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SAFETY TRAINING
Effective safety training is an unofficial phrase used to describe the training materials
designed to teach occupational safety and health standards developed by the United
States government labor organization, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA). OSHA has produced many standards and regulations that affect employers and
employees in the United States. United States employers have a legal responsibility to
educate employees on all workplace safety standards and the hazards that their
employees may face while on the job, and providing effective safety training meets that
responsibility

Introduction

Employers must have an overall safety program including relative site specific safety
information where applicable. The safety training program should cover topics such as

• accident prevention and safety promotion

• safety compliance
• accident and emergency response
• personal protective equipment
• safety practices
• equipment and machinery
• chemical and hazardous materials safety
• workplace hazards
• employee involvement

Employers must document all training. Creating a training matrix will help keep track of
who has been trained, when they were trained, the training topic, and when it is time for
refresher training. Employees must also sign an official sign-in sheet provided by the
employer that can serve as proof that employees received proper training. The sign in
sheet must have a broad description of what is being covered in the training. Tests or
quizzes on the presented material can help gauge employee understanding of the
material and highlight topics that need to be reviewed.

The non-English speaking population is consistently growing in many industries and it is

important that employers provide bilingual training for those workers, as OSHA requires
that all employees be properly trained.

Most employees display attitudes of disinterest and dread at the thought of attending a
safety training, which can leave the trainer feeling frustrated and unappreciated. It is the
trainer's duty to make safety training fun and educational, which will help the trainees to
retain the information, enjoy the course, and apply the learning to their work and lives.[2]

Benefits of a training program

An effective training program can reduce the number of injuries and deaths, property
damage, legal liability, illnesses, workers' compensation claims, and missed time from
work. An effective safety training program can also help a trainer keep the required
OSHA-mandated safety training courses organized and up-to-date.
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Safety training classes help establish a safety culture in which employees themselves
help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new
employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety as it is
easy for seasoned workers to negatively influence the new hires. That negative influence
however, can be purged with the establishment of new, hands-on, innovative effective
safety training which will ultimately lead to an effective safety culture. A 1998 NIOSH
study concluded that the role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard
control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.[3]

OSHA's voluntary training guidelines

OSHA issued voluntary training guidelines in 1992. These guidelines serve as a model
for trainers to use in developing, organizing, evaluating, and editing their safety training
programs. It is important for trainers to tailor the OSHA guidelines to their specific work
site so that the training is relevant to the specific working conditions and not just a long
generalized informational session.

Many standards promulgated by OSHA explicitly require the employer to train

employees in the safety and health aspects of their jobs. Other OSHA standards make it
the employer’s responsibility to limit certain job assignments to employees who are
“certified,” “competent,” or “qualified”—meaning that they have had special previous
training, in or out of the workplace. The term “designated” personnel means selected or
assigned by the employer or the employer’s representative as being qualified to perform
specific duties. These requirements reflect OSHA’s belief that training is an essential
part of every employer’s safety and health program for protecting workers from injuries
and illnesses.[4]

OSHA’s training guidelines follow a model that consists of:

• A. Determining if Training is Needed

• B. Identifying Training Needs
• C. Identifying Goals and Objectives
• D. Developing learning activities
• E. Conducting the training
• F. Evaluating program effectiveness
• G. Improving the program
• H. Training must align with job tasks.

A. Determining if training is needed

You first have to determine if a situation can be solved using training. Training, or
retraining as the case may be, could be required by an OSHA standard. Training is an
effective solution to problems such as employee lack of understanding, unfamiliarity with
equipment, incorrect execution of a task, lack of attention, or lack of motivation.
Sometimes, however, the situation cannot be mitigated through the use of training and
other methods, such as the establishment of engineering controls, may be needed to
ensure worker safety.

B. Identifying training needs

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A job safety analysis and/or a job hazard analysis should be conducted with every
employee so that it is understood what is needed to do the job safely and what hazards
are associated with the job. A safety trainer may observe the worker in his/her
environment to adequately assess the worker's training needs. Certain employees may
need extra training due to the hazards associated with their particular job. These
employees should be trained not only on how to perform their job safely but also on how
to operate within a hazardous environment.

C. Identifying Goals and Objectives

It is important for the Trainer to identify necessary training material. It is equally

important that the trainer identify training material that is not needed to avoid
unnecessary training and frustration from their trainees.

At the beginning of every safety training session the trainer should clearly iterate the
objectives of the class. The objectives should be delivered using action oriented words
like: the employee... "will be able to demonstrate" or "will know when to"... which will help
the audience understand what he/she should know by the end of the class or what to
information to assimilate during the class. Clearly established objectives also help focus
the evaluation process on those skill sets and knowledge requirements necessary to
perform the job safely.

D. Developing Learning Activities

Training should be hands-on and simulate the job as closely as possible. Trainers can
use instructional aids such as charts, manuals, PowerPoint presentations, and films.
Trainers can also include role-playing, live demonstrations, and round-table group
discussions to stimulate employee participation. Games like "what's wrong with this
picture" (it is usually good to use pictures of situations found at their specific location)" or
"safety jeopardy" can be useful ways to make the training fun yet educational.

