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Posted By Peter Morton53
Hi All
A number of e-learning packages include the term "Risk Assessment" in their sales literature. They suggest that e-learning for DSE users is an acceptable alternative to individual risk assessment by a competent person.
I can understand there needs to be a flexible approach to assessment for users who are home based for example. However I personally believe e-learning for users is limited and is simply another means of providing information, training and instruction (if dealt with in a bespoke programme) only.
Any comment/experience in respect of competence based assessment and the claims of some technology driven sales organisations?
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Posted By Sufficient and Suitable
hi peter
i came from a sales role in e-learning and recognise the difficulty you face - to be honest, what the e-learning providers dont tell you is that the greatest challenge is getting decent completion rates- particularly with smaller SMEs
from my experience, e-learning is a good starting point for low risk workers but not the end point, it would be worthwhile having the -elearning assessments audited in the future .
happy to offer more pointers if you wish to discuss
regards
Christian
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Posted By Tabs
It is perfectly plausible to do an initial risk assessment if the programme is well written and explains what is to be achieved and what is being looked for. There is a requirement for training.
It is not usually plausible to ask the user to then achieve the improvements needed though ... e.g. "do you suffer from back or neck aches?" Respondant Answer = 'yes' should then lead to professional intervention.
Simple things like positioning of equipment and setting of seat height can probably be done by the user, but not the complex things.
Nothing wrong with getting answers and then using the professional's time to correct / improve the workplace. In my experience, about 10% needed a visit and the rest just needed auditing.
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Peter
Before you may a decision about this, read the actual text of the DSE Regs and the associated approved HSE guidance and then answer this question:
'How would 'I read it in sales literature for a relatively inexpensive e-learning course' sound to the judge in a county court or the panel in an employment tribunal, if that was your defence in a claims for personal injury damages or unfair dismissal?
What you are effectively asking is whether inadequate training of employees is an adequate replacement for timely explanations of hazards of potentially extremely painful injuries to a generally-unpredicatable minority of DSE users and operators.
The recurrent year-on-year increases in insurance premiums would more than offset any short-term economy which appears plausible now.
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Posted By Calum Clark
We direct users to internal and external and external advice on the web then get them to complete a self-assessment of their workstation. Every question that has a no answer requires and action of some sort.
Anything the user can't fix themselves they contact me or their departmental health and safety coordinator (who is not a health and safety professional).
In theory, the system works fine. In practice getiing 1300 DSE using employees to complete and review the assessments is akin to ice skating uphill. Coordinators in smaller departments just about manage to ensure all assessments have been completed but in larger departments its a bit of nightmare, espeically as h and s is an add on to the coordinators' exisiting jobs.
Ideally, I'd like to sit down with everyone and do the assessment but neither time or infrastructure allows it. Any suggestions would be more than welcome.
Calum
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