Phoenix Health and Safety Blog

May 16, 2012

NEBOSH Training Opportunities for All

Regardless of what type of industry you work in, you will no doubt have heard of the name NEBOSH and know that they deliver a wide range of occupational training programmes. However, you may not know much about the actual organisation itself.

Formed in 1979, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, as it is properly known, is an independent examining board and awarding body. It offers a wide range of occupation-based qualifications that are designed to meet the health and safety needs of working environments in both the public and private sectors.

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health estimate that as many as 30,000 candidates take one or more of their accredited courses every year. Furthermore, the exams for these courses are taken in more than 90 countries. The examinations and assessments set by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health are created and selected by highly qualified staff members and are invigilated by external examiners who are mostly Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners.

These courses can be very beneficial to anyone who chooses to that take them. Indeed, training and achieving a qualification with the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health can not only help an individual to achieve their own personal goals, it can also deliver significant direct and indirect advantages to their employers too. Certainly, any company that employs an individual with NEBOSH qualifications will no doubt benefit from increased safety standards within their firm.

However, with the modern world functioning as fast as it does, employees can often find it difficult to take time out to attend regular NEBOSH training courses. Indeed, many workers these days are simply too busy to leave their post for even a brief period of time. Thankfully, any employee who wants to further their career yet cannot take enough time off to do so can benefit from the many NEBOSH distance learning options we have available here at Phoenix Health & Safety.

Our distance learning opportunities provide candidates with a far more flexible method of learning than face-to-face delivery as they can be completed at a pace that suits busy participants’ schedules. Like all of the other courses we provide here at Phoenix Health & Safety, our distance learning courses are tailored to the very highest standards. To this end, candidates can be sure that they will receive all of the relevant resources such as CDs and hard copies they require to be successful as well as have access to specialist support seven days a week via telephone, email and Skype. In addition, candidates can also communicate with other participants on their course so that they can discuss topics and issues further.

If you would like to find out more about the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health or enquire about a particular area of distance learning, take a look around the rest of our website or get in touch with our friendly and professional team.

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May 12, 2012

The benefits of online health and safety courses

More and more activities take place over the web and training is no exception. Increasingly, individuals and firms are switching on to the benefits of distance learning as a way of boosting skills and knowledge.

These days, a rising number of people are conducting their learning activities via cyberspace. For example, a lot of individuals are completing web-based construction courses that focus on safety.

Remote learning is cheaper

One of people’s primary motivations for taking advantage of programmes like this is cost. It’s often cheaper to make use of remote learning opportunities than it is to physically attend classes.

Indeed, a recent article in the Guardian drew attention to this issue. Focusing on higher education, it noted that course providers have become “keenly aware” of the need to attract people using distance learning degrees that are considerably less expensive than full-time, campus-based versions.

Boosting motivation

Meanwhile, the article also suggested that e-learning like this can be good for people’s motivation. It stated: “Placing all content online and then trusting students to direct their own learning can be an effective way to keep people highly motivated to do outstanding work.”

The proactive nature of development programmes like this may be one of the factors contributing to such dedication.

Completing a NEBOSH certificate online

Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we’re determined to offer learning opportunities that perfectly suit the needs of our clients and, with this in mind, we’re making the very most of the opportunities modern technology has to offer.

We know that in today’s climate, many individuals don’t want to or are unable to spend days or weeks attending courses in classrooms. This is why we offer distance learning opportunities. Candidates simply make their way through the material according to a personalised timetable that is developed by them and their tutors.

Total support

At first, you might feel a little nervous about registering either yourself or your workers for these programmes in case you don’t benefit from the support you need. However, if you use us as your provider, there’s no need to worry.

Our online health and safety courses come with comprehensive and yet concise material that is filled with pictures, examples and activities. This information comes both in print and CD formats. Also, we provide additional supports, including a Facebook group, a YouTube video channel and access to an expert tutor 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can also contact us by telephone, email or via instant messenger. This helps to ensure that none of our candidates feel isolated or out of their depth.

