each role, the tasks it covers, the hazards involved, existing experience and any training or supervision needed. Then ask providers for the syllabus, entry requirements, delivery format, assessment method, certificate or qualification awarded, and any refresher expectations. Check that the provider and course are appropriate for the scheme you intend to use, and confirm details directly before paying or scheduling staff time.

Build learning into the job. Share site-specific information before work starts, provide induction, explain relevant procedures and arrange supervision for people who are new to a task or site. Where several contractors are involved, coordinate training and information with the principal contractor rather than assuming a generic course covers local arrangements. HSE’s guidance says the principal contractor must ensure workers receive site-specific inductions and any further information and training needed, as described in its CDM duties for principal contractors.

How do you check whether training is working?

Keep a record of what each person completed, when it was completed and which role or risk it was intended to address. After training, check understanding through discussion, observation or an appropriate assessment, and make sure people can apply the procedures on site. A certificate records course completion; it does not, by itself, establish that someone can safely perform every task.

Review the arrangements when the work changes, new equipment or hazards are introduced, an incident reveals a gap, or a worker takes on new responsibilities. Use those reviews to decide whether refresher learning, additional instruction or closer supervision is needed. The aim is a clear connection between the work, the person’s competence and the controls used on site, rather than a course list detached from the project.

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