At the end of October 2015, the latest figures for work-related fatalities and injuries for 2014/15 were released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). As expected construction, farming and manufacturing featured in the top three most dangerous working environments but with a little digging, the HSE has reported a three year average of 9,000 cases of work-related ill health in the real estate industry.
The HSE statistics reveal that no workplace is immune from health and safety issues and remind us that under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers have a duty to ensure the safety and welfare of their employees (so far as is reasonably practicable). Every organisation with five or more employees is required to have a Health and Safety Policy and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires every organisation in the UK to undergo a pro-active process of risk management.
With the health and safety of its employees and clients at the core of it’s business, Knight Frank, an independent global real estate consultancy providing an integrated prime commercial and residential offering, joined forces with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) in 2014 to provide training in health and safety, first aid, fire safety for the company’s Residential Property Management Department.
The courses help build staff competence and as a result Knight Frank’s residential clients can be confident that on site facilities management staff are trained in industry recognised and accredited programmes. From Knight Frank’s perspective, increased training has been proven to improve staff performance and garner a highly skilled workforce key factors in maintaining an operationally strong business.
Jeremy Weaving, Associate Director of FM said about CIEH training: “We chose the CIEH based on price and availability, the product matched exactly what was required. We are planning to use CIEH services for the long term to ensure that all new staff joining the on-site team shares an equal standard of knowledge. In a busy manager role it’s extremely helpful to allow a third party to provide specific training needs to be provided by myself. Excellent materials and presentation, the trainers were very polite and professional keeping the standards of Knight Frank by adhering to our corporate image.”
Knight Frank recognises that health and safety training is a worthwhile investment and shows it’s commitment to staff and consequently to clients. It is a positive example of what organisations can do to improve health and safety for both their employees and customers.
[…] CIEH facilitates training solutions for Knight Frank – The courses help build staff competence and as a result Knight Frank’s residential clients can be confident that on site facilities management staff are trained in industry recognised and accredited … of FM said about CIEH training: “We chose the … […]