[New] How seriously do companies take health and safety training in a recession?

Is it something that is too often cut from the budget?

Sadly, it is too often the case that if companies have to tighten the purse strings, health and safety training is viewed as a ‘non-essential’ and put on the backburner. This can potentially be really dangerous.

Good health and safety should be a prerequisite for all companies; not an option that may be pushed to one side when finances are stretched.

We offer a range of courses in the Health & Safety, Health & Social care and Plumbing and Drainage sectors - both in house and at training centres around the country.

Courses range from how best to move and handle people in health and social care; safeguarding of vulnerable adults; infection control; to courses on electrics for plumbers and gas installers; and water regulations.

All these different areas will have safety aspects that are specific to them. How far a company goes in terms of incorporating safety at the core of its business is largely dependent on the culture – from the boardroom down.

But to give an example of how dangerous a lack of training can be, we have come across cases of people using high-pressure water jets with little or no understanding of how to use the equipment.

There is not a legal requirement for a license to use a high-pressure water jet even though these machines are incredibly powerful and can be used to cut through concrete. The thinking is sometimes, ‘let them learn on the job’ with another colleague showing a newcomer the ropes.

The problem here is that this is nothing close to proper training and while a new recruit might be lucky and avoid injury, there is also the real prospect of serious injury or even fatality.

I know a case of a young drainage engineer who was injured when a jet nozzle flew back at speed and he lost his eye – literally – they couldn’t find it. He also lost sight in his other eye. And this could all be put down to lack of training.

In this instance, a young person’s future had been jeopardised by lack of foresight and cutting corners with regards to employee health and safety.

It is true that the HSE will generally look for evidence of competence in equipment handling and training but in many instances because of a lack of licensing and the pervading ‘learn on job’ ethos, the damage is often done before lessons are learned.

Reeves Training Solutions was set up by my wife and I in 2019. Previously I had worked for many years as a trainer, coach, mentor, and training consultant for an international company assisting with the training of over 1,000 engineers in their UK operation.

I have been able to use the wealth of

by Mike Reeves Managing Director of Reeves Training Solutions

experience and contacts made over these years to good effect with my own company.

We have continued to grow and have clients not only in the borough but nationwide. We can also provide trainers to deliver the majority of our courses at the client’s location minimising down time and travel for their staff.

We want to make training programmes as accessible as we can and it is encouraging how our testimonials have persuaded other companies to acknowledge the importance of health and safety and view it as a priority.

We have training venues in West Sussex, Warwickshire, Oxford and London; and further north in Leeds and Castleford. We have a number of freelance trainers around the country who we can call on – for instance in Scotland I might ask someone to take a course for me.

With the more bespoke and niche training courses, I like to, if possible do them myself which means being on the road which works well as my wife (who runs the office) is able to come with me and work remotely.

Our aim is to provide as many people with the training they need at a time and place that works for them. The result is more companies not only appreciating the benefits of safe working – but realising the assurance and confidence employees feel as a consequence.