Workplace Safety Policy Development Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Health and Safety Officers, HSE Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-OHS-074

Before you join: Participants should have basic familiarity with workplace hazards, safety responsibilities and routine control measures in their own setting.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Workplace safety policies often fail because they state broad commitments without assigning responsibilities, linking controls to identified risks, or setting out workable procedures for supervisors and workers. The result can be inconsistent risk assessments, weak contractor control, incomplete incident reporting and poor evidence that management has met its duties. A usable policy system turns legal and organisational obligations into clear rules, accountabilities, records and review cycles.

This 10-day instructor-led course teaches participants to design, implement and maintain workplace safety policies and procedures. Participants work through ISO 45001 principles, legal compliance registers, worker consultation, hazard identification, risk assessment, the hierarchy of controls, safe systems of work, emergency arrangements, incident investigation and performance monitoring. They learn how to distinguish policy statements from procedures, develop documents that people can follow, and connect safety requirements to operational decisions, contractors, procurement and change management.

Teaching combines focused briefings with sector-based case work, facilitated group analysis, document-review tasks, simulations and structured application planning. Participants begin building policy components during the first week, then test and strengthen them through implementation, assurance and review methods during the second week. Each participant leaves with a complete workplace safety policy package, including a policy statement, responsibility matrix, procedure set, implementation plan and monitoring arrangements that can be adapted for their employer.

The course is suited to safety practitioners, operational managers, HR professionals, facilities teams, project personnel and others who must create, revise or apply occupational health and safety requirements. It is particularly useful where an organisation needs to formalise an existing safety programme, address audit findings, prepare for ISO 45001 alignment or improve consistency across sites.

What you will be able to do

  • Interpret ISO 45001 requirements and applicable legal duties for workplace safety policy design
  • Construct a hazard register using task-based hazard identification and risk assessment methods
  • Select control measures using the hierarchy of controls and documented residual-risk criteria
  • Draft a workplace safety policy with defined commitments, scope, responsibilities and review arrangements
  • Develop safe work procedures, permit controls and emergency response arrangements for priority risks
  • Design consultation, training, contractor-management and communication processes that support policy implementation
  • Establish incident reporting, investigation, inspection and audit processes with measurable safety indicators
  • Present a complete workplace safety policy package and phased implementation plan for organisational review

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce policy documents that assign clear safety duties and decision rights
  • Lead structured risk-assessment discussions with supervisors and worker representatives
  • Recognise gaps between written policy, site procedures and actual work practices
  • Respond credibly to audit findings, incident trends and management review questions
  • Build a portfolio-quality workplace safety policy package for immediate adaptation

For your organisation

  • Clearer safety accountabilities for managers, supervisors, workers and contractors
  • More consistent risk controls across departments, locations and project activities
  • Stronger evidence of legal compliance, consultation and management oversight
  • Fewer gaps between hazard assessments, procedures, training records and field controls
  • A practical implementation roadmap for policy approval, communication and periodic review

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can define the purpose, structure and governance requirements of a workplace safety policy system.

  • Policy, procedure and work instruction distinctions within safety management systems
  • ISO 45001 clause structure relevant to documented safety arrangements
  • Board, executive and supervisor accountabilities mapped through a responsibility matrix
  • Scope statements covering workers, visitors, contractors, premises and activities
  • Document hierarchy, approval authorities, version control and review dates
  • Policy commitments translated into measurable management system requirements

Participants can create a practical framework for identifying and maintaining applicable safety obligations.

  • Sources of occupational safety law, regulations, codes and guidance
  • Compliance registers linking obligations to internal controls and evidence
  • Due diligence expectations for officers, managers and duty holders
  • Jurisdictional variation managed through local legal review and ownership
  • Standards adoption decisions using gap assessment and risk priorities
  • Retention periods for permits, training records, inspections and investigations

Participants can design consultation arrangements that inform policy decisions and surface operational risk.

  • Consultation duties before changing work, equipment, substances or procedures
  • Safety committees with terms of reference, agendas and action tracking
  • Worker representative roles, access rights and escalation routes
  • Toolbox talks structured around hazards, controls and workforce feedback
  • Reporting channels for concerns, near misses, hazards and suggestions
  • Closing consultation loops through documented responses and communication

Participants can identify hazards systematically from work activities, locations and operating changes.

  • Task-based hazard identification using job safety analysis steps
  • Workplace inspections targeting physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards
  • Process mapping to identify interfaces, handovers and non-routine work
  • Worker observations used to detect informal practices and control failures
  • Hazard registers structured by activity, source, consequence and owner
  • Change triggers requiring renewed hazard identification and consultation

Participants can assess safety risks and prioritise action using documented risk criteria.

