Train your staff in health and safety

The rules here are for England, Scotland and Wales.

What you must do

Regulation 13 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 applies to every employer, whatever its size. Failing to meet it breaches the Regulations, which is an offence under section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Check people can do the task safely

Before you give someone a task, check that their training, knowledge and experience match what it demands, and that the job does not ask more of them than they can safely do. If it does, train them first or give the task to someone else.

New and inexperienced employees, young employees and people whose first language is not English need closer supervision. Tell them how to raise a concern.

Decide what training each person needs

Start from your risk assessment, which should show where information or training is needed to control a risk. Compare the skills and knowledge each job needs with the skills people already have, and look at near misses, injuries and ill health for gaps.

How much you need depends on your risks. In a low-risk workplace such as an office, simple information or instructions are likely to be enough. Everyone needs to know the hazards, the risks, the controls in place and the emergency procedures, and supervisors need to know what you expect of them.

Some regulations add training duties for particular risks. Examples are regulation 12 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and regulation 6 of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

You can often train people yourself. External trainers help where you lack the expertise. Afterwards, ask people whether the training was relevant and check that they are working as they were trained to.

Train in working hours at no cost to employees

Regulation 13(3)(c) requires training to take place during working hours, and section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 stops you charging employees for anything you must provide under health and safety law. HSE advises that training must not be at the employee's expense, and that part-timers and shift workers may need special arrangements so they can attend in their working time.

Keep training records

The Regulations do not require training records. HSE advises keeping them, even for in-house training, because they show when refresher training is due.