Menu

Health and Safety News

Occupational health and safety news and guidance

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - how to keep up-to-speed

Photo shows a group of professionals at a training sessionStaying on top of your game is key in Health and Safety. Although other professions also require a set number of hours of CPD, H&S has one of the greatest direct impacts on people’s health and wellbeing.

More than 200 people are killed in accidents at work every year. The number of people injured is over 1,000,000 and over 2,000,000 suffer from work-related illnesses.

From Stress Management to Electrical Safety, Spillages to Lone Working, the range of subjects that the umbrella term ‘Health and Safety’ spans is diverse and important to ensure a safe environment for employees.

What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Development is the process of training and development which ensures that professionals are up-to-date with the latest industry standards and practices as well as minimising skills-fade - the natural deterioration of knowledge on a subject due to lack of practice or deployment.

The CPD Certification Service are the official awarding body for all different types of CPD across a myriad of professions and trades.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) says that “the focus of CPD is firmly on results – the benefits that professional development can bring you in the real world.”

What kind of training?

CPD doesn’t have to be awkward to undertake. Although traditional classroom training is available, e-learning and online training is becoming increasingly popular. In 2011, the global e-learning industry was valued at $35.6bn. It is predicted that, by 2016, the industry will be worth $51.1bn to keep up with demand.

Workers can learn at their own pace, wherever they like without the need to stick to times and locations. It is immediately accessible and cost effective, with studies indicating that, with the lowered travel and time costs, e-learning on average saves businesses 32% in training costs, with much higher returns available. The difference in carbon footprint is also massively reduced by as much as 99%.

What should I look for?

A quick search will make you realise how many training providers there are for Health and Safety. However, in order to make sure you get high quality for the right price, you should follow these tips:

  • Find a recommended and trusted provider
  • Look for specific areas of expertise to cover skills gaps
  • Check for CPD certification
  • Check for professional awarding bodies like RoSPA

Training Post in an online marketplace for e-learning. Check out their Health and Safety offering here.

Go Back



Comment