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Posted By DW
I have an American Colleague who is very competent and experienced in OSHA requirements although requires to carry out some work here in the UK - specifically on Machine Guarding, Suspended Loads, Confined Spaces, Electrical Safety and Fall Protection. Can anyone recommend a course that they can undertake to provide them with an understanding of UK legislation and specifically the requirements for the above mentioned areas.
Thanks in advance.
DW
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Posted By Peter How
Dear DW
I fear there is not "A course" for your USA colleague. Having worked for a large uk manufacturing Co, then taken over by a large US Co, their Safety codified approach (do this , do that,)struggles with our HSE risk assessment approach. When they visited the Uk they also couldn't grasp safety interlock systems on machines, they are all "LOTO" lock out,tag out; & wanted us to fit switches which an operator would padlock off before opening the guard.[what happens if they don't lock off?].
SO I suggest that he(?) goes on several practical specialist courses run by trade associations or providers -Machine guarding, working at heights, to learn how the Uk approaches the subject. Our aims are identical, but US is picking up Risk Assessment approach only slowly.
best wishes, Peter
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Posted By Dave Merchant
In terms of confined space and fall protection there are fundamental differences in law between UK/HSE and OSHA which go far beyond the vagueries of wording - many of the products and techniques in the UK are illegal in the US and vice versa, so someone who has OSHA ingrained into them may actually need more training than someone completely new to the idea, as the little things they do without really thinking can be the things that put them in court. OSHA's "industry-specific" 1926/1910 system doesn't exist here, and the EU rules on things like rescue or fall arrest forces are far stricter than in the US. IMO OSHA's confined space spec is far better than anything in the EU, but by the same token their fall protection stuff is still in the dark ages.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
DW
A number of specialist trainers could put a bespoke course together for you to cover your needs but be aware that there may be additional costs because of the low delgate number. On the list provided I suspect you will be looking at around at least two full days, subject to detailed requirements, which is not going to leave much change out of a grand and a half.
Contact me offline if you want to talk about this further.
Bob
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Posted By David Bannister
Hi DW, I agree with the previous posters who say that the US OSHA mindset does not easily translate to the risk assessment approach. H&S practice between our two countries is quite different.
I have in the past been the local input to a US team of safety auditors when they were working in Europe and it was very hard work explaining that the local approach equaled or bettered what they expected (or sometimes not)! I have also been flabbergasted at some of the the (to me) unsafe practices in USA plants that apparently conform to local laws and also very impressed at other measures they are obliged to adopt. They may speak a similar language but their safety regime is different to ours.
In my opinion your US colleague should take some competent local advice if they are to do any effective work. Any UK training or education will likely confuse your colleague who has presumably grown up under the OSHA Codes.
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