Health and Safety

The Business Unit at Kidderminster College has a wide range of Health and Safety courses to help employers meet their obligations and ensure that they are operating within the law.

Some of the courses are 'open courses' ie.e are bookable on set dates throughout the year; these courses can be delivered just for your organisation at a time and place to suit, eg in company or in the College.

There are some courses that we run just for companies, again delivered at a time and place to suit. Training delivered on a 'day rate' basis is often at a very cost and time effective way to train your staff; please call the Business Unit for details .

First Aid - Your Legal Obligations
Employers have an obligation under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACOP L74) to make adequate and appropriate First Aid provision for their workforce. It is recommended that someone is able to undertake First Aid duties at all times when people are at work.

Having staff trained in First Aid will help reduce the effects and seriousness of any accidents or injuries that occur in the workplace and will also provide all staff with peace of mind. The information below details the HSE guidelines for the training of staff for First Aid:

Low Risk Companies
Eg general office environment, shops:

Number of Employees
Fewer than 50 At least one appointed person
50-100 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider
More than 100 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider for every 100 people employed

Medium Risk Companies
Eg light engineering, assembly work, warehousing

Number of Employees
Fewer than 20 At least one appointed person
20-100 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider for every 50 staff employed
More than 100 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider for every 100 people employed

High Risk Companies
Eg most construction companies, chemicals, working with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments:

Number of Employees
Fewer than 5 At least one appointed person
5-50 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider
More than 50 At least one Full Certificated First Aid at Work first aider for every 50 people employed


Food Hygiene- Your Legal Obligations
It is a legal requirement that the Proprietor of a food business shall ensure that food handlers engaged in the food business are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities.

Anyone involved in a food business who handles or prepares food, whether open (unwrapped) or packaged (including drink and ice) is deemed a food handler.
Persons who handle low risk foods or wrapped food only must have instruciton in the Essentials of Food Hygiene on commencement of employment and Hygiene Awareness Instruction with 4 weeks.

Persons who prepare open 'high risk' foods will need to attend a formal training course leading to a Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene or an equivalent standard of training within 3 months of starting work.

What Next?
Please contact the Business Unit on 01562 512029 for further details.