Page 9 - Linkline Autumn 2015

hsa LaunChes free on-LIne heaLTh and safeTy Courses on Work-reLaTed vehICLe safeTy
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) recently launched Key learning outcomes for learners will include being able to:
four new short on-line courses on its e-learning portal
http://hsalearning.ie aimed at transport or eet managers and those employing staff who drive for work. These courses will help to raise awareness of key hazards and risks in transport and aim to reduce the estimated 105,179
lost work days owing to vehicle-related non-fatal injuries.
The four courses are published on the Authority’s e-learning portal at http://hsalearning.ie and are: Safe Workplace; Safe Vehicles; Safe Drivers and Employees; High Risk Vehicle Activities. Each on-line course takes
45 minutes to complete and learners can download a certi cate of completion on passing the short assessment.
HSA’s Head of the Work Related Vehicle Safety Unit, Ms. Deirdre Sinnott said: “These short courses will help employers and managers to understand the speci c
risks involved in vehicle safety at work. The courses are aimed at business owners, supervisors and managers
to improve knowledge and understanding of workplace transport risks and their management. The courses have been designed for those who supervise or manage vehicle related activities in the workplace such as: delivery and collection, warehousing and storage, loading and unloading and eet and workplace traf c management.
Ms Sinnott added, “The content is suitable for all work settings including transport and logistics hubs, retail, warehousing and distribution centres, manufacturing sites, healthcare facilities and, vehicle testing and repair facilities.”
• improve your knowledge of the principles of workplace transport safety,
• outline how to achieve and maintain a safe workplace environment to prevent vehicle related incidents,
• understand the key steps to keeping people safe in workplaces where vehicle and pedestrian movement takes place,
• put Workplace Transport Risk Management into practice,
• reduce the chance of personal injury or asset
damage when carrying out high risk activities.
HSA Education Manager, Joanne Harmon said, “These short on-line courses will be of interest to those delivering driver or worker-related training on vehicles at work to learners. The group manager facility means that employers, managers or tutors can register groups of learners to
take a course and remotely monitor their progress.
Ms. Harmon added, “Learners can take courses during their own time and at their own pace and can download a certi cate of completion on passing the short assessment. Although not a formal quali cation, certi cation can form part of an individual’s training or continuous professional development record.”
To see the full range of HSA on-line courses on offer, browse and/or register as a learner on www.hsalearning. ie. If you are interested in further information on how your training centre/college can link up to HSA on-line learning or to register HSA courses for continuing professional development points, contact: joanne_harmon@hsa.ie.
some facts:
1. The top two causes of vehicle related deaths were victim hit or run over by a vehicle and victim crushed between vehicle and object.
2. In addition there were about 5,300 vehicle related non- fatal injuries reported to the Authority between 2009 and 2013.
3. Many serious accidents involving vehicles or mobile equipment occur each year in the workplace and work related vehicle accidents is the leading cause of fatalities and accidents at work with almost half (300) of the deaths at work reported to the Authority involving vehicles between 2003 and 2013.
4. The most common vehicles related activities associated with deaths at work were, driving for work, reversing, slow speed manoeuvres, coupling and uncoupling of trailers, vehicle maintenance, sheeting and unsheeting of bulk loads and loading and unloading of vehicles.
5. The vehicles most commonly involved were tractors, trucks and trailers, vans and specialised vehicles such as forklifts, teleporters, and excavators. Work sectors most affected by vehicle related death and injury were: Agriculture, Transportation and Storage and Wholesale and retail trade, repair or vehicles.
6. The most common causes of vehicle related injuries at work were falls from vehicles, being hit or run over by a vehicle and being hit by objects falling from vehicles.
The CharTered InsTITuTe of LogIsTICs & TransporT 7
hEaLTh & SafETY COurSES