Workplace hazards are one of the leading causes of occupational illness, long-term injury and lost productivity across UK industries. Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to identify hazards, assess the risks they present, and provide appropriate training for their workforce. This training hub covers the key hazard areas affecting most UK workplaces: COSHH, hand-arm vibration (HAVS), dust and respiratory risks, noise, manual handling, legionella, PPE, risk assessment and accident reporting. Flexible classroom, online and e-learning options are available for organisations of all sizes.
Training areas
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Covers hazard identification, risk assessment, exposure limits, control measures and PPE. Essential for anyone working with chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours or biological agents.
Hand-arm & whole-body vibration
Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005
Covers hand-arm (HAV) and whole-body (WBV) vibration, exposure action and limit values, risk assessment, control measures and the legal duty of health surveillance. HAVS is permanent and irreversible once established.
COSHH Regulations 2002 / Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Covers hazardous dust types including silica, wood dust and asbestos fibres, control measures, LEV systems and respiratory protective equipment (RPE). Many dust-related diseases are irreversible.
Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
Covers noise exposure limits, action values, noise risk assessments, engineering controls and hearing protection selection. Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Covers safe lifting techniques, manual handling risk assessment, ergonomic principles, team handling and use of mechanical aids. Manual handling injuries account for a significant proportion of all UK workplace injuries each year.
COSHH Regulations 2002 / HSE ACoP L8
Covers Legionella risk assessment, water system management, monitoring, record-keeping and Responsible Person duties under ACoP L8. Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease carry serious legal consequences for duty holders.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (amended 2022)
Covers PPE selection, correct use, maintenance and storage. The 2022 amendment extended employer PPE duties to limb (b) workers including agency and casual staff. PPE is the last line of defence in the hazard control hierarchy.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Covers hazard identification, risk evaluation, control hierarchies, documentation and review. Risk assessment underpins every area of workplace hazard management — COSHH, noise, vibration and manual handling all require specific assessments.
Accident reporting & near miss
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
Covers RIDDOR reporting obligations, near miss investigation, root cause analysis and corrective actions. Failure to report a RIDDOR-notifiable incident is a criminal offence.
Who should attend
Why workplace hazard training matters
Legal duty
COSHH, HAVS, Noise at Work, Manual Handling and RIDDOR all impose explicit training obligations backed by the threat of HSE enforcement, unlimited fines and prosecution.
Prevention over treatment
Hearing loss, HAVS, asbestosis and occupational asthma are permanent and irreversible. Training prevents exposure before damage occurs.
Reduce incidents & absence
Effective hazard awareness training reduces the frequency and severity of workplace incidents, lowering accident rates and sickness absence costs.
Demonstrate due diligence
Documented hazard training provides evidence of due diligence during HSE inspections, civil claims, insurance audits and procurement processes.
Build a safety culture
Training embeds hazard awareness into daily working practice, improving safety culture and encouraging proactive reporting of risks before they become incidents.