Safety & Health Training

How do we know what the hazards are?

Does everyone in the workplace know:

The workplace plan in case of a fire or other emergency?
When and where PPE is required?
The types of chemicals used in the workplace?
The precautions when handling them?

Training can help to develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand workplace hazards and safe procedures.

OSHA considers safety and health training vital to every workplace.

It is most effective when integrated into a company’s overall training in performance requirements and job practices.

The content of a company’s training program and the methods of presentation should reflect the needs and characteristics of the particular workforce. Therefore, identification of needs is an important early step in training design. Involving everyone in this process and in the subsequent teaching can be highly effective.

The five principles of teaching and learning should be followed to maximize program effectiveness. They are:

Trainees should understand the purpose of the training.
Information should be organized to maximize effectiveness.
People learn best when they can immediately practice and apply newly acquired knowledge and skills.
As trainees practice, they should get feedback.
People learn in different ways, so an effective program will incorporate a variety of training methods.

Some Types of Safety and Health Training Needed:

Orientation training for site workers and contracts
JSAs, SOPs, and other hazard recognition training
Training required by OSHA standards, including the Process Safety Management standard
Training for emergency response people
Accident investigation training
Emergency drills

Who Needs Training?

Training should target new hires, contract workers, employees who wear personal protective equipment, and workers in high risk areas.

Managers and supervisors should also be included in the training plan. Training for managers should emphasize the importance of their role in visibly supporting the safety and health program and setting a good example. Supervisors should receive training in company policies and procedures, as well as hazard detection and control, accident investigation, handling of emergencies, and how to train and reinforce training.

The long-term worker whose job changes as a result of new processes or materials should not be overlooked. And the entire workforce needs periodic refresher training in responding to emergencies.

Plan to evaluate the training program when initially designing the training.

If the evaluation is done right, it can identify your program’s strengths and weaknesses, and provide a basis for future program changes.

Keeping training records will help ensure that everyone who should get training does. A simple form can document the training record for each employee.

OSHA has developed voluntary training guidelines to assist in the design and implementation of effective training programs.