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Special report special report An expert case study Operator training revisited There is still evidence within industry of the misconception that plant and machinery operators simply need to complete and pass a health and safety test in order for them to be competent – or at best, complete and pass the test and then simply be observed operating the machine for one day! How can this premise still remain? Is it a side-effect of turning over money with the minimum input, ignorance on behalf of the training provider/ assessor or perhaps something else? Some argue that the impact of this woefully inadequate strategy is evident in the largely static trend in accidents involving plant and machinery; a trend that has remained unchanged for over twenty years. Others suggest that the statistics merely reveal a culture of change within industry where better reporting of incidents now occurs. Perhaps one solution to these unresolved issues is to return to basics. In January 2002, OPERC released the Voluntary Code of Practice for Operator Training - a landmark document in mobile plant operator safety which sought to provide a clear simple framework for training and competence that any training provider or employer could follow. The VCOP clearly defines the fundamental difference between training and competence. Training is defined as: “The act or process by which an operator learns, acquires and is tested upon operational ability, skill and experience, relevant industry health and safety knowledge and hazard awareness to standards set by industry”. Competence is defined as: “A standard at which an operator is certified [i.e. trained] to operate plant and/or equipment and has acquired sufficient job specific knowledge and experience of that specific item [including the use of safety features, attachments, machine controls and any other electrical or mechanical features], operating in that specific environment in order for the machine to be operated safely and efficiently”. Clearly, passing a test does not mean that the operator is competent! Mr Richard Billing is one of the most competent Trainer/ Assessors within the quarrying industry and at the tender age of 36 has already built an impressive CV having worked for Foster Yeoman and Aggregate Industries. He currently works for Tarmac and recently witnessed an operator successfully pass the OPERC-Safetynet health and safety test with a 100% score but subsequently fail to demonstrate competence whilst operating a rough terrain telescopic handler. Richard said: “Clearly the operator was academically qualified but academic qualification and knowledge alone does not provide evidence of competence. At Tarmac we insist that operators are trained, tested and assessed (as part of an S/NVQ qualification stream). In this instance, the operator had been trained and tested but the assessment itself revealed a weakness, the discovery of which will now improve longer term safety and operator efficiency. “The OPERC-Safetynet test is a brilliant test system; not only is it professional but it saves time. It also tests the operators’ knowledge and makes them think about their job. Importantly though, the test must be accompanied and supported by a clear route to competence and thorough system of assessment.” innovation in design 28 June 2009
European Photo Competition News A new photography competition focusing on safety and health at work was recently announced by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). The competition - entitled ‘What’s your image of safety and health at work?’ - is open to all EU citizens and forms part of EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces campaign. The competition invites photographers, whether professional or amateur, to capture their own images of safety and health at work and submit them for entry by 15 August 2009. Participants can interpret safety and health at work in any way they choose and are not restricted to particular subject matters or themes. An international jury of professional photographers will select the three best photographs based on creativity and originality, as well as universal European appeal, and the public will also be able to vote for their favourite through an online voting system. Prizes totalling € 7,000 await the winners. Jukka Takala, Director at EU-OSHA, commented on the launch of the competition: “Europe’s workplaces have changed a lot over the past few years. But even if we have experienced increasing awareness of occupational safety and health in the EU, along with greater efforts in making working conditions more fulfilling, we still have a lot to do. With this photo initiative, we want to see what safety and health at work means to Europeans today and how they perceive it in their lives and we want to spread our message in an innovative and interactive way to more people.” For more information visit the competition website at: www.osha-photocompetition.eu innovation in design innovation in design June 2009 29
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