Privacy Policy

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that personal information is handled lawfully, fairly and transparently.

This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable data protection legislation.

Our Commitment to Privacy

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled lawfully, fairly and transparently.

This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable data protection legislation.

This notice covers:

• Definitions
• Data protection principles
• Information we collect
• How information is collected
• Cookies
• Contact forms and enquiries
• Training and course administration
• Online and virtual training
• Consultancy services
• Payments
• Complaints
• Marketing communications
• How we use your information
• Sharing information with awarding and training organisations
• Data storage and security
• International data transfers
• How long we keep information
• Keeping your details up to date
• Your data protection rights
• Children’s privacy
• How to contact us
• Review of this Privacy Notice

We aim to make this Privacy Notice easily accessible through our website and at appropriate points where personal information is collected.

Who We Are

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd provides health and safety training, qualifications and consultancy services to individuals and organisations throughout the United Kingdom.

For the purposes of UK data protection legislation, SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is the data controller for personal information that we determine how and why to process.

Contact details

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd
Boscombe Down Business Park
Mills House, Mills Way
Amesbury
SP4 7RX

Telephone: 01980 348182
Email: [email protected]

Definitions

A “controller” is an organisation that determines the purposes and means of processing personal information.

A “processor” is an organisation that processes personal information on behalf of a controller.

“Personal data” or “personal information” means information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

We may use third-party processors and service providers to assist us in delivering our training, consultancy, administration, IT, payment and business services.

Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, appropriate arrangements will be put in place to ensure that information is protected.

Data Protection Principles

Under the UK GDPR, personal information must be:

1. Processed lawfully, fairly and transparently.
2. Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes.
3. Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary.
4. Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
5. Retained for no longer than necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
6. Processed securely, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and accidental loss, destruction or damage.

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd is responsible for demonstrating compliance with these principles.

The Information We Collect

This Privacy Notice applies to personal information collected or submitted through our website, telephone communications, email, online booking systems, social media, messenger services, training courses, examinations, assessments and consultancy services.

Depending upon your relationship with us, information may include:

1. Name
2. Home or business address
3. Email address
4. Telephone number
5. Date of birth
6. Nationality, where required for course or qualification registration
7. Learner, candidate or student numbers
8. Employment details
9. Employer or organisation details
10. Payment and transaction information
11. Educational and employment background
12. Previous qualifications
13. Course booking and attendance information
14. Assessment and examination information
15. Qualification results
16. Comments, correspondence and feedback
17. Information provided as part of a complaint
18. Website and cookie information
19. Information required by an awarding organisation or funding provider
20. Reasonable adjustment or accessibility information where required

Where special category personal information is provided to us, we will only process it where an appropriate lawful basis and additional condition under data protection legislation applies.

How We Collect Personal Information

Information may be collected directly from you when you:

• Contact us by telephone or email
• Complete an enquiry or contact form
• Book a training course
• Register for a qualification
• Complete a course registration form
• Attend training
• Submit assessments or evidence
• Complete an examination
• Enrol on an NVQ or vocational qualification
• Apply for funded training
• Request consultancy services
• Complete feedback or evaluation forms
• Communicate with us through social media
• Make a payment
• Make a complaint
• Subscribe to marketing communications

We may also receive information from employers, awarding organisations, approved funding organisations or other organisations arranging training on your behalf.

Cookies and Website Information

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to help the website operate correctly, understand how visitors use the site and improve the services we provide.

Cookies may collect information such as:

• Browser type
• Device type
• Pages visited
• Time spent on the website
• General website usage
• Interaction with website features

Where required, consent will be requested before non-essential cookies are placed on your device.

You can also manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Further details may be provided through our website cookie settings or Cookie Notice.

Contact Forms and Enquiries

When you contact SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd through our website, by telephone, social media or email, we may collect information including your:

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Employer or organisation
• Course or service requirements
• Comments or enquiry details

We use this information to respond to your enquiry and provide information about our training and consultancy services.

The lawful basis will normally be taking steps at your request before entering into a contract or our legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and operating our business.

Enquiry information will only be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Email

We use email to communicate with learners, customers, organisations, awarding bodies, suppliers and other relevant parties.

Emails may be processed through third-party IT and security providers for purposes including spam filtering, malware protection, security, back-up and technical support.

Information may also be shared by email with awarding organisations, examination bodies, training providers, assessors or other authorised organisations where this is necessary to administer your training or qualification.

Social Media and Messenger Services

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd uses social media and online communication platforms to communicate with customers, learners and other organisations.

Information you provide through these platforms may be processed by the platform provider in accordance with its own privacy policy.

Where we wish to use identifiable comments, reviews, photographs, testimonials or other material for promotional purposes, appropriate permission will be obtained where required.

