This week Equity members from Northern Ballet took part in a health & safety at work training delivered by the Greater Manchester Hazards Centre. Workplace Deputies, stage management, and Equity members with experience of safety breaches were trained in H&S protocols, the safety duties of the employer/engager/venue, and how to organise their fellow Equity members to raise concerns and respond to safety issues.
Members who took part in this training rated it highly, finding the health & safety rules "clear and easy-to-understand;" with one participant saying it helped them understand "what I should look out for [in] a safe environment in the company and specific actions to take."
Campaigns and Education Officer Gareth Forest said “no Equity member should go to work facing the prospect of injury or an unsafe venue. But a safer workplace is no accident. That is why we are rolling out a new training module for Workplace Deputies and safety conscious members, to educate and organise members on basic H&S principles, ensuring they are able to raise concerns and prevent injuries before they happen.
"Safety incidents are almost always preventable, and almost never an accident. Its time to end our sector's culture of cheap solutions to dangerous problems. But we can only do that if members are educated, agitated, and organised.
“Keep an eye out for future training opportunities as well roll this module out across the union. Together we can make work safer"
If you are interested in health & safety training, speak to your Equity Official.
