Health and Safety For Facilities Management Course

Introduction

This course has been designed to help managers understand their responsibilities and what they need to do to ensure compliance with current workplace legislation – including the fire safety and CDM regulations.

The course will cover the legal background – including an appreciation of how safety legislation has evolved and why; the logic behind recent developments and the implications for staff and employers; key areas of current legislation; roles and responsibilities in health and safety management, including monitoring contractors and suppliers effectively; implementing sound health and safety policies and procedures; getting staff on board, and implementing effective systems. Also, recognising potential risks and hazards and developing strategies to minimise their impact in the workplace.

Objectives

This course will give participants an understanding of:

• The broader context of the key areas of health and safety regulation which apply to your organisation
• Existing health and safety practice and guide them in how to shape and implement an effective health and safety policy
• What they should do and the procedures to support it
• Potential areas of risk in the workplace – and how to take action to minimise the threat to staff safety
• How sound health and safety processes can contribute to business performance

Course outline

Understanding the workplace legislation

• Overview of health and safety and workplace legislation
• Compliance, the role of the facilities manager, and who is accountable?
• Breakout session to discuss where we are now and to highlight issues of concern
• Applying required policies and procedures
• Developing and implementation/review of the safety policy
• Communicating with users, clients and contractors
• Health and safety manual
• ‘Selling’ health and safety

Key legislation – a practical working guide

• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
• Electricity at Work Regulations
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations
• Asbestos Regulations
• Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
• Work Equipment Regulations
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Controlling contractors

• Understanding the Regulations
• Assessing contractors
• Understanding and setting accountability
• Why a method statement?
• How to apply a permit to work system
• Safe systems of work

Risk assessment

• Understanding your hazards
• Identifying specialist areas
• How to undertake these assessments
• Implementation of sound systems and processes

Keeping the work environment safe

• Sick building syndrome and legionella
• Waste management
• Pest control
• Provisions for first aid
• Accident reporting and investigation

Fire safety

• Understanding the Regulations
• Fire certificates
• The fire risk assessment
• Testing fire-fighting equipment?
• Emergency procedures

Ergonomics programme

• Ergonomics – important or irrelevant?
• Are you complying with HSE regulations?
• Furniture and equipment
• Display screen equipment assessments
• Homeworking – your concern or not?

Inspecting and auditing

• Role of Health and Safety Executive Inspectors – ‘be prepared’
• FM role
• Staff/trade union involvement
• Independent audits
• Records and reports
• Communicating the results