Who should attend?

Health and Safety advisers, Occupational Health advisers, Human Resource advisers and significant others involved in return to work assessments.

What will I learn how to?

• What the Fit Note means to the safety adviser 
• What the Return to Work assessment should cover
• The difference between short term adjustments required by the new Fit to Work forms and the long term reasonable adjustments required by the Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
• Step by step guide to the RTW risk assessments using illustrative case studies

What is in the Return to Work assessment pack?

1. Guidebook

• What the Fit Note means to the safety adviser
• Short term adjustments required by the new Fit to Work forms and the long term reasonable adjustments required by the DDA
• What the assessment should cover and a template for RTW assessments
• How to use ergonomic tools (RULA, REBA and ergonomic checklists
• Where to go for extra help

2. PowerPoint Presentation

• The presentation covers what a Fit Note is and provides a summary of the key facts of successful 'Return to Work assessments'

Course timetable and content

09.00 - 09.15  - Registration

09.15 –12.00  - Seminar

10.30 - 10.45 -  Coffee break 

Price

£79.50

VAT (@17.5%) £13.91

Total £93.41
 

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for an online Return to Work assessment seminar  booking form
Contact us for more information the Return to Work assessment seminar 

Venues

2010  - Early booking strongly recommended

6th May - Manchester Novotel Central - 09.00 - 11.45 

 12th May - Milton Keynes Novotel - 14.00 - 16.45

14th May - Salisbury White Hart - 09.00 - 12.00 pm 

17th May - Edinburgh Novotel - 09.00 - 12.00 pm  

21st May - Cardiff Novotel  - 09.00 - 12.00 pm 

28th May - Exeter - 09.00 - 12.00 pm 

19th July - Norwich Maids Head Hotel - 09.00 - 12.00 pm 

Posture and the back

2009
London Novotel - 27th February
Edinburgh Novotel 4th March
Birmingham 10th March
Peterborough 17th March
Norwich 18th March

What the course covers

The course covers the structure of the back so that the assessor can understand what happens to the worker when adopting different postures.

The assessor

Who should attend?

All risk assessors who undertake assessments of workers where postures are known to contribute to back conditions.

As an assessor you will learn how to?

• How to evaluate postue and the effects on the back
• Deal effectively with workers who report back problems when adopting work
• How to use Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tools
• Physiology and anatomy of the back and neck
• How to analyse posture using ergonomic tools (bodymaps and RULA)
• Workstation analysis – things to look out for
• How to select seating for seated work
• How to select specialist seating for workers with specialist needs
• How to design workstations for dynamic work (REBA tool is explained)

Course timetable and content

08.45 –09.00 Welcome coffee

09.00 –10.00

10.30–11.00 x

• x

11.00 –11.15 x

11.15 – 12.30 Posture

14.00 –15.00 Workstation assessment case studies practical

15.45 –16.00 Round up and questions

Price

£135.00

VAT (@15%) £xx

Total £xx

The price includes handbook, course materials, and refreshments.
 

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for online application form and course dates 
Contact us for more information

Preliminary requirement

Who should attend?

x

As an assessor you will learn how to?

To achieve the objectives the course is designed to be practical as possible, and to stimulate and encourage proactive behaviour and discussion throughout the day.

The course can be tailor made to those organisations requiring an in house course.

Course timetable and content

08.45–09.00  Welcome coffee

09.00 –10.30 x

• x

x–x Coffee break

x– xPosture

• x

x –x x

• x

x –x Round up and questions

Price

£135.00

VAT (@15%) £x

Total £x

The price includes handbook, course materials, and refreshments 

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for online application form and course dates 
Contact us for more information

Course dates and location

2009
x
 

Who should attend?

• The course is designed for staff that wish to carry out ergonomic risk assessments for workers returning to work and those workers who have special requirements (older, disabled and injured workers)
• This is the only course of its kind given by an experience ergonomist who is a national adviser to a wide range of Government bodies including the HSE

 What will I learn?