Training and Course Administration

We process personal information where necessary to:

• Respond to course enquiries
• Process bookings
• Register learners
• Deliver training
• Maintain attendance records
• Administer examinations and assessments
• Submit learner information to awarding organisations
• Process qualification results
• Issue or facilitate certification
• Provide course materials
• Provide learner support
• Manage reasonable adjustments where required
• Maintain appropriate training records
• Meet quality assurance requirements
• Meet regulatory or awarding-body requirements

Our lawful basis may include performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, legitimate interests and, where appropriate, consent.

Awarding Organisations and Training Bodies

Where required for the course or qualification being undertaken, personal information may be shared with relevant awarding, examination or professional organisations.

These may include organisations such as:

• NEBOSH
• IOSH
• ProQual
• Other relevant awarding organisations or certification bodies
• Approved funding or resettlement organisations where applicable

Information may be shared for purposes including:

• Learner registration
• Candidate registration
• Examination administration
• Assessment
• Certification
• Reasonable adjustments
• Quality assurance
• Verification
• Regulatory compliance

Where an awarding organisation receives your information as an independent data controller, its own privacy notice will apply to its processing of your information.

NVQ and Vocational Qualifications

Where a learner is completing an NVQ or other vocational qualification, we may collect and process additional information including:

• Employment history
• Curriculum vitae
• Previous qualifications
• Occupational experience
• Identification documents
• Portfolio evidence
• Witness statements
• Assessment records
• Assessor feedback
• Internal quality assurance records
• Progress reviews

Information may be processed through approved qualification management systems and shared with authorised assessors, internal quality assurers and awarding organisations where necessary.

Virtual Training and Online Learning

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd may deliver courses through virtual meeting platforms, learning management systems and other online training platforms.

Information processed may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Course details
• Attendance information
• Learner progress
• Assessment information
• Course submissions

Information will only be used for legitimate training, assessment, administration, support and quality assurance purposes.

Where third-party platforms are used, those providers may process limited personal information in accordance with their own privacy policies and contractual arrangements.

Training Materials and Student Resources

We may use secure online platforms such as learning management systems, Microsoft SharePoint or similar services to provide learners with course materials and resources.

Access to these systems may require information such as your name and email address.

Learner personal information will not be made publicly available through these systems.

Consultancy Services

When providing consultancy services, SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd may receive or have access to information belonging to client organisations.

This may include information obtained during:

• Health and safety audits
• Risk assessments
• Fire risk assessments
• Accident or incident investigations
• Policy reviews
• Workplace inspections
• Health and safety consultancy
• Compliance reviews

Information obtained during consultancy activities will only be used for the purpose for which the service is being provided unless another lawful basis applies.

Where third-party consultants are engaged on our behalf, information will only be shared where necessary and appropriate safeguards will be applied.

Payments

Where payments are made for training or consultancy services, information may be processed by third-party payment providers and financial systems.

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd does not normally store full debit or credit card information.

Payment providers process card information securely through their own payment systems.

Financial and accounting records will be retained in accordance with applicable legal, accounting and HMRC requirements.

Complaints

We recognise the importance of protecting personal information when dealing with complaints.

When investigating a complaint, we may collect information relating to:

• The complainant
• Other people involved
• Course or service information
• Correspondence
• Evidence relating to the complaint
• Investigation findings

Information will only be used for the purposes of investigating, responding to and recording the complaint and meeting any applicable regulatory or legal requirements.

Complaint records will be retained only for an appropriate period, taking account of the nature of the complaint and any applicable legal, contractual or awarding-body requirements.

How We Use Personal Information

Personal information may be used to:

• Provide training and consultancy services
• Process and manage course bookings
• Register learners with awarding organisations
• Administer qualifications and examinations
• Deliver online and classroom training
• Provide learner support
• Process payments
• Maintain financial records
• Respond to enquiries
• Manage customer relationships
• Meet contractual obligations
• Meet legal and regulatory requirements
• Maintain quality assurance standards
• Handle complaints
• Improve our services
• Maintain the security of our systems
• Communicate relevant information about our services

We will only process personal information where we have an appropriate lawful basis for doing so.

Our Lawful Bases for Processing

Contract

Processing may be necessary to provide a training course, qualification or consultancy service that you have requested or purchased.

Legal obligation

We may be required to process or retain information to meet legal, regulatory, taxation or other statutory requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process information where it is reasonably necessary for the legitimate operation of our business, provided that your rights and interests do not override those interests.

This may include:

• Responding to enquiries
• Administering training
• Maintaining customer records
• Improving our services
• Protecting our systems
• Quality assurance
• Communicating with existing customers about relevant services where permitted

Consent

Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, we will ask for your consent before processing information. You may withdraw consent at any time.

Marketing Communications

From time to time, SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd may provide information about:

• New training courses
• Course dates
• Qualification opportunities
• Health and safety updates
• Special offers
• Company news
• Events
• Services that may be relevant to you

Marketing communications will only be sent where permitted by applicable data protection and electronic marketing legislation.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe facility provided or by contacting [email protected].

Databases and IT Systems

We use secure business systems and third-party service providers to manage:

• Customer information
• Learner records
• Training bookings
• Qualification administration
• Accounting
• Payments
• Communications
• Course delivery
• Document storage
• Data back-up

Third-party service providers may have limited access to personal information where required to provide these services.

