Having a job specification for your engineers is crucial, and the recruitment process should guarantee that they possess the necessary skills and qualifications. In cases where an engineer lacks experience on a specific piece of equipment or process, it's standard practice to provide localised training, which should be documented for transparency and accountability.

Your Safe Operating Procedures are your standards for how a task should be conducted safely. I always advocate that you engineers be given these to read and understand and then sign as being communicated to them, but this should not be just a tick-box exercise. I believe workers do not need to sign risk assessments, but safe procedures do.

Toolbox talks are a valuable tool for addressing local issues. For instance, if you're dealing with problems like side handles being removed from handheld grinders or poor PPE compliance, a toolbox talk can be instrumental in addressing these issues and fostering a culture of safety and compliance. It's important to always ensure that the participant signs as an attendee.

If you deliver in-house training, such as Lock-Out, Tag-Out, and Manual Handling Training, it is helpful to issue certificates for these sessions.

It's important to remember that unless ongoing supervision identifies an issue, there's no need to retrain your engineers on the use of hand tools or equipment. This is because there's an expectation of their previous training and ongoing experience, which should be a reassurance of the effectiveness of your current training practices.

Regarding machine overhauls, although it's not a training issue, you must ensure your engineers have access to the manufacturer's repair instructions, as these will identify vital safety aspects of carrying out the overhaul safely.

On an ending note, having a job competency framework (or spreadsheet) for your engineers detailing what training is essential and what is either ongoing or nice to have is helpful.