Guideline

Training and Competence

OSHJ-GL-26

Version 1 Rev 0 Sep 2021 www.spsa.shj.ae

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Table of Contents

1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2
2 Purpose and Scope ......................................................................................................................... 2
3 Definitions and Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 2
4 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................... 3
4.1 Entity Responsibilities ............................................................................................................. 3
4.2 Employee Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 3
5 Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................ 3
5.1 Undertaking a Training Needs Analysis .................................................................................. 4
5.1.1 Identify the Purpose of the Training .................................................................................... 4
5.1.2 Decide the Learning Objectives and Outcomes .................................................................. 4
5.2 Determine the Training Methods ............................................................................................. 4
5.2.1 Induction .............................................................................................................................. 5
5.2.2 On-the-job training (Internal) ............................................................................................... 5
5.2.3 External Training ................................................................................................................. 6
5.3 Training Matrix......................................................................................................................... 6
5.4 Delivery of the Training ........................................................................................................... 7
5.5 Evaluation of the Training ....................................................................................................... 7
5.6 Refresher Training .................................................................................................................. 7
5.7 Record Keeping ...................................................................................................................... 8
6 Document Amendment Record ....................................................................................................... 9
APPENDIX 1. Example of an Employee Training Record............................................................. 10
APPENDIX 2. Example of a Training Register .............................................................................. 12

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1 Introduction
Training is a process that aims to provide employees with knowledge and skills to perform
their work safely and without risks to health. All entities should have appropriate safety and
health training arrangements to ensure that employees are competent to perform routine and
non-routine work activities safely through the provision of adequate instruction, information,
supervision and training.

All training should be in a form, manner and language that is understood by employees and
must include significant hazards identified within the workplace and how to prevent injuries
and disease.

2 Purpose and Scope

This Guideline document has been developed to provide information to entities to assist them
in complying with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health System in Sharjah.

To achieve compliance in the Emirate of Sharjah, all entities are required to demonstrate a
standard of compliance which is equal to or higher than the minimum acceptable requirements
outlined in this Guideline document.

3 Definitions and Abbreviations

Entities: Government Entities: Government departments, authorities
or establishments and the like in the Emirate.

Private Entities: Establishments, companies, enterprises

and economic activities operating in the Emirate in general.

Risk: Is the combination of likelihood of the hazard causing the

loss and the severity of that loss (consequences).

Risk Assessment: The systematic identification of workplace hazards and

evaluation of the risks associated. This process takes
existing control measures into account and identifies and
recommends further control measures where required.

Hazard: Anything that has the potential to cause harm or loss (injury,
disease, ill-health, property damage etc).

OSH: Occupational Safety and Health.

Competence: The combination of training, skills, experience and

knowledge that a person has and their ability to apply all of
them to perform their work.

Training: The act of teaching a person a particular skill or type of

behaviour.

Safety Training: Safety training describes the set of activities aimed at

providing employees with the knowledge and skills to
perform their duties safely, effectively and without risk to
their health.

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4 Roles and Responsibilities

4.1 Entity Responsibilities

 Assess the capabilities, training, knowledge and experience of employees;

 Identify the training requirements/needs for the employees in accordance with the
nature and risk of the work;

 Providing employees with OSH responsibilities and adequate training to conduct their
responsibilities effectively;

 Ensuring that employees are aware of the significant hazards in the workplace, are
adequately trained and competent to conduct work activities without risk to
themselves and/or others;

 Ensuring the provision of work related training, at no expense to employees;

 Ensuring that new employees receive safety and health induction training in how to
perform their work activities safely, including emergency arrangements for first aid,
fire and evacuation;

 Ensuring that employees changing jobs or taking on extra responsibilities receive

training on any new safety and health implications;

 Consulting with employees on their training requirements.

4.2 Employee Responsibilities

 Cooperate with the entity and receive safety information, instruction, supervision and
training;

 Inform the entity of any OSH training needs.

5 Guidelines
OSH training describes the set of activities aimed at providing employees with the knowledge
and skills to perform their duties safely, effectively and without risk to health.