• How to carry out risk assessments for workers returning to work
• How to carry out risk assessments for older workers
• How to carry out risk assessments for disabled workers
• The course discusses real situations and teaches the delegate how to carry specific in-depth assessments, and will allow delegates to undertake compe

 Course structure

• Delegates are encouraged to interact and work on case studies together, and through out the day the group are encouraged to be as interactive as possible, to enrich the learning experience
   
• Delegates are encouraged to bring photographs or videos so that these can be discussed if they are of interest and time permitting
   

 Pre-course activities

• Delegates are expected to complete short pre-course activities and undertake  background reading which will be supplied that relate to return to work assessments and stay at work assessments
   

Course timetable and content

08.45 - 09.00 - Welcome coffee

09.00 – 09.15 - Overview of the course and introductions

09.15 – 09.45  - Pre-course activities and discussion as to what return to work assessments and stay at work assessments are.

09.45 – 10.45  - Return to work assessments and fit notes - using short case studies, delegates will learn skills which will be tested in the afternoon case study. 

Mid morning coffee

11.00 – 12.00 - Stay at work assessments for older and disabled workers- using short case studies, delegates will learn skills which will be tested in the afternoon case study

Mid morning coffee

12.00– 12.30 -  Summary of Return to work assessments and Stay at Work assessments

12.45–13.30 - Lunch

13.30–14.15 - Case study 1 - Return to work assessment - delegates will utilise what is learnt and put together a plan of action for a returning worker

14.15–15.00 - Case study 2 - Stay at work assessments - delegates will utilise what is learnt and put together a plan of action for both an older worker and a disabled worker

15.00 - 16.00  Writing a report and what should  go into it (post assessment)

Tea break

16.00 Round up and questions

Cost

£295.00 plus

Vat £51.63

Total due is £346.63

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for online application form and course dates  
Contact us for more information

Course dates and location 2010

2010
Leeds Novotel  - 16th September
London Novotel Waterloo - 23rd September 
Edinburgh Novotel  - 12th October

These courses are run in house please contact us for details.

Duration: 1 day

Course leader

Duncan Abbott, principal ergonomist, was naitonal adviser to the Disabilty Rights Commission and the Health and Safety Executive on drawing up risk assessment guidance for disabled workers. He was a national ergonmic assessor for the Access to Work scheme.

Who should attend?

Professionals wishing to increase their knowledge and understanding of the factors to consider when undertaking risk assessments for disabled workers and older workers, will find our new course both highly practical and relevant. The course also covers how to carry out audits of staff that have had Access to Work assessments. As many times these workers are believed to be okay but too often this is not the case. This is an essential course for those wishing to get experience of this area of assessment.

What will I learn?

The course is designed to give assessors a good understanding of how to undertake risk assessments for disabled and older workers and undertake audits of staff that have Access to Work assessments or returned to work with alternative equipment such as ball chairs.

The delegate should be in a position to utilise what has been learnt to help revise risk assessments, understand how to accommodate workers, and how to develop an ergonomic program that keeps older and disabled workers safe in the workplace

Course structure

The course is structured in taught models but gives time for the delegates to work on a number of short case studies to reinforce what is being taught. The course is highly interactive and questions are encouraged to enrich the learning experience.

Pre-course activities

Delegates are required to undertake a number of short activities before the start of the course:

• Determine how many disabled workers and older workers are employed by his or her organisation
• Find out how many have had separate assessments and what has been done
• Consider what a disabled worker is, and how old a worker has to be before they are classed as an older worker?
• Make short notes for class discussion based on two case studies, from his or her workplace,  one for a disabled worked, and the other for an older worker.

Course timetable and content

08.45 - 09.00 Welcome coffee

09.00 – 09.15 Overview of the course and introductions

09.15 – 10.00 Disabled workers and older workers (part quiz, part discussion and part pre course activity)

• Legislation (DDA and Age discrimination)
• Challenging myths
• What is a disability (sensory, cognitive, physical)?
• What are older workers?

