Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

• Understand responsibilities for health and safety
• Recognise hazards, assess risks and implement appropriate control measures
• Investigate incidents and apply lessons learned
• Measure performance and foster continuous improvement in safety standards.

Day 1: Introduction to Managing Safely

Module 1: Introducing Managing Safely:

• Importance of managing safely
• Moral, legal and financial reasons for managing safely
• The manager’s role in health and safety.

Module 2: Assessing Risks:

• What is risk?
• What is a risk assessment?
• Principles of risk assessment (5 steps)
• Identifying hazards
• Risk rating systems.

Module 3: Controlling Risks:

• Hierarchy of control
• Reducing risks: practical examples
• Cost vs. benefit of control measures
• Implementing safe systems of work (SSOW).

Day 2: Practical management of health and safety

Module 4: Understanding Responsibilities:

• Employer and employee duties
• Health and safety law: key legislation (e.g., Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, relevant regulations)
• The role of enforcement agencies (e.g., HSE).

Module 5: Understanding hazards:

• Types of hazards:
  • Mechanical, physical, chemical, environmental, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial.
• Workplace hazard identification
• Specific topics:
  • Work at height
  • Fire
  • Electricity
  • Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
  • Noise and vibration
  • Manual handling
  • Hazardous substances (COSHH).

Module 6: Investigating incidents:

• Why investigate incidents?
• The incident investigation process
• Root cause analysis
• Reporting requirements (RIDDOR).

Day 3: Monitoring and performance improvement

Module 7: Measuring performance:

• Active vs. reactive monitoring
• Safety inspections
• Auditing health and safety performance
• Leading and lagging indicators.

Module 8: Protecting our environment (optional or as part of corporate responsibility):

• Environmental risks
• Waste management
• Pollution prevention
• Sustainable work practices.

Course Review and Final Assessment:

• Recap of key learning points
• Multiple-choice theory assessment
• Practical risk assessment project.

Assessment:

• Written/Multiple Choice Test: Typically 30 questions covering all course topics
• Practical Risk Assessment Project: Completion of a risk assessment for a real or hypothetical work activity.

Certification

On successful completion, participants will receive the IOSH Managing Safely Certificate, valid for life (though many organisations recommend refresher training every 3 years).

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for individuals within the UK housing sector who are responsible for managing people, property, and safety: ensuring they meet legal obligations and create a safe environment for staff, contractors, tenants, and the public.

Target audience

• Housing association managers:
  • Operations Managers
  • Housing Managers
  • Neighbourhood Managers
  • Property Services Managers.
• Asset managers:
  • Asset and Investment Programme Managers
  • Planned Maintenance Managers
  • Repairs and Maintenance Supervisors.
• Facilities and estates managers:
  • Managing communal areas, office spaces, and housing estates.
• Health and safety coordinators / compliance managers:
  • Those with responsibility for overseeing day-to-day compliance across properties.
• Project managers:
  • Responsible for development projects, refurbishments and capital works.
• Repairs and maintenance supervisors:
  • Overseeing internal trades teams or contractors.
• Contract managers:
  • Managing supply chain partners, contractors and service providers.
• Team Leaders and Supervisors:
  • With responsibility for overseeing staff, tenants’ safety or on-site teams.