Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, UK-based employers are required to provide ‘information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees’. This legislation forms the backbone of Health & Safety law in the United Kingdom, and states that employers must ensure their employees receive adequate training in order to demonstrate competency in any task they may undertake at work.
The challenge many businesses face is that there is no predetermined list of mandatory health and safety training courses. Training requirements depend on the industry the organisation operates in, as well as the specific risks, job roles, tasks, and working environments it manages. As a general rule, health and safety training should always be provided where there are significant risks present in the workplace.
This guide clarifies some of the many types of health and safety training that may be legally required – although employers are strongly advised to contact the Kentec Training Support Team on 0333 666 0555 for more personalised advice.
What are the Regulations Around Health & Safety in the UK?
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Assessing & controlling workplace risks and ensure safe working conditions.
- The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992
Maintaining safe, clean, and suitable workplace conditions with welfare facilities.
- The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Maintaining safe, suitable work equipment and ensuring users are trained to use it.
- The Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
Planning and safely carrying out lifting operations using suitable lifting equipment.
- The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Avoiding manual handling where possible and carrying it out safely when needed.
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022
Providing suitable personal protective equipment and ensuring it is used correctly.
- The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
Ensuring safe use of DSE through ergonomic workstation setup and breaks.
- The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Controlling exposure to hazardous substances to prevent harm to health.
- The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
Official reporting of work-related injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences.
- The Work At Height Regulations 2005
Ensuring safe work at height using appropriate equipment and fall protection.
Each of these regulations set out the specific training requirements that employers must fulfil. Employers are responsible for identifying the necessary training based on factors such as common workplace risks, the environment, and the types of tasks employees perform.
Which Health and Safety Training Courses are Mandatory?
Because there is no single course or list of certifications that every workplace needs, the training recommended for one company might look very different from that of another.
The baseline for deciding whether training is needed is whether a task or environment poses a risk. That in mind, some of the most common obligatory training courses include:
|
Course |
Required For |
Purpose of Training |
|
Staff who physically lift, carry or move heavier loads in their jobs |
Reduces the risk of injuries caused by poor lifting techniques |
|
|
Anyone who works at height, whether they’re using a ladder, mobile access tower, or a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) |
Ensures workers understand fall risks and the control measures they need to comply with |
|
|
All employees – usually with basic fire safety awareness for staff and more advanced training for supervisors or managers |
Trains staff on evacuation procedures, fire prevention and, where appropriate, the use of fire safety equipment |
|
|
Workers who handle any type of hazardous substance |
Teaches employees how to use, store and dispose of chemicals and harmful materials safely |
|
|
Selected employees who are responsible for providing first aid coverage in emergencies – usually designated first aiders |
Equips selected staff with the knowledge and skills to provide emergency first aid and understand how to react to accidents or injuries |
Most employers will need to provide role-specific training before new employees can begin work, with common mandatory training such as manual handling, display screen equipment, first aid, and fire safety.
Certain job roles and workplaces, such as construction sites, may require sector-specific certifications and accreditations, such as those provided by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
Why Do Construction Businesses Need Different Training Courses?
While the construction industry isn’t the only one that requires additional and often more advanced training, the risks involved, from deep excavations to sharp tools, heavy machinery and live electricity means health and safety risks are higher.
In most situations, that means employers in the construction sector need to organise:
- Construction-Focused CITB Health and Safety Awareness Courses for all staff
- CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) training for Site Supervisors
- CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) training for Site Managers
Construction sites will normally expect these certifications are in place before colleagues are allowed to access live building sites (depending on your job role), and to demonstrate they meet a recognised UK standard of training, competence and compliance.
How Can UK Employers Decide What Health and Safety Training to Organise?
Employers need to perform risk assessments to check which training may be required – although many also partner with professional training providers and health & safety advisors for independent advice.
During a risk assessment, the business needs to evaluate:
- Which tasks employees perform
- The hazards that exist in the workplace
- The levels of risk involved
The outcomes of this appraisal can help identify the right way forward. For example, an office-based employee might need basic fire safety awareness training and potentially training in the safe use of display screen equipment.
However, construction workers might require multiple certifications, including manual handling training, working at height training, and site-specific or job-specific training.
Jason Whybrow, Senior Training Instructor & Instructor Standards and Quality Manager at Kentec Training explains that:
“Health and safety training is about so much more than compliance, because it’s one of the most important ways businesses can reduce risks and actually protect their people. They record fewer incidents, have stronger safety cultures in their organisations, improve the confidence of their workforces, and meet the relevant regulations with ease – all because safety is built into their processes and induction training. At the end of the day, businesses have a moral & financial responsibility to look after their people.”
What Comes Next After Mandatory Health and Safety Training?
Once organisations have fulfilled the obligatory training requirements, it may be up to the employer to determine what next steps may further improve compliance.
They might decide to schedule refresher training courses to maintain certifications, provide support with role-based qualifications, or work with accredited training providers to identify other courses and programmes that would be beneficial.
The key is to ensure that training needs are regularly reviewed and renewed, and that when training is close to becoming outdated or new regulations are introduced, the company expands, or it takes on new staff, the level of health and safety compliance isn’t negatively affected.
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