G Morton May 2012
Professional Support Services
Estate Support Service
Policy on Mandatory Health and Safety Training for Staff
This policy document describes the requirements for mandatory health and safety training in
the Professional Support Services. The policy applies to all categories of staff working within
the Services and builds upon the training section in the University Safety Policy (June 2010).
Aims of the Policy:

To ensure all support service staff receive the safety training they require to carry out
their job as safely as is practicably possible

To assist Line Managers/Supervisors in identifying appropriate training based on an
employee’s job role and work activities

To incorporate health and safety awareness into local induction and the PDR process

To ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and University policy

To minimise the risk of work related health and safety accidents/injuries in the workplace
The Policy :

All new staff will receive safety induction no later than within the first week of taking up
their appointment.

All staff will receive further mandatory health and safety training relevant to their job role
and work activities.

Line Managers/Supervisors will be responsible for identifying appropriate safety training
at Induction, and this will be reviewed at PDR and when staff move to new roles and/or
revised activities

A training needs matrix is provided in each service to assist Line Manager/Supervisors in
identifying appropriate training needs.

Training may be provided by the University Safety Office (USO), the Staff Development
Unit (SDU), external approved trainers and other local in-house trainers

Refresher training will be provided at appropriate intervals; manual handling training
refreshers should be undertaken every three years

All completed training should be recorded on SAP ‘Managers Desktop’ or another
suitably reliable system

All recorded training will be reported to the USO in the Annual Safety Report
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G Morton May 2012

The Policy will be reviewed at least every 2 years and in the event of any changes in
legislation or mandatory training needs.
The Mandatory Safety Training Matrices
Each of the Services safety training needs have been identified using a training needs
analysis matrix that identifies training via Activities / Job Roles / Safety roles
Each Service must ensure that their matrix is:
a) Included in the welcome pack for new staff (all categories);
b) Distributed to all current staff;
c) Available as a supplementary document to the Service Health and Safety Policy.
Within the Services the persons responsible for identifying, arranging and ensuring
completion of mandatory safety training are the Heads of Service and the Services Safety
Officers (and other staff with specific appointed safety tasks) and the immediate line
manager/supervisor for the staff within their section.
Note that training identified using the matrix is MANDATORY. However, in certain
circumstances (i.e. proof of appropriate training at a previous place of work) an exemption
may be granted by the unit’s Safety Officer. The matrix does not provide an exhaustive list
of training and in some circumstances the responsible person (with advice from the Safety
Officer) may require particular staff to attend additional USO training courses or external
training courses, not listed in the matrix.
All staff must undergo refresher training a minimum of every THREE years.
This will involve repeating specialist USO courses (e.g. Chemical Safety, etc.).
The responsibility for identifying the need for refresher training and attending the appropriate
USO courses lies with the line manger/supervisor.
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