Health & Safety / Food Safety Courses (Evening or Distant Learning)

Mimojo

Hi all

Am hoping someone can give me some advice!

I hold a degree and masters, and was working for about 3 years in the construction sector (town planning) before I was made redundant. My sector is completed flat at the moment, and I have no chance of getting back into it.

Anyhow, after months of looking, I finally found a job to get me by in a shop. As luck would have it, after a couple of weeks on a checkout, an opportunity came up in the shop for someone in the area of health & safety / food safety / fire safety etc, and they offered it to me. Now I have no specific experience in this area, but I do have loads of admin experience, and felt that I did have plenty of transferable skills for this role, so I accepted it. Have been doing it for about 3 months now, and am getting on grant, my work have sent me on a couple of courses, and feel that I am capable of it and am doing well in it.

I want to look into doing some kind of course in this area to give myself a proper qualification. I was looking at one at the open university, just wondered if anyone had heard of it, done it???

Does anyone have any other suggestions of courses I could do? Am in the Kildare area so can easily commute to Dublin. It would have to be an evening course, or a distant learning one.

Thanks in advance!

norrie rugger

Did you ever get some idea, of a course?
Sorry for thread necro but I am in a similar situation where work has offered me the ability to study a H&S course but I have to source the course

Long Term Louth

norrie rugger wrote: »

Did you ever get some idea, of a course?
Sorry for thread necro but I am in a similar situation where work has offered me the ability to study a H&S course but I have to source the course

The most suitable course with a recognoised qualification is the UCD certificate in health and safety. The course is held at different locations throughout the country, each Friday morning from 9.00 - 1pm from Sept - May and broadcast via satellite from UCD. Not sure of the fees quite expensive I think, but the content surpasses most basic health and safety courses. Upon completion there is also an opportunity for advancement to diploma level if desired.

norrie rugger

Long Term Louth wrote: »

The most suitable course with a recognoised qualification is the UCD certificate in health and safety. The course is held at different locations throughout the country, each Friday morning from 9.00 - 1pm from Sept - May and broadcast via satellite from UCD. Not sure of the fees quite expensive I think, but the content surpasses most basic health and safety courses. Upon completion there is also an opportunity for advancement to diploma level if desired.

That is a problem that I am encountering though. Work will pay for the course but I will not be able to take time off. I need an evening based course

Long Term Louth

norrie rugger wrote: »

That is a problem that I am encountering though. Work will pay for the course but I will not be able to take time off. I need an evening based course

Explain to them that this is the best option for them, to show they are serious about H&S, and that other courses will probably be a waste of their money. It Might have some influence, otherwise a NISO certificate is another option, but not as recognoised and also expensive.

norrie rugger

Long Term Louth wrote: »

Explain to them that this is the best option for them, to show they are serious about H&S, and that other courses will probably be a waste of their money. It Might have some influence, otherwise a NISO certificate is another option, but not as recognoised and also expensive.

What is the NISO course, might be good to have as a plan B

Thanks for answering, by the way. Appreciated

Long Term Louth

Check out their website NISO.ie, should get you in. As I said earlier if you personally want to pursue H&S try the UCD Cert, as this leads directly to the diploma, the NISO cert although a good course may not be enough to pursue a diploma. Sometimes by paying extra at the begining it works out cheaper long term, explain this at work.

If you dont mind me inquiring what type of work do you do & has the companies interest in H&S suddenly developed or has it always been an integral part of thier operations?

norrie rugger

Long Term Louth wrote: »

Check out their website NISO.ie, should get you in. As I said earlier if you personally want to pursue H&S try the UCD Cert, as this leads directly to the diploma, the NISO cert although a good course may not be enough to pursue a diploma. Sometimes by paying extra at the begining it works out cheaper long term, explain this at work.

If you dont mind me inquiring what type of work do you do & has the companies interest in H&S suddenly developed or has it always been an integral part of thier operations?

We install equip and maintain equipment to customers of food product. Equipment is electrical and mechanical. Company wants someone to perform risk assessments on both the equipment and instals. Current equipment and new.
Also to have someone review current work practices etc

Long Term Louth

Someone with at the very least a UCD cert in H&S, should be carrying out risk assessments, especially in relation to mechanical & electrical equipment. Should there be any accidents or incidents, the area of competency (this is current legislation ) will come under scrutiny , if the person responsible does not have relevant training in H&S, then the company or the risk assessor will probably be liable. I would if I were you, make the company aware of their legal obligation, as it may influence the type of course you attend. Check out the UCD Health and safety website and see the list of courses. Also check out the HSA (health and safety authorities website) at HSA.ie. There is plenty of general information in relation to H&S law, stats, work practices, manual handling, noise, electricity etc.