Everybody who works for NIOSH is responsible for getting HSE right. Good HSE performance and the health, safety and security of everyone who works for us are critical to the success of our business.

Our goals are simply stated – no accidents, no harm to people, and no damage to the environment.

We will produce quality products and services that can be used safely by our customers.

We will:

• consult, listen and respond openly and constructively to our customers, employees, neighbors, regulators and our other stakeholders.

• work with others – our partners, suppliers, competitors and regulators – to raise the standards of our industry

• maintain a safe workplace and we plan our work and perform it safely.  We take responsibility for the safety of ourselves, coworkers, and guests.

• as a minimum, comply with all applicable laws and regulations and any other requirements to which to company subscribes

• openly report our performance, good and bad

• recognize those who contribute to improved HSE performance

We are committed to continual improvement of our HSE performance and management system. Our business plans include measurable HSE targets. We are all committed to meeting them.

The Board of Directors
Feb, 2024

Quality Assurance (QA) is the process of ensuring that training delivery and assessment practice is monitored in order to ensure that they meet our partners. At NIOSH, we operate a quality assurance policy to maintain the consistency and accuracy of assessments and ensure continual development of our working practices, resources, processes and procedures. This supports our aim to encourage and enable knowledge gathering and realize achievement through quality delivery.

We regularly monitor all of our courses. Our General Director frequently reviews all training delivery taking place in the center and Quality Assurance is carried out on an on-going basis to ensure consistent assessment standards are maintained following accrediting organizations and other awarding bodies’ guidelines.

Purpose: To meet the requirements placed on us by;

• Our accrediting organizations;
• Other awarding bodies;
• Our students;
• Our partners etc.

To support all employees to have excellent working practices via provision of formative training, supervision and observation processes.

To support and develop tutors in their working practices by affording them the opportunity to receive critically supportive comment on the assessment decisions reached on portfolio evidence and training/teaching techniques applied

To ensure provision of secure, hospitable, inspiring and engaging settings for learners.

To provide a continuous check on the consistency and quality of delivery and the consistency, quality and fairness of marking, grading and overall assessment of learner evidence

To ensure that valid, consistent assessment decisions are reached and external requirements are fully met.

To develop and maintain internal and external associations based on quality and integrity.

Scope

All employees, tutors and students; Quality Assurance of any work practices, documents and evidence that impact on the delivery, examination and assessment of qualifications and training supplied by NIOSH.

Roles and Responsibilities

Our General Director is responsible for ensuring that;

• The quality requirements of our accrediting organizations, other awarding bodies and partners are met in the delivery and assessment of qualifications;
• Quality Assurance policy and procedures are sufficient, regularly reviewed and known, understood and implemented by all;
• All employees and tutors involved in the processes of delivery of services are appropriately trained and qualified through provision of rigorous recruitment processes, induction training and continual development;
• All employees and tutors involved in QA processes are appropriately trained and qualified through provision of rigorous recruitment processes, induction training and continual development.

Employees and tutors involved in induction of students are responsible for ensuring:

• Checking the identity of the student;
• All paperwork is fully and accurately completed;
• Students are inducted into their chosen program in a way that meets their needs.

Tutors are responsible for ensuring that:

• Candidates/learners are aware of;
  • The different types of evidence that they can collect to prove competence of knowledge and working practices;
  • Their responsibilities in the collection, authentication and presentation of evidence;
• The candidates/learners are fully supported throughout the term of their qualification. This should include:
  • Assessing the persons learning style and discussing their preferred ways of learning
  • Effective management evidence gathering, assessment and attainment
  • Agreeing and recording assessment and visit plans for each person
  • Completing regular reviews with the person and their employer to review progress and agree new targets
  • Providing the person with prompt, accurate, formative and summative feedback.
  • Demonstration of anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities
  • Maintenance of confidentiality and compliance with the data protection.
• They observe learners’ performance through formative assessment and/or in simulated situations, and/or conduct other forms of assessment in accordance with the qualification and unit standards and the accrediting organizations
  • ensuring validity, authenticity, currency and sufficiency of evidence
  • maintaining appropriate, accurate and verifiable records
  • confirming that learners have demonstrated competence/knowledge and have completed the required documentation

• As required they make themselves available and organize for their students to be available to the General Director and external Quality Assurers from our accrediting organizations and other awarding bodies.

