One-fifth do not train line managers in health and safety

One in five organisations do not train their managers in health and safety, despite the view that they are often based placed to recognise and act on hazards.

A survey commissioned by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) found 96% of company decision makers agreed that line managers had an important role in ensuring the people who report to them are safe and healthy yet, despite this high showing, nearly a fifth (19%) conceded their organisations failed to train line managers in health and safety.

Twenty-one per cent said management failure had contributed to an accident happening at work. Conversely, 25% felt management failure was rarely responsible for accidents.

Most of the organisations that did not upskill line managers in health and safety competence were SMEs, IOSH said.

“As with all risk, management are accountable for delivering a safe workforce and performance – first-line managers for ensuring controls are implemented and middle managers for providing the resources to deliver controls and the leadership for setting direction,” said IOSH’s head of advice and practice, Duncan Spencer.