When to refresh your training

Positive handling, use of force, holding, handling and restraint is an unregulated industry. Some companies will give you a certificate that states you only have to refresh every two or three years for example. Sounds cost effective and glamorous? Well it doesn't really mean you're covered and there is no government body for this type of training so all we can go on is what the most relevant law and legislation says on the matter and try to establish what is "best practice".

 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have previously highlighted in court that annual refreshers are a sensible measure.  We advise organisations that have trained staff to do something, to refresh at a minimum at least every 12 months, or, for example, when there is a change in circumstances, the risk increases, or a new working activity is undertaken.  

 

This topic comes up fairly often so I took the time a couple of years ago to write a short article which you can find below called Back to the future and my short video of this can be found below. 

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The salient points are:

 

How can we gauge when to train staff?

 

I would always advise leadership teams & management to take sensible measures and carry out a risk assessment to determine when staff need to refresh their training, to gather information first, such as;

 

• By asking staff how they feel, what they would like to happen and if there is anything specific they wish to have training on.

• Do staff feel confident as they are? When would they like to refresh?

• Has the risk increased? 

• How often are staff having to intervene?

• Have the working circumstances changed?

• Are there new staff who haven't had any training?

 

Refresher training

 

Often, organisations choose to just refresh the physical skills side of things. A risk assessment should be carried out and kept for audit purposes.

 

We advise organisations that aren't refreshing annually to at least instigate discussions within their own staff meeting times so that there is at least some CPD on this subject.  Take a look at the resources page on our website which may assist you. as well as your electronic folder of after course resources, which contains Toolbox Talks videos and lots of other resources.

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Download the full article here about when to refreshing your training, including the relevant legislation and your own and all delegates responsibilities. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

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Watch our short video below.