ILO-OSH 2001 Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems 3.4: Define OSH competence requirements and keep everyone competent for the safety and health aspects of their duties; hold or access enough OSH competence to control hazards and run the system; run training programmes that cover all members, use competent trainers, give timely initial and refresher training, test comprehension, are reviewed with the committee and documented; provide training free and during working hours where possible

What does 3.4 require?

The employer defines the OSH competence the organisation requires (education, work experience, training, or a mix) and keeps arrangements that make every person competent for the safety and health side of their duties; the organisation holds, or can call on, enough OSH competence to find and remove or control hazards and risks and to run the system. Training under those arrangements reaches all members as appropriate, is given by competent people, provides effective and timely initial and refresher training at suitable intervals, lets participants evaluate what they understood and retained, is reviewed periodically with the safety and health committee where one exists and adjusted to stay relevant and effective, and is documented in proportion to the organisation's size and activity. Training costs participants nothing and, where possible, happens in working hours.