1st group activity - Discuss the pre course assignment

10.00 - 10.30 Workability

• 4EQ model  - a quick overview
• Workability – the physical and psychological capability of the older or disabled worker (using the FIOH model)
• Promotion of work ability during aging and preventing occupational ill health
• Maintaining safe working conditions for older and disabled workers
• Access to work audits

2nd group activity - How can we use the concept of workability to keep older and disabled workers safe and productive?

 10.45 – 11.00 Coffee break

11.30 - 12.30 Risk assessment

• Workplace hazards
• The 4EQ model is demonstrated for - an older worker, a worker with sensory impairment, a worker with physical impairment, and a worker with cognitive impairment and -
  • Examines the physical aspects of the workplace - stairs, ramps and accessibility, hygrothermal conditions (cold, damp and heat), and sensory aspects: acoustics, lighting, comfort, communication systems, signage and navigation
  • Determines the daily living requirements
  • Determines what reasonable adjustments need to be made
  • Works through the personal emergency evacuation plan

3rd group activity - Using the 4EQ model delegates work through a short case study to reinforce what have been learnt about the risk assessments

12.30 –13.15 Lunch

13.15 –14.15 Solutions – an ergonomic program (utilising the 4EQ model and Audits)

• Implementing control measures (admin and engineering)
• Usign videos task redesign and job rotation is examined using REBA, body discomfort diagrams, and other ergonomic tools
• Involving older workers,  disabled workers and significant others (management, supervisors and colleagues)
• 4th Actvity - Relating solutions to Access to Work audits

14.15 –15.15 Solutions

• How to overcome workers limitations and match technology to the user

14.45 – 15.00 Tea break
 

15.15 –15.30  Final case study to practice what's been learnt thoughout the day, round up and questions

Price

Cost £295.00

VAT (£51.63)

Total £346.63

The price includes course materials, refreshments and lunch.

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for online application form and course dates
Contact us for more information

2010 

London - Novotel Waterloo - 17th June  2010

‘Very good pitch. Pace and content’.

Ray West, Hants County Council

‘Very enjoyable and very eye opening’.

Lesley Kelly, Scottish Universities

‘Whole course very interesting and informative’.

Margaret Hawthorne, Spila Services (IOM) Ltd

This is one of the few courses run by a qualified and experienced ergonomist and so meets the DSE regulations requirements, which requires assessors to understand DSE ergonomics.

All successful delegates will receive a DSE assessor certificate

Preliminary requirement

It is recommended that each delegate has access to a copy of ‘Work with display screen equipment’ guidance to the DSE regulations published by the Health and Safety Executive

Who should attend?

Staff who have been nominated to undertake DSE assessments and wish to get a good  DSE assessor training, as opposed to being just being taught about DSE legislation and compliance

The focus of the course is to be proactive as opposed to being reactive.

The course is suitable for those wishing to undertake DSE workstation assessments and it is assumed that delegates have little or no previous experience.

As an assessor you will learn how to?

• Perform DSE assessments in accordance with legislation and guidance
• Check that the computer equipment is suitable for the user and that the workstation is set up appropriately
• Understand how musculoskeletal injuries occur and how they can be prevented
• Be able to provide advice to the user so that he or she can avoid the risk of physical, visual and stress discomfort
• Be equipped with a solid understanding of the assessment process, which is backed up in the accompanying handbook.

To achieve the objectives the course is designed to be practical as possible, and to stimulate and encourage proactive behaviour and discussion throughout the day.

The course can be tailor made to those organisations requiring an in house course.

Course timetable and content (Please check joining instructions for exact start time and location)

08.45–09.00  Welcome Coffee

09.00–09.30  Overview and understanding DSE assessments

 09.30 –10.30 The DSE regulations in context – HSE legislation and legal duty of care

• 5 steps to risk assessment
• How to use checklists and self assessment forms
• DSE assessments for workers with special requirements ie expectant mothers

10.30–11.00 The workstation

• Types of DSE - desktop, portable etc
• Desking, storage and seating
• The DSE workstation set up –  for office, home and mobile workers 

11.00 –11.15 Coffee break

11.15 – 12.30 Posture

• The human body and posture
• Muscucloskeletal disorders (back pain, rsi, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain etc), visual discomfort and stress
• Work organisation and break frequency
• Work environment factors – noise, lighting, temperature, humidity

