SWITCH Forum has been closing out their year-end activities. We are delighted to have successfully delivered a high quality and well received course for supervisor and team leaders and module 1 is soon to finish but the follow-on module 2 is scheduled for next couple of months. We are also putting finishing touches to our short videos clips highlighting the impacts and dangers of violence and aggression against employees in the resources and waste sector.

We have been planning our new webinar program and hope to be covering issues such as impacts of accidents and incidents on companies and their staff, safe maintenance of plant and equipment, use of digital technologies to engage staff and manage risk around health and safety dangers around operational sites and the importance of continued learning and development of training support to assist workers throughout their careers.

We will be fully engaged with Skills Development Scotland on updating and developing the modern apprenticeship (MA) for the sector. MA play a key role in pour sector, but we need to ensure they are well designed, supported the correct way and attractive to apprentices, employers and trainers to ensure their success.

We are always looking for volunteers to assist and help with tasks throughout the year. SWITCH Forum is also dependent on third party funding, and we are willing to enter discussions with any organisation who may wish to support or sponsor work streams within SWITCH. Finally, we would like to thanks those who have supported us to date and look forward to welcoming new SWITCH members throughout 2023. If you believe that someone would benefit from the materials and support that SWITCH provides, then simply encourage them to go to the website and sign up for free.

Violence and aggression at work can have a serious impact on your workers physical and mental health. This HSE guidance will help you assess the risks, put the right controls in place to protect workers and report incidents and learn from them.  Our front-line workers face this type of unacceptable behaviour on a far too regular basis. The incidents themselves are worrying in terms of the dangers they create for staff and other members of the general public, but many don’t think about the short- and long-term mental health and wellbeing impacts on those on the those facing aggression.

SWITCH Forum will soon be launching a new campaign to raise people’s awareness to the issues of violence and aggression so watch this space for more updates and assets to use to make more aware of the impacts of these thoughtless acts of aggression.

HSE refreshed guidance on violence at work to help you protect your workers to:

  • Simplify the navigation to help you easily find the information you need
  • Remove outdated content and replace it with up-to-date practical guidance
  • Remind you that HSE’s definition of violence includes aggression, such as verbal abuse or threats – this can be face to face, online or over the phone

 

Delighted to hear that the Chartered Institute of Waste Management have launched a new “Technical Grade Membership”.

Previously CIWM’s Chartered membership was for graduates but it is great to see the recognition of technical qualifications (CoTC).

CIWM’s Technical Membership represents the significant technical skills acquired by technical and operational staff. Its shows a commitment to professional development and building a successful career in the resources and waste sector.

The grade also recognises the newly emerging skills required for our sector to thrive as we transition to meet government net zero and zero waste targets.

Previously CIWM’s Chartered membership was for graduates but it is great to see the recognition of technical qualifications (CoTC). The Technical grade will enable CIWM to meet the resource and waste sector’s growing demand to professionalise specific technical ability, and serve as an alternative to the Associate grade.

Find out more about how to apply through CIWM here.