Refresher Training: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Over time, even the best equipment operators can fall into bad habits, such as cutting corners, rushing through tasks, or just doing things "the way they’ve always done it." It’s not always intentional, but these behaviours can lead to accidents or fatalities. Add the pressure of deadlines and performance incentives, and it’s easy to see how unsafe behaviours can start to creep in.
That’s where refresher training plays a crucial role.
Even experienced operators benefit from refresher training. Skills fade, regulations change, and equipment gets updated. Without regular training, it’s easy to move away from best practice.
What Does the Law Say?
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, those who operate work equipment (excavators, dump trucks etc.) must have adequate training which includes keeping training up to date.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98), employers are legally required to ensure that all equipment operators remain fully trained and competent throughout their employment. It suggests that refresher training should be given when someone hasn’t used the machine in a while, after an accident or near miss occurs or if the machine/working environment changes.
Training Policy
Refresher training isn’t a one size fits all process. The most effective approach is to build a training policy around detailed assessments of your specific operations that should consider:
- How often equipment is used
- Where the equipment is used on-site
- Your site's processes and equipment
- Irregular machine use
- Any signs of unsafe behaviour or bad habits
To ensure that refresher training is effective and consistent, training policies should outline when retraining is required, ensure expectations are clearly communicated to all staff, and regularly monitor performance to address unsafe working practices.
Always remember that refresher training should be provided when needed and not left until the date it is due. Even though your accredited certification might state an expiry date of 5 years, some employees may need their refresher training brought forward due to several considered factors.
Contact us today to discuss how we can support you with refresher training.