12.30 –13:15 Lunch

13.15 –14.00 Ergonomic principles to improve the DSE users workplace layout

• Basic principles and issues
• What is an ergonomic product – keyboards, mice, seating, desking and footrests
• Ergonomic products and postural aids

14.00 –15.00 Workstation assessment case studies practical

Looking at different DSE workstation user scenarios– delegates will learn what to look for, and how to improve work areas for:

• an expectant mother,
• a worker with an upper limb pain,
• a  worker with eye discomfort
• a worker with back pain and
• a worker with lower limb pain

Afternoon Tea

15.00–15.45 DSE workstation assessment practical

A short case study will be presented where delegates will be asked to work interactively to utilise what has been learnt on the course.

Delegates are then asked to complete a short test and to carry out a DSE risk assessment, all those that successfully complete this will be given a DSE assessor certificate.

15.45 –16.00 Round up and questions

Price

£250.00

VAT (@17.5%) £43.75

Total £293.75

The price includes DSE assessors' handbook, course materials, refreshments and lunch. 

The DSE assessor handbook covers:  DSE ergonomic workstation assessment, checklists and forms, DSE & HSE safety regulations, DSE user training and information, DSE ergonomic products (mice, keyboards, seating), DSE use and back pain, DSE user and neck pain, Computer keyboard and mouse use and upper limb pain, RSI, WRULDs, and much more
 

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for a DSE assessor online application form and course dates 
Contact us for more information on DSE assessor courses   

DSE assessor course dates and location - courses when full will be removed from the list

2010

Salisbury - White Hart - 24th August
Bristol - Novotel Central - 25th August
Manchester - Novotel Central Manchester - 26th August
Oxford - Holiday Inn - 6th September
Leeds - Novotel - 14th September
London  - Novotel Waterloo - 21st September
Birmingham - Novotel Birmingham Central  28th Sept
Glasgow - Novotel - 11th October
Manchester - Novotel Central Manchester - 18th October
London  - Novotel Waterloo - 26th October 
Milton Keynes - Novotel -25th November
London  - Novotel Waterloo - 23rd November

This course has been updated and now includes Return to work assessments for DSE users who are in receipt of fit notes stating May be fit for work

DELEGATE COMMENTS

‘Thank you very much for an informative and interesting training course on Monday, I really enjoyed the content and feel I have learned a lot. It was especially useful handling some of the equipment’.

Kevin Coley, CAFCASS

‘Many thanks for the course last Friday it was very helpful. The workbook certainly covers a lot of material. Once we have had an opportunity as a team to discuss the course I will be recommending that we arrange a date for you to come and run the course here’.

Paul Butcher, Health and Safety Advisor, Suffolk County Council

‘Thanks for running such a comprehensive training programme the other day. We are very interested in an in-house course’.

Joe Igbokwe, Corporate Health & Safety Advisor, London Borough of Lambeth

'Just a quick note to say thanks for the input which was extremely useful and presented in a succinct manner which enabled learning without all the usual peripheral nonsense. An excellent input’.

Health and safety advisor, Northumbria Police

THE COURSE

The course is designed for experienced Display Screen Equipment assessors who require further training and the chance to update his or her skills.

Typical course delegates include: health and safety advisors, occupational health advisors, DSE risk assessors, please contact us by phone or email if you would like clarification.

On the course you will be shown how to:

• Evaluate your organisations DSE risk assessment tools 
• Update DSE assessments for home workers, mobile workers, and expectant mothers 
• Update your knowledge in relation to DSE work, posture and musculoskeletal disorders
• Understand what happens to the user when he or she sits and be able to competently discuss this with the user
• Use ergonomic methodology (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment – RULA tool), body maps and ergonomic principles
• Select seating in the seating exercise
• Select products by understanding anthropometrics (body dimensions), ergonomic principles and the DSE user's body requirements
• Undertake risk assessments for disabled and older workers and instigate audits to ensure their well being

 Course structure

A  number of case studies are considered throughout the course of the day, which have been chosen as good examples that cover all the areas of interest (expectant mothers, home and mobile workers, disabled and older workers, and selecting the right product for the right job)

At the end of the day delegates will have time to reflect on what has been learnt and decide how to put this in practice.

