Upskill your business

An investment in your employees’ training is an investment in your business; upskilling will improve their competency, your business’ overall performance and its health and safety levels

One of the five key areas of a good health and safety system is training and competence. To carry out work safely, teams need to be competent and use the correct equipment. Sometimes, a level of supervision is also required. To ensure appropriate support on the job can take place, make sure this information is noted down in a register. Another use for the training and competency register is to allow employers to see the holes in their employees’ training and skills.

It’s important for company directors to recognise that upskilling staff is about more than just meeting legal requirements – it’s about investing in the business. Competent employees are less likely to injure themselves and more likely to feel motivated and loyal, because they feel valued.

Training is most effective when it’s relevant to the work and the employee.  First work out the skills needed for the business and then see if employees meet the skills required. Staff should be involved in the process of selecting training to ensure it is thorough and to get their support.

Tips on how to determine what training is required:

• Break each job down into tasks and work out the specific skills, equipment and materials needed for each one.
• Clearly identify the existing skills and competencies of employees. This can be carried out by a review of past training, a discussion to test their knowledge base and by observing their work.
• Decide how to best fill the skill and competency gap. You can refer to specific regulations, best practice guides, different training providers or ask your local Site Safe advisor for help.

Look to your team to provide training in their area of expertise. Get them to do a mini training session on different parts of their work or pieces of equipment – this way, employees can also learn from each other. A buddy system is also a very effective method of gaining knowledge.

Competence = knowledge + training + experience

Site Safe’s Site Specific Safety Plan (SSSP), which is free to download, has a training and competency register to help you record and map out your employees’ skill levels. Head to www.sitesafe.org.nz/sssp to download your free SSSP.

Site Safe is the New Zealand construction industry’s not-for-profit, membership-based organisation that supports, promotes and inspires a culture of health and safety.

www.sitesafe.org.nz/advisors l 0800 SITE SAFE l comments@sitesafe.org.nz