Quality Assurers: Quality assurers are responsible for:

• Ensuring that they lead, advise and support the tutors allocated to them through;
• Ensuring adherence to the principles of assessment and guidance provided by the center;
• Providing guidance on the interpretation and application of assessment criteria correctly and consistently applied;
• Observation and supply of formative feedback on working practices;
• Sampling of assessment activities such as assessment decisions, formative feedback supplied, completion of portfolio documents, student evaluation forms etc
• Ensuring assessors have opportunities for updating and developing their professional competence;
• Carrying out a quality audit of the documentation used within and format of the training courses;
• Supporting, countersigning, dating assessments and quality assuring judgments by assessors and Quality Assurers not holding the appropriate assessor/Quality Assurer qualifications as approved and specified by the Regulatory Authorities.
• Supporting the Training Center to meet its goals by;
  • Undertaking an active role in raising issues of good practice in assessment;
  • Ensuring that equal opportunities and anti‐discriminatory practices are upheld in the assessment process;
  • Liaising with other QAs and the External Quality Assurer to implement the requirements of the assessment system;
  • Ensuring that all Learners’ achievement records and Center documentation are completed in accordance with requirements;
  • Attending regular QA meetings.

Policy Implementation

• The QA policy must be applied to every program with work that is internally assessed and which contributes to the final assessment outcome of a student.
• Tutors and Quality Assurers will be given sufficient time, resources and authority to perform their roles and responsibilities effectively.

Qualifications

• Only appropriately qualified and experienced tutors must carry out un-supported assessment. All tutors must have significant experience in the sector of the qualification
• Appropriately qualified staff must carry out all internal quality assurance.

Observations

All tutors will have at least one observation per year by their allocated QA

QA observation should include;

• Sight of Learning Plan
• Agreement of objectives for the meeting/visit/session
• Student performance and stretching
• Questioning / Assessment / Training / Self-guided learning
• Formative feedback

The Board of Directors
Feb, 2024

NIOSH recognizes that equality of opportunity and valuing diversity are essentially important.

This policy covers equality and diversity in relation to: gender, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, nationality, national origin, sexuality, religion or belief, marital status, trade union or political party membership, social class, pregnancy and maternity.

• Our equality policy applies to NIOSH staff, our customer service and the delivery of our operations; following relevant equality and discrimination laws.
• All employees and candidates who take part-time, full-time and temporary will be treated fairly and equally.
• Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability.
• All employees will be assisted and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilized to maximize the efficiency of the organization.

 Our Commitment

• Every employee and client is entitled to a working environment which promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated.
• The commitment to diversity and equality in the workplace is good management practice and makes sound business sense.
• Breaches of our diversity and equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and as such may lead to disciplinary proceedings.
• This policy is fully endorsed and actively promoted by the Company Directors; including an annual review, and monitoring where relevant.
• All staff are committed to upholding our equality and diversity policy. Training and support is given to staff to interpret legislation and expectations in the workplace.

What we will do:

• The organization recognizes and is committed to meeting its duties under equality legislation.
• We are committed to improving equality practice throughout the company.
• We will ensure that all employees, clients and customers are treated fairly and consistently, without discrimination.

We will take action to combat discrimination in all areas of employment and our operations on the grounds of age, gender, disability, family or marital status, race, nationality, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religious or other beliefs, responsibility for dependents, social class, income, trades union or political membership or activity, or any other grounds that cannot be shown to be justified.

We will do this via:

• Ensuring that all employees are aware of the policy and receive training
• Ensuring that all contractors and organizations providing services on our behalf have equality policies covering employment and service delivery or adopt our own policy.

Responsibilities

• The Company Directors have ultimate responsibility for the Equality and Diversity Policy.
• All staff are committed to supporting and delivering the policy in the organization, and in our operations.

The Board of Directors
Feb, 2024