Check your progress

Also, so that you know how well you or your personnel are doing, we offer revision questions and activities to test progress. Meanwhile, at regular intervals, we provide assessments that are submitted for marking and feedback to our tutors.

This helps to ensure that any problems do not get out of hand but rather are nipped in the bud instead. To find out more, just take a look around our website.

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May 8, 2012

Construction health and safety in the spotlight

You’re no doubt aware of the importance of ensuring your workplace is safe for employees to operate in. In order to help you achieve your goals when it comes to risk management, it can pay off to invest in construction skills training and so on.

By making sure your personnel have the knowledge and skills they need to protect their own wellbeing and that of the individuals around them, you can reduce the likelihood that problems will arise.

Case highlights importance of safety management

Recently, the issue of health and safety was in the spotlight after a former scaffolding company director was prosecuted in relation to an accident in which two employees were injured in a scaffolding collapse.

The incident occurred in January last year and it caused a 26-year-old man to sustain a broken ankle and right heel, while his 46-year-old colleague also suffered injuries. The scaffolding crashed into the building opposite. Both men were in the process of dismantling the scaffolding at the time.

The importance of effective management

Drawing attention to the significance of effective management, Health and Safety Executive inspector Kevin Wilson noted that it’s vital for managers to ensure they have effective measures in place to minimise risk.

He remarked: “Work at height should be properly planned and a safe system of work developed. [The director] failed his employees in both respects.”

Training is key

To help ensure that your personnel are safe, it’s vital to provide them with the necessary training. By boosting their levels of knowledge and skill, you can significantly reduce the risk that accidents will occur.

Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we’re fully aware of the importance of this issue and that’s why we go out of our way to offer a range of development programmes that might be perfect for you and your staff members.

Our Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme

For example, our Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is ideal for individuals who have or are about to take on supervisory responsibilities. It provides delegates with an understanding of health, safety, welfare and environmental issues and it also draws attention to the legal responsibilities associated with their work.

By the time people have completed this two-day programme, they should understand why they are carrying out their identified duties and what’s expected of them. Also, they should be better able to contribute to the safety of the workplace and to carry out risk assessments, among other things.

Assessment method

These safety training courses are assessed by multiple-choice questions that take place at the end of the programmes. Meanwhile, delegates are also expected to be interactive during the sessions.

The certification lasts for five years. However, due to the changing nature of the legislation concerning this matter and because of the constant changes in technology, it’s recommended that refresher courses are taken within three years of completing the original.

To find out more about the courses we have to offer, as well as our other services, just take a look around our website.

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May 4, 2012

Promoting the importance of health and safety in your firm

Despite the current economic conditions, it’s crucial that firms do not neglect their health and safety responsibilities. This was the message from the British Safety Council (BSC), which recently launched its manifesto entitled Working Well.

If you’re keen to make sure your firm adheres to all the relevant legislation and avoids placing workers at unnecessary risk, you might benefit from investing in further NEBOSH training for your personnel.

A bad press

The BSC suggested that the issue of risk management suffers from “bad press”. It stated: “Stories are all too common place about the banning of conkers and firemen refusing to save lives. Health and safety is often blamed for many of the ills of modern life, even of undermining our collective sense of responsibility.”

It went on to remarked: “We are convinced that sensible health and safety is of great social and economic value. Apart from being a fundamental human right, getting the management of health and safety risks right is also good for business.”

Working together

Meanwhile, the BSC went on to note that it will work with journalists and the media to ensure there is a balanced perspective concerning how health and safety is reported. It also noted it will help to build a coalition of organisations that want to see a “step change” in the reduction of work-related deaths.

The organisation then called for firms to highlight the benefits that well managed health and safety risks have produced for them.

How we can help

Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we’re passionate about promoting risk management in the workplace. With this in mind, we offer a range of services, including training programmes to help improve workers’ skills. For example, you might be interested in our SMSTS courses.