  • Risk matrix design using likelihood, consequence and exposure criteria
  • Inherent and residual risk ratings recorded with control assumptions
  • Task risk assessments separating routine, non-routine and emergency activities
  • Risk acceptance criteria assigned to appropriate management levels
  • Control verification evidence linked to each significant risk
  • Priority actions selected from risk rating, legal duty and urgency

Participants can select proportionate controls and specify them in workable safe systems of work.

  • Hierarchy of controls applied before reliance on training or PPE
  • Elimination and substitution options tested during planning and procurement
  • Engineering controls specified through performance requirements and maintenance needs
  • Administrative controls converted into clear task sequences and hold points
  • Personal protective equipment selected, fitted, maintained and monitored
  • Safe systems of work addressing supervision, isolation and stop-work authority

Participants can draft a policy statement that expresses commitments, responsibilities and management arrangements.

  • Policy purpose, scope and definitions written for intended users
  • Statement of commitment signed by the appropriate senior authority
  • Responsibilities assigned from board level through frontline supervision
  • Worker duties, rights and stop-work protections stated clearly
  • Policy clauses linked to supporting procedures and controlled documents
  • Approval, issue, communication and scheduled review requirements documented

Participants can convert policy requirements into usable procedures and task-level instructions.

  • Procedure format covering purpose, scope, responsibilities, steps and records
  • Standard operating procedures written from verified task observations
  • Critical control points marked with warnings, checks and escalation actions
  • Flowcharts used for approvals, handovers, reporting and emergency decisions
  • Plain-language drafting tested against worker comprehension and usability
  • Document control rules preventing obsolete procedures remaining in use

Participants can establish policy requirements for foreseeable emergencies and coordinated response.

  • Emergency scenarios identified through hazard registers and credible worst cases
  • Response plans defining alarms, evacuation, accountability and external contact
  • Incident command roles assigned with deputies and communication protocols
  • First-aid needs assessed by workforce profile, hazards and location
  • Emergency equipment inspection, maintenance and accessibility requirements
  • Drills evaluated through observers, debrief records and corrective actions

Participants can establish controls for selecting, supervising and evaluating contractors and suppliers.

  • Prequalification criteria covering competence, insurance, incidents and safety systems
  • Contract safety clauses defining responsibilities, reporting and audit access
  • Contractor induction requirements matched to site hazards and rules
  • Permit coordination for simultaneous operations and shared work areas
  • Supervisor checks verifying contractor controls before work begins
  • Post-work evaluations informing renewal, corrective action and supplier selection

Participants can design competence and communication processes that support safe policy implementation.

  • Training needs analysis linked to roles, hazards and control tasks
  • Competence matrices identifying required skills, licences and refresher periods
  • Induction programmes covering policy duties, local hazards and reporting
  • Supervisor briefings focused on critical controls and behavioural expectations
  • Safety communications adapted for literacy, language and accessibility needs
  • Training effectiveness checked through observation, questioning and performance evidence

Participants can specify reporting and investigation processes that identify causes and corrective actions.

  • Reportable events defined for injuries, illnesses, near misses and damage
  • Immediate response priorities: care, preservation, notification and risk control
  • Five Whys and causal factor analysis applied to incident evidence
  • Investigation teams selected according to event severity and technical needs
  • Corrective actions assigned with owners, due dates and verification methods
  • Lessons learned communicated without blame or disclosure of personal information

Participants can establish assurance activities that test whether safety controls are present and effective.

  • Planned inspection schedules based on hazard level and exposure frequency
  • Inspection checklists linked to legal requirements and critical controls
  • Behavioural observations distinguished from fault-finding and disciplinary investigations
  • Internal audit programmes aligned with ISO 45001 management system requirements
  • Nonconformities classified by severity, systemic cause and required response
  • Corrective action tracking verified through evidence and follow-up checks

Participants can incorporate occupational health and psychosocial risk controls into safety policy arrangements.

  • Exposure assessment for noise, chemicals, dust, vibration and biological agents
  • Health surveillance triggers linked to regulated exposures and medical advice
  • Ergonomic assessments addressing workstation design, manual handling and repetition
  • Psychosocial risk factors including workload, violence, fatigue and bullying
  • Confidential health information managed through defined access and retention controls
  • Referral pathways for occupational health, rehabilitation and reasonable adjustments

Participants can specify policy controls for high-risk activities requiring formal authorisation.

  • Permit-to-work systems for hot work, confined spaces and isolation
  • Lockout-tagout procedures verifying energy isolation before hazardous work
  • Work at height controls addressing planning, fall prevention and rescue
  • Lifting operations planned through competent persons, equipment checks and exclusion zones
  • Excavation controls covering services, collapse, access and atmospheric hazards
  • Permit closure confirming restoration, handback and communication to affected parties

Participants can integrate safety review requirements into planned organisational and operational changes.

