OTHM Unit 7 Health & Safety Assignment: Practitioner Role, Skills, Challenges, Training Plan & Ethical Practice

OTHM Unit 7 Guidance

AC1.1 Explain the role and purpose of a health and safety practitioner. (250 words)

1.1 To address this section, explain in full your understanding of the role: legal compliance (Regulations, ACOPS), implementing the PDCA approach (developing policies, risk assessments, communication, hazard control, audits and inspections, record keeping, continuous improvement). Use your own experience.

AC1.2 Evaluate the potential challenges and conflicts that face health and safety practitioners in the workplace. (250 words)

1.2 To address this section, explain the challenges and conflicts such as: Human resource constraints, Taking short cuts, Staff ‘Buy-in’, Management ‘Buy-in’, Us & Them, Meeting training needs and individual staff requirements, Meeting compliance requirements, Finding enough time, Dealing with a poor H&S culture, Proactive and preventative role (rather than reactive, inspection, ticking boxes) Use your own experience.

AC1.3 Describe the responsibilities and obligations of health and safety practitioners in promoting a safe working environment in an organisation. (250 words)

1.3 In addressing this section, distinguish between responsibilities and obligations. Responsibilities: PDCA approach. Obligations: Legal, Moral and Economic/Financial.

AC1.4 Outline the role of professional bodies play in supporting organisations to maintain an effective workforce of health and safety practitioners. (250 words)

1.4 In addressing this section, outline the role outline the role professional bodies play in supporting organisations; Explain how bodies support: Communities of practice (CoP), Communities of Influence (Col), Organisational and individual engagement, Professional development and training, Membership levels, Personal experience – Sense of belonging & Networking, Lobby and influencing legislators. Can refer to 1 or more professional health and safety bodies.

AC2.1 An identification of the skills required to manage health and safety in the organisation. (367 words)

2.1 In addressing this, cover a summary of the IOSH framework; Technical skills: H&S law knowledge, Core competency Skills: Influencing and persuading, Behavioural skills: Empathy, Collaboration, Active listening, Communicator, Keeping up to date, Informed and to inform others; Use your personal experience.

AC2.2 Assess the application of different management and leadership styles to address a range of health and safety workplace situations. (Max 367 words)

2.2 In addressing this section, assess the application of different management and leadership styles Transformational, Transactional, Servant in a health and safety workplace situation. Add personal experience where possible to formulate an answer.

AC2.3 Outline the range of communication skills required by a Health and safety practitioner. (Max 367 words)

In addressing this, communication skills are a behaviour-based competency and include: Verbal Communication (tone, intonation, presentation), Non-verbal communication (posture, hand movements, eye contact, written communication), Two-way communication, Providing constructive feedback, Active listening, Empathy (putting yourself in their shoes), Influencing and persuasion. Add personal experience where possible to formulate an answer.

AC2.4 Assess organisational skills and knowledge gaps (Max 367 words)

This section requires an explanation of how you would assess gaps in health and safety knowledge throughout an organisation through methods such as: self-assessment, appraisal, training needs analysis, etc.

You can look at the overall knowledge, skills and behaviour gaps in the organisation in a health and safety context. Start with a training needs analysis. Identify the broad skills and knowledge gaps from the training needs analysis and explain the deficits to formulate your answer.

AC2.5 Produce a health and safety training plan to meet the requirements of an organisation, legislation and industry best practice. (Max 485 words)

Set out clearly the health and training plan under the following three headings:

A. Organisation Needs & Training Priorities (Skills gaps amongst workforce and prioritise training)
B. Training Methods & Delivery
C. Evaluation of training

AC2.6 Outline how a health and safety training plan supports an organisation’s legal and moral obligations to health and safety best practices. (Max 250 words)

2.6 Set out separately in answer how a health and safety training plan supports an organisation's legal and moral obligations. Legal refers to the relevant Section of legislation in Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005. Moral should cover ‘duty of care’.

3.2 A. Learners' reflective account on their development journey (recent to the last quarter or four months) (Max 250 words)

3.2 Assess your strengths and weaknesses. State your significant learning point from what you have learned recently over the past 3-4 months, either from a workplace situation or from the course. Ensure you relate it to health and safety. You may conclude what you need to do, to better execute what you attempted to do at work, on the course, etc.

Read Teresa Budworth, Waddah Shihab Ghanem Al Hashemi, Reflective Learning: An Essential Tool for the Self-development of Health and Safety Practitioners, Routledge, 2014

3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5

B. Put together a Development plan, to include goals, objectives, SWOT analysis, and list CPD activities (Max 480 words)

2.6 Set out separately in each part of the plan: Goals, Objectives, SWOT analysis

3.6-3.7

C. Essay – based on the personal application of your professional ethics and your performance concerning the values of equality, diversity and inclusivity concerning health and safety in an organisation. (Max 750words)

3.6-3.7 Ensure you address what are the core elements of your ethical approach to working with and dealing with others.

State your values separately, addressing each in separate headings in terms of equality, diversity and inclusivity and whether these values can pose personal challenges or opportunities while working in health and safety in an organisation.