Published: 03/09/2021, 16:00
Health & Safety Officer Kelly Rush achieves NCRQ Level 6 Certification whilst working full time through pandemic
We are pleased to announce our very own Health & Safety Officer Kelly Rush has been awarded an NCRQ Level 6 Certificate in Personal Injury Liability and Absence Reduction. That puts her just one step away from a full diploma, which is particularly impressive when you realise she has achieved this whilst working full time through a global pandemic and helping the Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) department maintain the highest levels of support and service to the business.
Kelly joined the company in 2013 as a Tools Product Creator, and has worked in both QHSE and PI departments. She completed her IOSH Managing Safely in 2018 and in 2019 decided to further her career by enrolling with National Compliance and Risk Qualifications (NCRQ) to study to gain a Level 6 diploma in Applied Health and Safety.
Of course, little did she or anyone else realise just how challenging this would be when having to deal with a global pandemic in 2020. Kelly and all our QHSE team have been faced with extraordinary challenges to keep all our staff as safe as possible during this time, which makes her achievement all that more remarkable.
25 months on, Kelly looks back at her studies to date: “My first unit, HSD1 Principles of Health and Safety, was all about understanding both employers’ and employees’ duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. I covered risk analysis and assessment, accident investigation reporting, and giving competent advice to companies. It has made me more aware that employees don’t realise that they also have a responsibility under the Act to themselves and others.”
Her second unit, HSD2 Personal Injury Liability and Absence, proved particularly challenging: “on top of doing my normal hours I have had to put in long hours every evening and all weekends, but I have found it very interesting as it has taught me to understand Tort Law, Common Law, Civil Liability, and the difference between criminal and civil law. It also addressed work related stress and what we can do to minimise this within the work force, plus manual handling risk assessments using the MAC tools; this was new and has made me aware of how to correctly apply this method to our own risk assessments. I was also required to write policies and procedures for the business and based mine on snow and ice.
“I have enjoyed all the learning and gaining knowledge from this course and am also shocked that it has sunk in! I am looking forward to starting book HSD3 Further Workplace Hazards and gaining more knowledge. I am giving myself until Christmas to complete this and gain my full diploma in Health and Safety.”
Whilst the studying has been done by Kelly and is her achievement, she is keen to acknowledge the help she has received from colleagues: “I would like to thank Terry Bailey for his constant support and reading endless assessments to make sure I am on the right path, Geraldine Hunt for her support on one of the topics in HSD2, and Chris Nelson for believing in me and sponsoring me to get this far.”
Kelly’s line manager, Chris Nelson, Head of QHSE, comments on Kelly’s achievement: “Kelly is a key decision maker in the team and over the last two years has grown in confidence, knowledge and maturity and we are proud that she is part of the team.”
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