Meanwhile, we can also assist you with your workplace risk assessment. Whether you’re keen for us to complete the task for you or want us to support you through the procedure, we should have the perfect solution. Using us can make your life easier and it can improve safety standards within your organisation.

The importance of risk assessments

It’s a legal requirement for organisations with five or more staff members to conduct documented risk assessments of all of their significant hazards. If you’re lacking in experience when it comes to these tasks or simply don’t have the time or manpower to carry them out properly, it might be necessary to bring in outside help.

After all, there are a number of steps to this process. Firstly, all hazards must be identified. Secondly, it’s important to take note of the people who are at risk as a result of these dangers. For example, employees, contractors and members of the public may all fall into this category.

Thirdly, the precise nature of the risk must be analysed and, following this, any controls that are already in place should be identified and evaluated.

These findings should be recorded on a suitable form and the risk assessment must be reviewed regularly.

Find out more

If you’re keen to find out more about risk assessments, training and so on, just take a look around our website or get in touch.

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May 1, 2012

Courses to Suit you from NEBOSH to NVQ

In business, the aptitude of employees can be supported by training. Wherever there are issues of health and safety, training is not only advantageous, but essential. At Phoenix Health & Safety, we are hyper-aware of the importance of health and safety training, which is why we offer a comprehensive range of courses, from NEBOSH to NVQ health and safety.

We also understand that training can occupy your employee’s time and attention. We are keen to resolve the importance of health and safety training with the specific needs of employees and businesses. So, with this in mind, we offer distance learning courses, which allow your employees to get qualified, without having to travel large distances.

When learning at a distance, you will receive hard copies of materials and CDs in the post, and so you will be well equipped to pass the exam.

Within the broad church of health and safety training, there are various qualifications, which may appeal to different individuals or sectors of industry. For instance, NEBOSH fire certificates are appropriate for anyone who has to deal with fire, or those who participate in an industry where fire can be a danger.

The importance of health and safety training is two-fold: on the one hand, it gives you the knowledge needed to stay safe, and ensure the safety of those around you. Also, they can enhance your career prospects, and potentially open up several new career options.

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April 29, 2012

Preparing supervisors with SSSTS training

Supervising personnel is not something that should be taken lightly. When individuals step up to roles like this, it’s important they know exactly what they’re doing and this is never more important than when it comes to protecting the wellbeing of those they deal with. If they don’t have the relevant knowledge or skills and make mistakes, the results can be disastrous. People can get hurt, property may be damaged and legal action might be brought.

With this in mind, it’s crucial that supervisors have the right training. Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we’re experts in the field and may have the perfect solutions for you and your firm. For example, whether you’re interesting in development programmes for yourself or for your staff members, you might want to check out our Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme.

We run two-day SSSTS training programmes that are perfect for individuals who already have or are about to take on supervisory responsibilities. The sessions provide attendees with a greater understanding of health, safety, welfare and environmental issues and they also focus on the legal responsibilities supervisors face.

The course is endorsed by the United Kingdom Contractors Group as the standard training for all supervisors working on UKCG sites and, by the end of the SSSTS courses, delegates are better equipped in a number of ways. For example, they should be more able to carry out risk assessments effectively. To find out more about our SSSTS training, just take a look around our website.

In addition to our SSSTS courses, we offer a variety of other development programmes.

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April 27, 2012

Why it pays off to choose us for your SSSTS training

If you’re thinking of boosting your health and safety skills, or want to send your staff members on courses for this purpose, you’ll no doubt be eager to find the most impressive training provisions around. After all, you’ll be spending your hard-earned money on the development programmes, so nothing but the best will do.

This is where we come in. Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we’re passionate about delivering superb and great value training that ticks all the boxes, helping individuals to progress in their careers, enabling firms to remain on the right side of the law and, most importantly, protecting people from risks to their wellbeing.

For example, our Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme is second to none. Lasting for two days, the SSSTS courses cover a range of issues in an informative and engaging way. Of course, it’s not only our SSSTS training that stands out as superb. All our programmes are packed with relevant and important information and they are carefully delivered to ensure candidates get the most from them.