Where organisations process personal information on our behalf, appropriate contractual and security arrangements will be used.

IT Service Providers

We may use third-party IT service providers to support and maintain our:

• IT infrastructure
• Email systems
• Website
• Telecommunications
• Cloud storage
• Business software
• Data back-ups
• Cybersecurity

Personal information may be accessed where necessary for troubleshooting, support, security, compliance and back-up purposes.

Links to Other Websites

Our website and training materials may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.

This Privacy Notice does not cover how those organisations process your information.

We recommend that you read the privacy notices of any third-party websites or services you visit.

International Transfers

Some of the organisations providing IT, cloud, communication, payment or other services to us may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will ensure that an appropriate legal mechanism or safeguard is in place where required under UK data protection legislation.

How Long We Keep Personal Information

We will not retain personal information for longer than necessary.

Retention periods depend upon:

• The purpose for which the information was collected
• Legal requirements
• HMRC and accounting requirements
• Contractual requirements
• Awarding organisation requirements
• Qualification and certification requirements
• Quality assurance requirements
• The need to establish, exercise or defend legal claims

Financial information will normally be retained in accordance with HMRC requirements.

Training and qualification information may need to be retained for periods specified by the relevant awarding organisation.

Once information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised as appropriate.

Keeping Your Details Up to Date

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate and up to date.

Please help us by informing us if your details change.

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01980 348182

Your Data Protection Rights

Depending upon the circumstances and the lawful basis being relied upon, you have a number of rights under UK data protection legislation.

The Right to Be Informed

You have the right to understand how and why your personal information is collected and used. This Privacy Notice is intended to provide that information.

If you have any questions about how your information is collected, processed, stored or disposed of, contact [email protected] or telephone 01980 348182.

The Right of Access

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. This is commonly known as a Subject Access Request.

In most circumstances, we will respond within one calendar month of receiving a valid request.

Where a request is complex or a number of requests have been received, the response period may be extended by up to a further two months. Where this applies, we will explain the reason for the extension.

Information will normally be provided free of charge. However, data protection legislation allows a reasonable fee to be charged or a request to be refused in certain circumstances where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Requests can be made by contacting [email protected] or 01980 348182.

The Right to Rectification

You have the right to ask us to correct inaccurate personal information or complete information that is incomplete. Requests can be made by contacting [email protected] or 01980 348182.

The Right to Erasure

In certain circumstances, you have the right to ask us to delete personal information we hold about you. This right is not absolute and we may need to retain information where there is a legal, regulatory, contractual or other lawful reason for doing so.

The Right to Restrict Processing

In certain circumstances, you may ask us to restrict the way in which we process your personal information. Where processing is restricted, we may continue to store the information but will only use it in accordance with data protection legislation.

The Right to Data Portability

Where applicable, you may have the right to obtain personal information you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. You may also have the right to ask us to transmit that information to another organisation where technically feasible.

The Right to Object

You may have the right to object to processing of your personal information where the processing is based on legitimate interests. You also have the right to object to direct marketing at any time. If you object to receiving marketing communications, we will stop using your personal information for that purpose.

Rights Relating to Automated Decision-Making

Where applicable, individuals have rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd does not normally make decisions about learners or customers solely through automated processing where those decisions would have a legal or similarly significant effect.

Identity Checks

Where we receive a request relating to your personal information, we may need to confirm your identity before releasing or altering information. We will only request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity.

Complaining About the Use of Your Personal Information

If you are concerned about how SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd has handled your personal information, we would encourage you to contact us first so that we can investigate your concerns.

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01980 348182

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection. Further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Our Commitment to Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:

• Unauthorised access
• Unlawful processing
• Accidental loss
• Destruction
• Alteration
• Disclosure
• Misuse

Measures may include physical security, access controls, secure IT systems, password protection, security software, data back-ups and appropriate staff procedures.

Personal information will only be made available to employees, contractors, assessors, consultants, service providers and other authorised parties where there is a legitimate reason for them to access it.

We do not sell personal information.

We will not disclose personal information to unrelated third parties unless there is a lawful reason or legal requirement to do so.

Our Commitment to Children’s Privacy

Our services are primarily aimed at adult learners and organisations.

We do not knowingly collect personal information through our website from children under the age of 13 without an appropriate lawful basis and, where required, parental or guardian involvement.

Where training is provided to younger learners through an employer, school, college or other organisation, appropriate arrangements will be put in place for the handling of their personal information.

Further Information About Data Protection

Further information about UK data protection law and your rights is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or about how SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd handles your personal information, please contact us:

SM Safety Training & Consultancy Ltd
Boscombe Down Business Park
Mills House, Mills Way
Amesbury
SP4 7RX

Telephone: 01980 348182
Email: [email protected]

Review of Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice will be reviewed regularly and updated where necessary to reflect changes to our services, systems, legal requirements or data processing activities.