Work responsibilities - advice needed.

muddyl

What's your take on this?

I have worked for the same place for just over a year. Recently they have told me I will now be expected to do weekly/monthly health and safety checks. Things like walkway's, fire exits/extinguishers, first aid boxes, ppe, heating operating correctly, adequate space for students etc.
My concern is that they have offered no h&s training for this. Also, there will be no extra pay for these duties, would that be right if I could be held responsible should something happen and its found that I had failed to check an item? Should you be financially compensated for the extra responsibilities?
I'm not after extra money, but everywhere else I have worked have done something to compensate.
They've also hinted that fire marshal may be the next one for me too.

I already do more than what my job role is just to help out, but now I feel like they are pushing it too far.
What does everyone think of this?

jobbingmusician

Having a job is valuable, nowadays. If they are notionally allocating part of your working week for these responsibilities, I don't think they would automatically attract more pay.

Can you not approach them and ask what training you will be given for this new role? Say that you want to do it to the best of your ability, but don't know where to start to ensure you meet legal standards. Ask for a minimum of 2 days for online study, if they are reluctant to pay for a proper course (there are some reasonable resources free online!) A couple of days in front of the computer may highlight that you ARE, in fact, taking on significantly more responsibilities, and will need official training to meet legal guidelines/ good practice....

(I'm writing as someone who had to do a H & S review in a past job, and rather enjoyed learning the new stuff. It was also invaluable for challenging employees who came up with rubbish theories about the space they needed to do their jobs......)

ali-t

Have you asked for training or have they just not offered it? I would ask for the training and take on the role. You may not get any extra pay in this job but if you go for another job in the future this extra skill, knowledge and training may be what gets you the job.

I would be wary of taking it on if there is no training though

Yorkie1

I agree - I would perhaps also put it in writing that you welcome the opportunity to take on this new aspect of your role but will require induction to the details of what is required - ask them to confirm what training will be made available and, also, confirmation of whether the role will attract any legal responsibilities (that's not worded well, but I mean whether you are going to be the only fall guy if something goes wrong - or whether there's someone more senior in the organisation who officially has this role).

scooby088

I fulfilled many of the task's you are being asked to do in addition to my normal role, only thing is i volunteered to do the extra duties and i was given all the relevant training to fulfill the task's required. Plus i was also given a small amount of pay for those task's. But i was working for quite an enlightened employer even though my manager hated having to find cover for me for a few hours a week.

Sambucus_Nigra

I wouldn't ask for more training, I'd ask what qualifications do I need and when is the course that I'll need booked for.

planning303

you really don't need any qualifications to undertake a basic h&s audit over an area.

If it's anywhere like the places i've worked it'll involve them giving you a pre-printed sheet with 30 odd questions on it for each area that you need to audit.

You will be indicated the things to check and will be scoring the areas R/A/G or 1/5, you then email these results out to the relevent people.

You might however, if your seen to be keen and positive with the extra work get some further training down the line like an IOSH or NEBOSH qualitfication

... oh and fire marshal is another thing that requires about 20 minutes training, check the toilets check the canteen now go outsde with the rest of the people... simples ;-)

All these things give you great little bits to add onto your CV and i would embrace them with open arms if i was you (in the current climate lol)

muddyl

Training has not been discussed in detail yet.
It was first mentioned months ago, then dropped as they said it would not be needed. I have only just been told today that there are going to be my new extra duties.

I certainly want to ask about training and quals, but doubt they will help with my current employer. I was promised all sorts before (work for a college so training costs them peanuts) and have been refused at duey request so far.
My main concern is the legal implications. I will be happy to take on the extra duties with no extra pay, as long as I will not be held responsible. If they expect the onus to be on me then I would want to be compensated really.
My manager is in tomorrow. So i'll make a list of questions to ask. I believe he used to train h&s before, so may be willing to put of through a qual.

Acc72

muddyl wrote: »

My main concern is the legal implications. I will be happy to take on the extra duties with no extra pay, as long as I will not be held responsible. If they expect the onus to be on me then I would want to be compensated really.
.

You need to be clear what exaclty it is you are objecting to.

If you want extra pay then that is fine, otherwise do not mention money.

It is lack of time ? - if so, can some of your other duties be passed on to somebody else ?

Is it lack of training ? - if so, state that.

Is it that you do not want the responsibility ?

Either way, you need to be honest with yourself first of all and then you can decide what you want and negotiate accordingly.

ohreally

muddyl wrote: »

My main concern is the legal implications. I will be happy to take on the extra duties with no extra pay, as long as I will not be held responsible.

The employer can't delegate their accountability to you.

Who is the responsible person for providing competent health and safety advice at the moment and why don't they do this if you are reluctant?

An aside...

A troubling feature of the current government’s approach to health and safety reform has been the introduction of an artificial dividing line between so-called “high” and “low” hazard workplaces, and the introduction of a “box ticking” and form-filling approach to health and safety risk assessment in “low hazard” workplaces. This idea, first set out in Lord Young’s report published in October 2010, Common sense, common safety, has become a key plank of government reform proposals. Unions have been vocal in condemning this approach, not least because it demonstrates a worrying lack of awareness of the current high levels of injury and ill-health in environments such as schools, classrooms and offices, in particular a rise in mental health conditions and arm, back and neck injuries.

**Juice**

I was given this as part of my job a while ago and just did it without a second thought - no training or recompense or anything. I just took it as a reasonable duty to carry out - it was just a tick sheet that clearly listed what it is you're looking for e.g. fire doors in good condition, fire extinguishers in place etc.