Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for Trade Unions Training Course

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for Trade Unions Training Course

Introduction

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for Trade Unions is a critical capacity-building program designed to strengthen worker protection, workplace safety culture, risk prevention systems, and labour rights advocacy in modern industries. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for Trade Unions Training Course equips participants with the competencies needed to identify hazards, assess risks, and enforce safe working conditions, injury prevention, and occupational risk management systems across all sectors.

The course also focuses on empowering unions to become proactive stakeholders in occupational risk assessment, workplace inspections, incident investigation, and collective bargaining for health and safety clauses. Participants will develop skills in hazard identification, ergonomics, psychosocial risk control, emergency preparedness, and safety audits, while learning how to engage employers and regulatory bodies effectively. 

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

1. Strengthen knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws and ILO conventions
2. Build capacity in workplace hazard identification and risk assessment
3. Develop skills in incident reporting, accident investigation, and root cause analysis
4. Enhance understanding of industrial hygiene and exposure control
5. Promote psychosocial risk management and workplace mental health awareness
6. Enable effective safety audits and workplace inspections
7. Strengthen union negotiation skills for OSH clauses in collective bargaining agreements
8. Improve understanding of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) standards and compliance
9. Build capacity in emergency preparedness and disaster response planning
10. Strengthen advocacy for decent work and safe working environments
11. Develop leadership in worker participation in safety committees
12. Enhance understanding of ergonomics and injury prevention strategies
13. Promote a culture of zero harm, safety leadership, and continuous improvement systems

Target Audience

1. Trade union leaders and executive members 
2. Shop stewards and workplace representatives 
3. Health and safety committee members 
4. Labour inspectors and compliance officers 
5. Industrial relations officers 
6. Human resource and welfare officers 
7. Occupational health practitioners and safety officers 
8. Workers in high-risk industries (construction, manufacturing, mining, transport) 

Course Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Occupational Health and Safety

• History and evolution of OHS and labour protection systems 
• Key concepts: hazard, risk, exposure, control measures 
• International Labour Organization (ILO) standards overview 
• Employer and worker responsibilities in safety compliance 
• Case Study: Analysis of a construction site collapse due to weak safety enforcement 

Module 2: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

• Types of workplace hazards (physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic) 
• Risk assessment frameworks and matrices 
• Workplace hazard mapping techniques 
• Reporting unsafe conditions and near-miss incidents 
• Case Study: Factory chemical exposure incident and preventive risk mapping 

Module 3: Occupational Accidents and Incident Investigation

• Accident reporting procedures and documentation 
• Root cause analysis (RCA) methods 
• Human error vs system failure analysis 
• Corrective and preventive action plans (CAPA) 
• Case Study: Machinery-related injury in a manufacturing plant 

Module 4: Industrial Hygiene and Exposure Control

• Airborne contaminants, noise, and vibration hazards 
• Exposure limits and monitoring systems 
• Engineering vs administrative controls 
• Workplace sanitation and ventilation systems 
• Case Study: Hearing loss prevention in a textile factory 

Module 5: PPE and Safety Compliance Systems

• Types and standards of Personal Protective Equipment 
• Proper use, maintenance, and limitations of PPE 
• Employer obligations for PPE provision 
• Compliance monitoring and enforcement strategies 
• Case Study: Non-compliance PPE use in a construction project 

Module 6: Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health at Work

• Workplace stress, harassment, and burnout 
• Violence and bullying prevention policies 
• Mental health awareness and support systems 
• Role of unions in psychosocial safety 
• Case Study: Call center burnout and productivity decline 

Module 7: Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management

• Fire safety, evacuation procedures, and drills 
• First aid and emergency response systems 
• Disaster risk reduction planning 
• Crisis communication and coordination 
• Case Study: Industrial fire outbreak response in a warehouse facility 

Module 8: Trade Unions and Safety Advocacy

• Collective bargaining for safety rights 
• Building safety committees and worker participation 
• Labour inspections and compliance enforcement 
• Advocacy for stronger national OSH policies 
• Case Study: Successful union-led safety reform in a mining company 

Training Methodology

This course employs a participatory and hands-on approach to ensure practical learning, including:

• Interactive lectures and presentations.
• Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
• Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
• Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
• Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
• Expert-led Q&A sessions.
• Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@fineskilltrainingcenter.org or call +254769199797 

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

 We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to Fineskill Training Center account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.