Build a training matrix for multiple sites and roles

A single company may have warehouse staff, office workers, engineers and short-term contractors across several sites. Copying one training list to every person creates false gaps and false assurance: a course useful at one site may be irrelevant at another, while a local task needs training missing from the global list. A multi-site matrix should explain which requirement applies to which role and site, who owns the decision, and what evidence shows it is current.

This page is a workflow for role and site rules, not a definition of a training matrix. The existing Complys guide to what a training matrix is covers the general concept; this guide addresses the practical problem of variable requirements across locations. HSE guidance on deciding what training and information workers need advises employers to consider the work, hazards and people involved. There is no single statutory UK training matrix template or universal course-renewal schedule for every role.

Create a stable role and site structure

List the actual roles and tasks before choosing training names. A job title can hide important differences: one engineer only inspects equipment, another isolates it; one warehouse worker picks goods, another operates a lift truck. Separate the base role from authorisations for particular equipment or activities. Assign a site owner who can describe local hazards and a central owner who governs the common requirements.

Keep site identity clear even when employees move. A worker's external qualification may travel with them, but a local fire procedure or site induction may not. The matrix should show the rule that made an item applicable. If a role is renamed, preserve history and effective dates rather than overwriting earlier requirements without explanation.

Set a requirement rule, not just a course column

For each item, record who needs it, which task or risk it supports, the source of the requirement, how competence is evidenced, whether a practical assessment or supervisor sign-off is needed, and what triggers review. Some requirements arise from law, some from client contracts, manufacturer instructions, internal policy or local risk assessment. Label the source honestly. Do not turn an internal refresher preference into a false universal legal interval.

HSE's supervision guidance notes that supervision can help determine whether training was effective and whether people can perform the work safely. A certificate upload can be useful evidence, but it is not a substitute for task competence or authorisation. Keep the assessment decision visible, with the competent person and scope of work covered.

Resolve conflicting requirements between sites

Two locations may use different equipment, substances or emergency arrangements. Compare their requirements and decide whether a common module plus local supplement is appropriate. Do not automatically apply the least demanding site rule everywhere. Conversely, forcing every employee to complete every site's specialist training creates noise that hides real gaps. Record the rule version and the site owner who approved it.

When a worker transfers, check what remains valid, what needs local orientation and whether authorisation for an item of equipment must be repeated. Transfer the evidence, not a blanket “competent at all sites” status. If a temporary worker is booked for one location, identify the specific duties and relevant training before the shift. A global matrix can help compare evidence, but the local supervisor still decides allocation and supervision.

Keep evidence and exceptions traceable

Store the worker, requirement, completion or assessment evidence, issuer, date, expiry where genuine, and any review decision. Define who may accept external evidence and how a disputed certificate is checked. Restrict access to sensitive records and avoid collecting unrelated personal information. If a requirement does not apply, record why. An “N/A” with no reason can conceal a classification error.

Use an exception state for missing or pending evidence and state the work consequence. A person may still perform other duties under appropriate supervision, or a task may be restricted until evidence or assessment is complete. Name the person who can resolve the exception and the review point. Do not let an overdue cell silently convert to approval because an administrator changed the due date.

Example: engineer moving between depots

An engineer at Depot A has completed general electrical safety training and is authorised on a specific conveyor model. Depot B uses a different conveyor and has a different isolation procedure. The central record carries the general evidence; the Depot B owner supplies the local induction and arranges a practical check before the engineer isolates the new machine. The matrix shows the engineer can perform some work at Depot B but has a restriction on the new conveyor until the site assessment is recorded.

This is more useful than either copying every Depot A course into Depot B or declaring the engineer fully ready because the job title matches.

Review the rules as work changes

Review when equipment, processes, locations, law, client requirements or incident learning change. Ask whether the matrix still reflects actual tasks and whether supervisors understand its limitations. Sample a few people and compare the record with what they really do. A high completion percentage is not evidence of effective training if the rule set is wrong. Use findings to update the role/site mapping and brief the change to affected managers.

For current-product discussion, see Complys UK training matrix software. This guide does not claim Complys assigns legal requirements automatically, judges practical competence, recognises every external certificate or authorises equipment use without a competent human decision.