Start from what each person does and the risks they face, not from a course title. Most organizations need a mix: awareness for everyone, specific training for high-risk tasks, and a deeper qualification for those who lead on safety.
Three levels of safety training
Awareness: helps everyone recognize hazards and follow the rules. See safety induction and occupational health and safety.
Task-specific: for people doing higher-risk work, such as work at height, confined spaces or lockout/tagout. An awareness course doesn’t by itself qualify someone to do the task.
Qualifications: for supervisors and safety officers, such as the NEBOSH IGC. See NEBOSH vs IOSH.
How to match training to roles
List the main tasks and hazards in each role, using your risk assessments.
Check any requirements from regulators, clients or contracts. Confirm these with the relevant authority, as they vary and can change.
Decide who needs awareness, task training or a qualification.
Plan refresher training, and record who has completed what.
Questions to ask a provider
Is this course accredited or a non-accredited awareness course?
Who issues the certificate?
Does it include practical assessment, if the task needs one?
Can it use your own site examples, and be delivered to your shifts?
Getting help
See all our safety training courses.
Leaders Training Centre has trained teams from more than 500 organizations, and can build a custom course when an existing one does not fit. Request a corporate proposal.
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