This old chestnut has raised its head at my workplace and I would like to do a Vox Pop to see what the latest thoughts are on this with my fellow ISOH members. I work for a Global social communications provider and have suggested that a reasonable training commitment for employees in any one year is:- • DSE training and assessment (they are very heavy laptop users) • Fire Safety Training • Manual handling for the office training • Induction training on arrival in the first year Total of all the above in year one is 2 hours done over several months, reducing to 1.5 hours after year one (induction no longer required after permanent status is achieved). All this is done via an e-learning package (Cardinus) which can be delved in and out of and done piecemeal. I am also saying that we could split this over 6 months if not the entire year (one module per quarter), to minimise time and offline effect on the business save for induction, which should be done right away, and ideally fire and DSE should be done ASAP. The 'wringing of hands re time and costs' card is being thrust against my nose and I am saying 'Dear all, this is reasonable for a 'normal risk' office environment in a very time and work intensive occupation. What are the thoughts of my ISOH brethren on this am I being unreasonable and Draconian, should I yet again ‘get a life’?

Does the once yearly fire drill count as training or does that cause more wringing?

The burning question is (pun definetly intended) you try and find a site/document HSE or otherwise that gives a reasonably thought through argument for what the average training time per employee per year is in a low/normal risk office environment and see what happens? You might as well be looking for the Holy Grail, or El Dorardo!

How much time is spent on other areas?

Perhaps you also provide some training to your managers who might need reminding of their duty to “Provide of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees;”! Two hours per year is not excessive; it sounds like a minimum to me.

George, Not wishing to stray from the your argument about how much time should be devoted to H&S Training, every time I have come up against the "Management" with regards to time for training, I like to quote a few financial statistics to them i.e. the cost of one person off work for 5 days because of a back injury or the cost of a claim for RSI, tends to focus the "Management" on the lesser of 2 evils. Not ideal but it is in a language they seem to understand. I believe, without this training in place and recorded, if there was an incident/accident the "Management" would not have a "leg to stand on" with regards a claim against them. Good luck