Providing safety and health information and training will assist the entity to:

 Ensure that employees know how to work safely and without risks to health;

 Develop a positive safety and health culture, where safe and healthy working
becomes second nature to everyone;

 Find additional ways to improve the management of safety and health;

 Meet legal requirements to protect the safety and health of employees.

Benefits of effective training, include but not limited to:

 Contributing towards employee competency;

 Helping to reduce the number of incidents and ill health;

 Helping to reduce the financial costs of injuries and occupational ill health.

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5.1 Undertaking a Training Needs Analysis

A training needs analysis is a business process to determine all the training that employees
will need in a set amount of time to improve their work performance, including how to perform
their work activities safely and without risk to their health.

A training needs analysis reviews the progress of the entity training and development
programme and helps to pinpoint knowledge gaps that need to be filled, to enable the entity
to set priorities and create a learning and development strategy.

The entity should consider the following factors to conduct a training needs analysis, including
but not limited to:

 Identify the skills and knowledge needed for employees to conduct their work
activities without risk to their safety and health. Compare these needs against the
employee’s current skills and knowledge and identify the gaps;

 Review records of incidents, injuries and cases of ill health and identify areas where
training is required;

 Review risk assessments to assess where training has been identified as a factor in
controlling risks;

 Consider awareness training needs for everyone, including directors, managers and
supervisors;

 The training needs of new employees;

 The training needs of existing employees;

 Employees requiring refresher training;

 Legal requirements for training.

5.1.1 Identify the Purpose of the Training

The entity should identify the purpose of the training and consider the following factors,
including but not limited to;

 Legal requirements to conduct specific training;

 Contractual agreements requiring the entity to conduct training;

 The expected outcomes of the training.

5.1.2 Decide the Learning Objectives and Outcomes

The entity should ensure there are clearly defined learning objectives and goals, and then
decide on the skill sets necessary to reach these required outcomes. Learning objectives are
a list of things that employees must be able to do after the training is completed. Once the
learning objectives have been created, develop training content that covers the objectives.

5.2 Determine the Training Methods

There are different ways of delivering training, it can be done internally within an entity or
externally by a third party. The main types of training methods that could assist an entity in
deciding what type of training to choose, including but not limited to:

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 Providing information or instruction;

 Coaching or on-the-job training;

 Training in the classroom;

 Open and distance learning;

 In groups or individually;

 Computer based or interactive learning.

5.2.1 Induction

Induction training should be offered to new employees when they join an entity, including but
not limited to:

 A tour of the premises;

 Relevant safety and health information;

 Specific training on any duties/skills required to do their work activities safely and
without risk to health;

 Entity policies, such as how to report incidents;

 Emergency procedures;

 Introduction to colleagues.

Advantages Disadvantages

The employee should settle quickly into the Could be too much information to receive in
job. 1 training session.

The employee will be made aware of If not adequately delivered it could be run
important safety and health issues before too quickly and without input from others.
starting the job.

The employee will understand who the main Takes time and could reduce output.
personnel in the entity are.

5.2.2 On-the-job training (Internal)

On-the-job training is training that is undertaken in the employees’ place of work. There are
different types of on-the-job training which an entity can choose from, including but not limited
to:

Demonstration – Where an employee watches a task or a particular process being carried out
by someone else and then attempts the task/process themselves.

Shadowing – Where an employee observes another employee, that is more competent that
them, working to gain a better understanding of how they do their job.

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Coaching – Where an experienced member of staff will work through a task step-by-step with
an employee. The experienced member of staff or ‘coach’ will support the employee through
the learning process by passing on their knowledge and skills.

Job rotation – Where an employee is given the opportunity to rotate or move through different
jobs within the entity to acquire a range of skills from each department or work role.

Classroom – An entity could utilise internal employees to run classroom training for a group
of other employees. If this option is considered, the entity should ensure that those who are
running internal training have adequate skills and resources to do so and that the training
material is adequately prepared and developed.

Provision of information and instructions – This is a process where employees are provided
with information and instruction, without the need for demonstration or formal training.

Advantages Disadvantages

Training is specific to the needs of the entity. Quality of training may not be adequate.

