To help warehouse and logistics operations identify the causes of incidents and take preventative actions, RTITB will introduce a new eLearning course.
In the UK, 561,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury according to self-reports and 60,645 employee non-fatal injuries were reported by employers in 2022/23.
There is a clear need for MHE operations to conduct effective investigations, and act on the learnings, to help drive down incident rates.
Significant incidents may be investigated by a third party, such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
"To keep people safe, incidents and near misses need to be investigated by the employer in a meaningful way,” explains Laura Nelson for the leading workplace transport training accrediting body.
“Incident investigations should never just be about working through a tick list of actions for compliance reasons,” she explains.
“The focus should be taking steps that will find the root causes of incidents, so proper preventative actions can be taken.”
The new three-hour eLearning course makes it simple to train employees in the steps to effective investigation, even if they are not materials handling equipment specialists or MHE Instructors.
"t is ideal for those who are involved in health and safety and incident investigations, but may not have specific training in this area.
It can also be used to help warehouse operatives, supervisors, Instructors, and lift truck operators to gain a better understanding of the investigation process.
It meets the training needs of cross-disciplinary MHE incident investigation teams cost-effectively. And teaches how different roles within a company should work together for effective investigations.
The new course 'Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) Incident Investigation' also offers flexibility.
The self-paced eLearning can be completed online any time, helping to fit training requirements around operational demands.
Candidates can also return and revisit parts of the course if needed. A multiple choice Associated Knowledge theory test at the end of the course confirms learning.
The eLearning includes seven modules. Within these, it covers an introduction to incident investigation, root cause analysis methods, and steps to effective investigation.
It also looks at how to understand and analyse human factors in incidents. Importantly, the course covers how to identify measures to reduce risk and prevent incidents from recurring.
To make the course engaging and impactful, it includes highly varied content. Including videos, interactive content, quizzes, and case studies.
This more dynamic approach can help trainees to better retain knowledge. Those who have completed the online training will be equipped with the knowledge to conduct thorough investigations that help reduce future risks and support workplace safety.
Laura says: “Our goal is for incident investigations to have better outcomes, with employers implementing learnings to improve day-to-day safety rather than simply turning to refresher training as the preventative action.
"Alongside the correct training, supervision and management, targeted, appropriate prevention will ultimately save lives in materials handling equipment operations."
The new RTITB eLearning will be available from 7th October 2024. Companies can register their interest in the course now.