World Day for Safety and Health at Work - A well-trained hierarchical line is key.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) organises the annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Safeday) on 28 April. This day is dedicated, among other things, to the many serious accidents that unfortunately still occur every day at work. Because we too at Claeys & Engels want to contribute to a safer working environment, we would like to give you a practical tip to raise awareness in the workplace: Focus on your hierarchical line within your company and provide them with the necessary training, tailored to their role and function within the company.
Whoever is confronted with a serious work-related accident, situations of psychological discomfort at work or endangerment of health and safety at work as an employer runs the risk of being held liable for it. The same risk applies to members of the management (directors, managing directors) as well as other members of the hierarchical line within the company concerned.
The members of the hierarchical line must be closely involved by the employer in the elaboration and implementation of the wellbeing policy. Specifically, they must be involved in, among other things, the execution of risk analyses and the elaboration of preventive measures, which are taken depending on the results of the risk analyses.
The Code on Wellbeing at Work also includes some specific tasks assigned to the members of the hierarchical line, for which they are responsible, each within their competence and at their level. These include, for example, the obligation of the hierarchical line to ensure that employees correctly carry out the safety instructions they are given and to check that employees have the necessary competence to carry out a particular task.
Recently, we have noticed that, during their investigations after a serious work-related accident, the inspectorates increasingly check whether employers have trained their hierarchical lines on the respective tasks and responsibilities assigned to them by the Wellbeing Act.
The members of the hierarchical line should initially receive information and training on the same topics as “executive” employees, but the content of the information and training should, in principle, be adapted/expanded according to their position and competence within the company. However, in order for the members of the hierarchical line to be able to carry out their legal duties at all, it is necessary that the employer provides the hierarchical line with specific training and information on what exactly is expected of them.
Not only will such training reduce any future potential risk of liability, but above all it will create a certain awareness among members of the hierarchical line. All too often, due to their experience and underestimation of the risks, members of the hierarchical line do not always set a good example to the (less experienced) employees under their care. The awareness of the hierarchical line will therefore undoubtedly contribute to the safety policy of the company and consequently prevent (serious) work-related accidents.
Action point
Make sure that the members of your hierarchical line are trained on their tasks and responsibilities in the field of wellbeing at work.
With Claeys & Engels, we have been providing interactive and practical training for several years, tailored to the company and its particular needs, both for members of the hierarchical line and the management.
You can find more information in the training catalogue here.