Specialised training appears to be one of the casualties of the worldwide economic crunch which is forcing many businesses to tighten their belts. According to consultant Eddie Crane, his company has seen training tapering off significantly since the economic meltdown several years ago. “We have to increase training, especially in the dangerous goods arena where there are no second chances. Too many companies are waiting for an incident to happen before realising they have don’t have the knowledge and expertise to handle the situation – and often it is then already too late,” he said. “Training should be a top priority at all the different levels of the organisation. Real safety lies in knowledge and in practice.” He said it was for that reason companies with a more proactive approach had a much higher safety record. “Not only do we need to refresh our memories all the time, we also need to practice what we learn. That way when an incident happens you are able to deal with it quickly and efficiently, keeping the impact to a minimum.”