For example, we know it’s important that, whether individuals are on SSSTS courses or any other type of programme, they have fun and engage with the material so that it sticks in their minds. Our tutors use a range of methods to keep delegates interested and involved, placing a huge emphasis on interaction.

Meanwhile, we’re so confident in our training team that we offer a guaranteed pass on all IOSH, NEBOSH and Construction Skills courses. To find out more about these, and our SSSTS training, just take a look around our website.

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April 25, 2012

SMSTS refresher courses

No matter how good your memory is, from time to time it pays off to refresh it and when it comes to health and safety matters, this is particularly important. For example, if you hold a valid Site Management Safety Training Scheme certificate but completed the training a while ago, now might be a good time to recap on the issues. Indeed, the SMSTS certificate must be renewed every five years.

After all, the erosion of memory is not the only issue involved. It’s also important to bear in mind the fact that health and safety laws change on a frequent basis and so knowledge can quickly become outdated. Also, industry best practice evolves and new and more effective risk management strategies are constantly being thought up. Another issue is the rapid pace of technological developments. Equipment is always being replaced by newer versions and it’s important to be aware of any implications concerning safety.

Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we offer superb refresher SMSTS training that might be ideal for you, or indeed your personnel. These courses are available to individuals who already hold valid SMSTS certificates and their purpose is to improve awareness of recent developments within construction, legislation and health, safety, welfare and environmental issues.

Lasting for two days, the programmes are more than worthwhile. If you don’t take them, you’re certification may soon become invalid, which is a great waste. To find out more about our SMSTS training, just take a look around our website.

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April 23, 2012

The purpose of SMSTS training

These days, there are plenty of health and safety training programmes available for you or your staff members to make the most of. Here at Phoenix Health & Safety we provide an array of courses that might be of interest to you, including our Site Management Safety Training Scheme. This plays a vital role in many organisations and so it’s well worth investigating.

The SMSTS training programmes are intended for site managers, agents and other individuals who are already or who are about to become responsible for planning, organising, monitoring, controlling and administering groups of personnel. These people have a lot of responsibility and so it’s crucial that they are on the ball in terms of minimising risk.

The SMSTS courses last for a total of five days and they cover all the relevant legislation that individuals in these roles need to be aware of. They also include many other aspects of working safely in the building, construction and civil engineering industries.

For example, the SMSTS training programmes draw attention to the significance of risk assessments in the workplace, as well as the need to implement the necessary control measures to mitigate these dangers. They also examine the issue of communicating information effectively to sustain a good safety culture within organisations.

By the end of SMSTS courses, participants will be better equipped to implement any health, safety, welfare and environmental legislation that affects them. So, if this is of interest to you, you can take a look around our website for more information.

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April 21, 2012

The importance of NEBOSH Fire Certificates

It’s vital never to underestimate the importance of fire. The risk of blazes taking place in your premises might seem remote, but it’s virtually impossible to complete eliminate the possibility that such emergencies will arise. Meanwhile, if and when they do, the results can be disastrous. The power of fire is truly immense. It’s not only the heat you have to worry about, but also the choking smoke. Also, depending on where the blaze occurs, you might suffer power failures and so on. Another issue is the panic that can take over when fires occur. Workers and members of the public can act rashly and make things worse.

So, it’s no wonder that such emphasis is placed on fire safety procedures. If you’re looking to improve safety within your firm, you might want to take a look at the NEBOSH Fire Certificates we offer here at Phoenix Health & Safety. These courses are perfect for managers and supervisors. The qualifications equip holders to conduct fire risk assessments and to identify the range of protective and preventative measures required. It’s also suitable for people who are moving into fire safety advisor roles.

Lasting for five days including exams, this NEBOSH training incorporates such things as managing fire safety, the principles of fire and explosion and the protection of people in the event of a blaze. Just like all our other NEBOSH courses, these programmes are superb quality. To find out more about the NEBOSH training opportunities, just take a look around our website.

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