  • Management-of-change triggers covering people, processes, equipment and locations
  • Pre-startup safety reviews completed before commissioning modified operations
  • Design risk assessments conducted during specification, layout and procurement
  • Change approvals requiring risk controls, training and document updates
  • Temporary changes controlled through expiry dates and review responsibilities
  • Post-implementation reviews checking unintended consequences and control performance

Participants can design records and performance measures for informed safety management review.

  • Leading indicators measuring inspections, training, corrective actions and consultation
  • Lagging indicators analysed for injuries, illness, damage and lost time
  • Safety dashboards separating meaningful trends from small-number fluctuations
  • Recordkeeping schedules covering risk assessments, permits, audits and incidents
  • Management review inputs aligned with ISO 45001 performance requirements
  • Review decisions documented with resources, owners and completion dates

Participants can prepare a phased plan for policy approval, communication, adoption and review.

  • Stakeholder mapping identifies approvers, implementers, users and affected groups
  • Gap analysis compares current documents against target policy requirements
  • Implementation roadmaps sequence approvals, training, communications and assurance activities
  • RACI matrices clarify accountability for policy actions and records
  • Resource plans identify budget, specialist support, systems and time
  • Change communications address purpose, expectations, feedback and escalation routes

Participants can evaluate policy effectiveness and establish evidence-based improvement cycles.

  • Policy review criteria drawn from incidents, audits, legal changes and feedback
  • PDCA cycles connect planning, implementation, evaluation and corrective action
  • Control effectiveness tested through sampling, observation and worker interviews
  • Trend analysis identifies recurring events, weak controls and emerging hazards
  • Management review recommendations prioritised by risk, feasibility and ownership
  • Revision histories preserve decision rationale and approved policy changes

Participants can build, review and present a complete workplace safety policy package and implementation plan.

  • Policy statement assembled with commitments, scope, accountabilities and review requirements
  • Priority risk register linked to hierarchy-of-control decisions and procedures
  • Responsibility matrix assigns owners for implementation, assurance and corrective actions
  • Selected procedures address reporting, contractors, emergencies and high-risk work
  • Implementation plan sequences approvals, consultation, training, communications and monitoring
  • Peer review tests completeness, usability, evidence requirements and improvement priorities

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Workplace safety policy template
  2. Legal compliance register template
  3. Task risk assessment and hazard register
  4. Safety responsibility RACI matrix
  5. Incident investigation and corrective-action workflow
  6. Policy implementation and review plan

Who should attend

  • Health and Safety Officers — responsible for drafting, revising or administering safety policy systems
  • HSE Managers — need consistent policy architecture across sites, projects and business units
  • Operations Managers — translate safety requirements into daily supervisory and operational controls
  • Facilities Managers — manage premises risks, contractors, emergency arrangements and maintenance controls
  • HR Managers — align induction, competence, consultation and disciplinary processes with safety requirements
  • Project Managers — establish safety responsibilities and controls for project delivery teams

Skills and tools covered

Safety policy draftingRisk assessmentControl selectionIncident investigationSafety assuranceImplementation planning

Tools and standards

ISO 45001, Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, Hierarchy of Controls, RACI matrix

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce standards, policy structures and control methods, followed by case work based on operational, office, construction, logistics and contractor scenarios. Participants analyse sample policies, identify document gaps, draft selected clauses and test procedures against realistic incidents and changing conditions. Group exercises address consultation, risk assessment, incident investigation and management review. Facilitators provide structured feedback as participants assemble and refine their own workplace safety policy package.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic familiarity with workplace hazards, safety responsibilities and routine control measures in their own setting. Experience as a supervisor, safety representative, operational manager, HR practitioner, facilities professional or HSE team member is useful. Participants should be able to read internal procedures and discuss operational risks with colleagues. Prior experience writing formal policies is not required. The course does not require an engineering qualification, legal qualification, prior ISO 45001 certification or advanced incident-investigation experience.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need basic familiarity with workplace hazards and their organisation's operating activities. Formal safety qualifications, legal training and prior ISO 45001 experience are not required.

Participants should bring a current safety policy, procedure, risk register or audit finding if they can share it under their employer's information rules. They can also work from the course case materials if internal documents are unavailable.

It suits HSE personnel, operational and facilities managers, HR professionals, project managers and supervisors with responsibility for safety arrangements. It is also useful for teams revising policies after growth, incidents, audit findings or organisational change.

Awareness courses focus on recognising hazards and individual safe behaviour. This course focuses on designing the management documents, responsibilities, procedures, records and review processes that govern workplace safety.

Participants develop policy components, risk controls and implementation actions that relate to their own workplace. The final policy package provides a structured starting point for internal review, consultation and approval.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week builds core policy, risk and procedure components, while the second week addresses implementation, assurance, review and the final capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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