New British Safety Council health, Safety And Environmental Qualifications Teach Workers How To Stay Safe And Reduce Environmental Impacts

The British Safety Council has launched a new range of accredited health, safety and environmental qualifications designed to teach employees how to keep themselves and others healthy and safe at work and to reduce the environmental impact of their organisation’s day-to-day activities.   

The 11 new qualifications have all been accredited by the qualifications regulator Ofqual in the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and can be delivered by employers, private training providers, schools, colleges and prisons using learning materials provided by the British Safety Council.

The various Level 1 and 2 qualifications provide existing workers, those new to the workplace or seeking employment, and young people preparing to enter the workplace for the first time with essential knowledge and understanding of:

• General health and safety risks and sensible control measures for all types of workplace and business sector
• Sustainability issues and ways of reducing their own and their organisation’s environmental impacts
• The risks posed by and precautions required for fire safety in the workplace, manual handling and work involving exposure to hazardous substances (known as ‘principles’ qualifications)
• Health and safety precautions in health and social care workplaces, such as hospitals, care homes and day care centres
• Preventing the skin disease dermatitis in industries such as healthcare, hairdressing, catering, cleaning and construction.

Alex Botha, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said: “Health, safety and environmental qualifications allow existing workers and those entering the workplace for the first time to improve their knowledge and skills, which in turn helps make workplaces safer and healthier for everyone and helps businesses to act in a more sustainable fashion.

“Employees who gain formal qualifications feel valued, supported and engaged with their organisation, and completion of accredited qualifications also helps to develop a professional culture at work.

“Delivering our qualifications is very straightforward. Once an organisation has applied for centre and qualification approval, they purchase the assessments and manage their candidates online. Centres deliver the learning using the high quality teaching and student materials provided, and the qualifications are assessed though a multiple-choice examination that can be either taken online or on paper. Online examination results are available immediately and the results of paper-based examinations are issued within two working days. Certificates follow by post within two working days.

“No prior knowledge of the subject is required, making all of these qualifications ideal for existing workers, those entering the workplace for the first time and young people wishing to gain health, safety and environmental knowledge.

“Prices for the assessments start at just £6.95 per candidate, depending on the number of assessments purchased and the examination method chosen.”

The 11 new qualifications are:

Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace

Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment

Level 1 Award in Environmental Sustainability

Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace

Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in Health and Social Care

Level 2 Award in Principles of Risk Assessment

Level 2 Award in Principles of COSHH

Level 2 Award in Principles of Fire Safety

Level 2 Award in Principles of Manual Handling

Level 2 Award in Contact Dermatitis Prevention

Level 2 Award in Environmental Sustainability

Further new accredited Level 2 and 3 health and safety qualifications will be launched in September 2014 including:

• Food safety and supervision of food safety in the catering, manufacturing and retail industries
• Emergency and general first aid at work, paediatric first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillation
• Safe driving at work
• Door supervision
• Mental health awareness.

Details can be found at: www.britsafe.org/qualifications/forthcoming-qualifications

For further information on the British Safety Council’s range of qualifications, go to: www.britsafe.org/qualifications or contact the British Safety Council on +44 (0)20 8741 1231 or email customer.service@britsafe.org