Andrew Holt reports on how the directors of a broker went on a health and safety course with their client

Why would a broker voluntarily take off two weeks to go "back to school" and sit examinations?

The most popular answer would probably be "heaven knows", but this was not the case for two directors from Hamilton Robertson Insurance Brokers, based in Kirkintilloch near Glasgow.

Director Graeme Robertson and associate director Ray Holland attended the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (Nebosh) training course along with Ken Hendrie, from its client, Kelvin Bedroom Systems.

Norwich Union Risk Services ran the course in Glasgow with a syllabus which is - by anybody's standards - rigorous.

Students learn about the mechanics of health and safety at work, including how to write a health and safety policy; how to conduct risk assessments; the importance of training staff to do their jobs with health and safety in mind; accident investigation and workplace inspections.

In addition, the course considers some specific hazards, such as noise and vibration, working at height and handling dangerous machinery.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999), businesses need to have access to health and safety advice from a "competent person", who can guide an organisation's management through the legal requirements. In one example from this year, a manufacturer of food ingredients received a notice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for not having a competent person in place to manage health and safety. As a result, a member of the company's staff took the Nebosh course.

Holland says: "We had always felt that the cost of commissioning the services of an outside health and safety consultant was a major investment for a small business.

"So, it would make sense if we could give advice to our clients and help them to draw up their own health and safety policy. At the same time, it would give us greater knowledge to understand why underwriters suggest particular conditions."

Spending two-weeks away from trading was a major time commitment for the two directors, but it was felt to be a worthwhile investment.

Holland explains: "When we are competing with the larger brokers, having the extra expertise helps to demonstrate a higher level of professionalism."

Having a client involved in the same training course took the concept of professionalism a step further. After having used external resources previously, Kelvin Bedroom Systems felt it needed to have its own in-house knowledge in order to handle the demands from insurance surveyors and, in the worst-case scenario, the HSE.

Joining delegates from various industries, including oil and automotive, the pair from Hamilton Robertson went 'back to school' for the "strenuous" course, which culminated in a final examination, part of which involved an on-site survey with existing clients.

Choosing two clients from very different industries, Robertson and Holland conducted full health and safety inspections under exam conditions and reported back to the companies.

Not only did the inspections contribute to both men successfully passing the course, they justified the course in terms of client service, with health and safety issues - and solutions - being provided for both clients.

After getting through the course Holland felt that they had made "giant steps" in their abilities.

"It has also installed a greater health and safety consciousness that will enable us to nurture our own people as well as clients and to point them in the right direction."

But it has been in the client-facing role that Hamilton Robertson has truly felt the difference. Holland explains: "We feel more confident going into a new environment - in a manufacturing business, for example - with a better understanding of the problems affecting that company on a daily basis.

"Now, when giving clients advice, we feel more authoritative and are able to leave the client in no doubt about the legislation and punitive action they are up against with health and safety. And, as we expand our own business, we will see the benefit of putting our new brokers through such a course."

Already, the expertise gained from the Nebosh course has helped the brokers to help clients prevent some potentially disastrous breaches of health and safety regulation.

Informed opinion

In one example, a demolition contractor had been operating a poorly maintained machine. Once Hamilton Robertson had pointed out the likely view of the HSE on the matter, the client immediately took the machine off the job.

"Demonstrating to our clients that we have a more informed opinion means we can direct them to adopting better health and safety practices," says Holland.

Norwich Union regional underwriter Richard Daubney, who first highlighted the advantages of broker and client going through the course - is a Nebosh veteran himself. "You feel the benefits for years after. On a weekly basis, I still use things I learned from the course.

"For brokers, it can help them to understand why insurance companies have put forward particular suggestions for risk improvements; and this helps them to negotiate conditions with the insurer. Ultimately, this saves time and enables to the broker to guide their client through the risk improvement process.

"The Nebosh national certificate is a good lead-in course for the Nebosh national diploma and possibly the first step on the route to becoming a Chartered Health and Safety Professional."

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