Work is not interrupted by an employee May pick up bad habits from other
attending training courses, with the employees.
exclusion of class room training.

May be cheaper as internal training does Concentration may be poor due to work
not need to be paid for. interruptions.

5.2.3 External Training

External training is sometimes referred to as off-the-job training. This training is conducted by

specific training providers and can take place at many locations such as colleges, training
centres or online.

When selecting the external training provider it is important to identify whether the training
required for work activities needs to be accredited or not. Accredited courses are courses that
are develop to a specific minimum standard that is either approved by the relevant authority
in the Emirate of Sharjah and/or the industry.

Advantages Disadvantages

Higher quality training usually delivered by The cost of external training courses may be
experts. high.

Higher levels of concentration due to less Time consuming due to time being spent
interruptions. away from the place of work.

5.3 Training Matrix

An entity that has employees that require different levels of skills and knowledge, should
develop a training matrix. A training matrix is a tool that can be used to track employees’
training, skills and knowledge levels within the entity. SPSA requires the entity to develop a
training matrix that can identify employee’s existing skills and knowledge, in addition to the
needed skills and knowledge to help to provide a clear path for progress towards the
employee’s desired competency level.

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The entity training matrix should contain the following information, including but not limited to:

 The required training courses for each position;

 The frequency of training required;

 Planned dates of the training and estimated completion dates;

 Whether the training is internal or external;

 Whether the training is accredited or non-accredited;

 Expiry dates of accredited courses.

5.4 Delivery of the Training

The entity must ensure training information is delivered in a language and format that the
attendees will easily understand. The trainer should use a variety of training methods to
deliver the training material. Prior to the delivery of the training, ensure the trainer has had
sufficient time to prepare themselves, their resources and the venue.

The training delivery should, including but not limited to:

 Meet the needs of the employees attending;

 Be delivered in a language that employees understand;

 Be suitable for employees with poor literacy skills;

 Be adapted for persons of determination.

5.5 Evaluation of the Training

The entity must evaluate the objectives/effectiveness of the training and record the following
information, including but not limited to:

 Employees understand the training delivered;

 Employees acquired sufficient knowledge and skills to work safely and without risk to
health;

 The skills and knowledge acquired by employees are being applied in the workplace;

 Assessing feedback from line managers and employees who attended the training;

 There are improvements in the entity’s safety and health performance;

 Identifying any further information and/or training that is required;

 Identifying areas for improvement in training materials.

5.6 Refresher Training

The entity shall conduct refresher training for the employees periodically, including but not
limited to:

 Where training certification has expired;

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 Where identified as part of a training needs analysis;

 Where risk assessment findings identify training as a measure to control risks;

 Legal requirements;

 Where the findings of an incident investigation recommend refresher training.

5.7 Record Keeping

The entity must retain the record of the training of the employees. Keeping accurate training
records for employees will assist in effective management of training. This information can
assist with appraisals, opportunities, recruitment and training; it could even play a role in
making strategic operational decisions. An entity may be audited by SPSA and/or a regulatory
authority and they will expect training records to comply with their inspection criteria. Training
records should contain the following information, including but not limited to:

 Full name;

 Emirates ID number;

 Employee ID number;

 Full name of awarding body;

 Full name of the training centre;

 Full name of the training course;

 Date and expiry of the training certificate or award.

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6 Document Amendment Record

TITLE Training and Competence

DOCUMENT AMENDMENT RECORD

Version Revision Date Amendment Details Pages Affected

1 15 SEP 2021 New Document N/A

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APPENDIX 1. Example of an Employee Training Record

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Example of an Employee Training Record

Details of Employee
Name
Title and Position
Emirates ID No.
Telephone No.
Email

Training Course Training Centre Awarding Body Course Start and Expiry Date of Training
(If applicable)
Completion Dates Certificate or Award

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APPENDIX 2. Example of a Training Register

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Example of a Training Register

Employee Name Training Course Internal or Course Start and Accredited or Non- Expiry Dates of Frequency of
External Completion Dates accredited Accredited Training
(Individual or Position)
Training Training Training Required

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