Course timetable and content

08.45 - 09.00 Welcome coffee

09.00 – 09.15 Introductions, overview of the course and case studies.

09.15 – 10.00  What is a DSE risk assessment and  what should a DSE management system consist of?  

This part of the course will allow delegates to get an understanding of what other companies DSE management systems consist of and understand Level 1, 2 and 3 assessments.

10.00 - 11.00  Overview of ergonomic tools

RULA, Body maps and video analysis will be used in relation to the case studies that are discussed and examined. By using ergonomic tools correctly the DSE assessor will be able to quickly diagnose and correct postural problems, as well as use simple quantitative analysis to justify workplace changes.

11.00–12.30 Keeping the DSE user safe when seated

Why conditions occur (circulation problems, varicose veins, upper limb conditions, neck, shoulder, back and lower limb pain). This also includes - Return to Work assessments.

12.30 –13.30 Lunch

13-30–14.15 How to select 'ergonomic' products

What is myth and what is truth - the keyboard, the mouse, the footrest, wrist supports, back supports, foot supports etc. Delegates will learn how to select chairs and measure DSE users, as well as use RULA, body maps and video analysis to analyse posture adopted when using new products. By understanding how to select products you can save your company thousands of pounds!

14.15– 15.00  Job and task design for older and disabled workers

As more and more older workers stay in the workplace and more disabled workers enter the workplace, the need to know how to ensure these groups of workers are kept safe and productive is essential when using computers. We are National Advisers to a number of organisations including the HSE on the formulation of risk assessments for these groups of workers.

Tea break

15.00 –15.45 PRACTICAL SESSION

Delegates will have a chance to work on one or the other case studies in teams.

15.45 –16.00 Round up and questions

Cost

£275.00 plus

Vat £48.13

Total due is £323.13

TO APPLY EITHER:
Click here for online application form and course dates  
contact us for more information

2010

Salisbury - White Hart - 9th August 2010
Oxford -  Holiday Inn - 8th September
Salisbury - White Hart - 9th September 2010
Leeds -  Holiday Inn - 15th September
London -  Novotel Waterloo - 22nd September
Birmingham -  Holiday Inn - 29th September
Edinburgh -  Novotel - 12th October
Manchester - Novotel Central - 19th October
London -  Novotel Waterloo - 21st October
Milton Keynes - Holiday Inn - 17th November
London -  Novotel Waterloo - 24th November

Are you looking for basic or advanced  DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessor training, off or on site? If yes, we offer high quality, competitive, and accessible DSE user training.

Our training exceeds most other providers due to our extensive experience as qualified ergonmists and as practitioners we know exaxctly what to focus on and what the risk assesor needs to know.

Our aim is to equip the DSE assessor with the right skills. To achieve this our training method is to motivate delegates, so that they wll become involved with the subject matter and interact with the other delegates. This will allow all delegates to enjoy the day where the correct amount of information can easily be learnt.

The most common feedback we receive is 'time just flew', 'very enjoyable day', 'didn't realise there was so much to learn', 'your teaching style matched my learning style' etc

 We provide a number of other courses

• Return to work assessments
• Risk assessments for older and disabled workers
• DSE assessor - train the trainer
• Postural analyis and ergonomics

Feedback from Jason Drake – Devon County Council

Duncan recently provided a one day ‘Advanced DSE Assessor training’ course at our premises in Exeter. This was to an audience of occupational health nurses and health and safety advisers. The information provided has allowed practitioners to develop and understand the skill and knowledge needs for level 3 DSE assessment. Duncan provided an easy to follow presentation which supported the information that needed to be communicated. It was a relaxed presentation which facilitated discussion and information tailored to the groups needs. The information packs provided supported the Advanced DSE assessor training. I would not hesitate to use his services again.