Rank: Forum user 
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Struggling to find if there is a legal requirement for refresher training on Working at Height and also working in confined places. Does a legal requirement exist or what is best practice? Where can I find this information?
Thanks in advance.
Mark Jordan
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Rank: Forum user
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How about Management Regs, 13 (3) (a)
The training referred to in paragraph (2) shall-
(a) Be repeated preiodically where appropriate
Hope it helps
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Rank: Super forum user
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The frequency and instances where refresher training is required will depending on many factors, and should be subjected to a risk assessment (what isn't!).
Such instances will likely be:
- Periodically (either because operatives have forgotten their training if it's a infrequently repeated task or to combat bad habits (applicable to all frequencies of task)
- After an observed non compliance (during routine monitoring)
- After an accident
The last 2 are fairly obvious, the first will be organisation / operative competency / task specific. Refresher training intervals of 1 / 3 / 5 years is not uncommon. But if you've got highly skilled competent people, undertaking the task regularly whilst being actively monitored and your monitoring suggests (and continues to suggest) that they are working safely, there could be an argument to do away with periodic refresher training.
There is no hard and fast legal requirement.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Section 2(2)(c) of HASAWA?
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Rank: Forum user 
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We do every 3 years as a minimum. In reality it is usually every 2 years.
We are often driven by client expectations and they want to see regular retraining.
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Rank: Super forum user
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roshqse wrote:
We are often driven by client expectations and they want to see regular retraining.
From time to time we're a client and we wouldn't stipulate such, this mandatory approach frustrates me.
As an aside, I think some H&S professionals would do well to read titles such as http://www.amazon.co.uk/...n-Spencer/dp/095660174X.
What would you rather;
- Competent individuals, operating safely, verified by monitoring / audit; or
- Individuals trained every 3 years and left to their own devices because it is believed they're fine as they've "got the ticket" (this is a very real and prevalent issue)
(the above is a general comment about risk-based approach v compliance approach, not in relation to your organisation!)
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Rank: Forum user
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We carry out formal re qualification in line with the awarding body (ie city and guilds high risk confined space with rescue every 3 years)
We also do a rescue drill at the start of every project at the actual work front. Just to focus the mind and highlight any issues in the rescue plan before it is needed. They always look great on paper, but can you actually recover an unconscious casualty from the furthest point safely and quickly??
Annually we also do an in house theory and practical skills day.
Similar for working at height
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I'm with Jake on this one; it's about competence not training.
We had a worker who had; H&S training with us in her main role, and again with us in her secondary role, and with another employer for whom she was working bank shifts, all in the space of six weeks. I can't imagine what she was intended to learn from all that.
The relevant requirement is s2(2)(c) Health & Safety at Work Act, which says the employer's duty is 'the provision 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'. This is outcome based; are you training people so as to ensure their health and safety? Or are you ticking boxes on a form that says annual training shall be offered, whatever its value?
Are they working safely? If so, how much training do they need? And how often? We no longer offer annual H&S training to our workers in our care centres, instead we do what the law, and good practice, require,
John
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Rank: Forum user
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Jake I agree.
I hate clients stipulating to us what we should be doing.
I train our guys in other skills annually as they don't get to use them very often. Skill decay is a real issue with our guys as they are all multi skilled but the frequency of use is low.
WAH equipment (and portable towers) however, we use on EVERY job they do so I'm not worried about skill decay.
The problem I find however is lowering of standards due to over familiarisation!
That I catch and try to overcome with site visits and inspections and regular training bulletins.
Every workforce is different and has it's own problems that we have to manage.
But.. clients don't see this.. they just want compliance, despite what they say and make noises about!
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Rank: Forum user
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Jake - well said.
The link doesn't seem to work, but I know the reference, fab read, and agree it's value.
It's not about training - it should be about 'learning' and 'competency' (which is what the law tends to require).
We don't (have to) do refresher training for one of the most risky activities we personally carry out - driving. Why do we feel that workers need to be 'refreshed' every couple of years on matters such as lifting or wearing PPE?
No evidence at all that this tick-box training has any actual useful safety benefit.
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Rank: Forum user
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On our site we do training as and when we see a need. I observe the workforce by walking around and talking to individuals on a daily basis. From that and incident reports I can decide what training is required. Because people find the training relevant and there is a reason for it I don't have problems getting "bums on seats" and managers do not mind releasing their workforce because they see the direct benefits.
I agree it is all about competency but I also want our people trained to a high level so that they can think for themselves around a variety of incidents, for which you cannot train in actual incidents only in the most likely (Top Tier COMAH site).
On top of that it always looks good on your CV if you need one!
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