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.
