Key personnel
can be trained in how to identify hazards
and how to monitor work place safety.
Litigations are now much more common
than prosecutions. Recent examples include
several of more than $5 million. Such
cases are taken under the duty of care
required by various laws.
Employers with
staff trained to A/NZ standards have a
commercial advantage. This means
that they can gain work where non qualified
staff will be rated as unsuitable for
the work. A 5% gain in revenue through
having highly skilled staff is a bonus
that cannot be ignored. For example, qualified
personnel in height work, confined spaces,
job task analysis and plant operation
will have a clear advantage over untrained
people.
Qualified staff
help improve the profitability
of the typical business through being
much more conscious of the need to focus
on goals and quality. A 5% saving in payroll
costs would be an important financial
gain.
ACC offers workplace
safety management practices discount of
10% to a wide range of hazardous
industries where two of the key staff
have been through a recognised training
course and an application has been lodged.
Insurers are
also likely to reduce the excesses
where workers are less likely to cause
damage to plant and equipment through
high quality training. For example, some
insurers will allow a reduction to as
little as $200 where workers have been
trained to high standards. If there is
one claim per annum and if the excess
is reduced from say $2000, to $200, this
is significant.