E. Conducting the Training

Trainers should provide employees with an overview of the material to be learned and
relate the training to the employees' experiences. Employers should also reinforce what
the employees have learned by summarizing the program's objectives and key points of
training. At the beginning of the training program, the trainer should show the employees
why the material is important and relevant to their jobs. Employees are more likely to pay
attention and apply what they've learned if they know the benefits of the training.[1]

F. Evaluating Program Effectiveness

Evaluation will help employers or supervisors determine the amount of learning achieved
and whether an employee’s performance has improved on the job. Among the methods
of evaluating training are]

 (1) Student opinion. Questionnaires or informal discussions with employees can

help employers determine the relevance and appropriateness of the training program
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 (2) Supervisors’ observations. Supervisors are in good positions to observe an

employee’s performance both before and after the training and note improvements or
changes

 (3) Workplace improvements. The ultimate success of a training program may be

changes throughout the workplace that result in reduced injury or accident rates

 (4) Formal assessments. Practical and written exams also assist in evaluating
understanding of training material. For example, for a lift-truck operator, a written and a
practical exam would identify areas of training that may need to be revisited.
Furthermore administering a pre-test and post-test will establish a knowledge base line
or reference point to measure training effectiveness.

G. Improving the Program

As evaluations are reviewed, it may be evident the training was not adequate and that
the employees did not reach the expected level of knowledge and skill. As the program
is evaluated, the trainer should ask:[4]

• If a job analysis was conducted, was it accurate?

• Was any critical feature of the job overlooked?
• Were the important gaps in knowledge and skill included?
• Was material already known by the employees intentionally omitted?
• Were the instructional objectives presented clearly and concretely?
• Did the objectives state the level of acceptable performance that was
expected of employees?
• Did the learning activity simulate the actual job?
• Was the learning activity appropriate for the kinds of knowledge and skills
required on the job?
• When the training was presented, was the organization of the material and its
meaning made clear?
• Were the employees motivated to learn?
• Were the employees allowed to participate actively in the training process?
• Was the employer’s evaluation of the program thorough?

Computer and video training

Computers and videos can be a great addition to a company's safety training program.
As stand alone resources, they may not be adequate in meeting OSHA's training
requirements as they are not site specific. Computer-based training can help meet the
following training challenges]

• Training employees in remote sites

• Employees who become bored with the same safety training
• Safety managers lack of time and resources to effectively train employees
• Providing a means of documenting and tracking student progress
• Lowering trainer fees or travel costs
• A self-paced, relaxed learning environment
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Training of Employees - Need and Importance of Training

Training of employees takes place after orientation takes place. Training is the process
of enhancing the skills, capabilities and knowledge of employees for doing a particular
job. Training process moulds the thinking of employees and leads to quality performance
of employees. It is continuous and never ending in nature.

Importance of Training

Training is crucial for organizational development and success. It is fruitful to both

employers and employees of an organization. An employee will become more efficient
and productive if he is trained well. Training is given on four basic grounds:

1. New candidates who join an organization are given training. This training
familiarize them with the organizational mission, vision, rules and regulations
and the working conditions.
2. The existing employees are trained to refresh and enhance their knowledge.
3. If any updations and amendments take place in technology, training is given
to cope up with those changes. For instance, purchasing a new equipment,
changes in technique of production, computer implantment. The employees
are trained about use of new equipments and work methods.
4. When promotion and career growth becomes important. Training is given so
that employees are prepared to share the responsibilities of the higher level
job.

The benefits of training can be summed up as:

1. Improves morale of employees- Training helps the employee to get job

security and job satisfaction. The more satisfied the employee is and the
greater is his morale, the more he will contribute to organizational success
and the lesser will be employee absenteeism and turnover.
2. Less supervision- A well trained employee will be well acquainted with the job
and will need less of supervision. Thus, there will be less wastage of time and
efforts.
3. Fewer accidents- Errors are likely to occur if the employees lack knowledge
and skills required for doing a particular job. The more trained an employee is,
the less are the chances of committing accidents in job and the more
proficient the employee becomes.
4. Chances of promotion- Employees acquire skills and efficiency during
training. They become more eligible for promotion. They become an asset for
the organization.
5. Increased productivity- Training improves efficiency and productivity of
employees. Well trained employees show both quantity and quality
performance. There is less wastage of time, money and resources if
employees are properly trained.

Ways/Methods of Training
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Training is generally imparted in two ways:

On the job training- On the job training methods are those which are given to the
employees within the everyday working of a concern. It is a simple and cost-effective
training method. The inproficient as well as semi- proficient employees can be well
trained by using such training method. The employees are trained in actual working
scenario. The motto of such training is “learning by doing.” Instances of such on-job
training methods are job-rotation, coaching, temporary promotions, etc.

Off the job training- Off the job training methods are those in which training is provided
away from the actual working condition. It is generally used in case of new employees.
Instances of off the job training methods are workshops, seminars, conferences, etc.
Such method is costly and is effective if and only if large number of employees have to
be trained within a short time period. Off the job training is also called as vestibule
training,i.e., the employees are trained in a separate area( may be a hall, entrance,
reception area,etc. known as a vestibule) where the actual working conditions are
duplicated.