“Finding Greatness in Training” by Ron Brewer discusses key foundations to safety training programs that companies should implement to ensure employees are properly trained in safety procedures.  According to the author, the key foundations for a successful training program are training properly and effectively, reviewing the training process, monitoring skills in the workplace and verifying how the desired end results were achieved.

• Training properly and effectively.
  • Brewer suggests that employers research and understand how employees learn.  Generally, employees learn by physically executing the task rather than watching someone else perform the task.
  • To ensure proper safety training is occurring, employers should have employees complete the actions in safety procedures to ensure they know exactly how to execute the training
  • Employers should also offer feedback to employees about their safety training.  By providing feedback, it helps employees understand what they excel at and what they need improvement on to ensure proper safety execution.
  • Reviewing the training process.
    • Employers should attend training sessions to observe and analyze if training sessions are offering employees the necessary information and training to properly perform safety procedures.
    • By doing so, necessary changes and additions can be made to the program to increase effectiveness.
    • Monitoring the skills in the workplace.
      • It is imperative that employers review employee activity once training is completed.  Employers should monitor whether or not employees are utilizing the procedures taught in safety training and if more safety training is needed.
      • Employers should also follow up with employees after several months to ensure that safety training is still being executed.
      • By doing so, employers understand whether or not employees are learning and using safety training during their jobs every day.
      • Verifying how the desired end results were achieved.
        • It is necessary to evaluate training with measurable results.  The author suggests doing this by checking if accidents or injuries have declined, workers compensation has decreased and if productivity in the facility has increased.

Brewer’s key foundations to safety training program success offer employers excellent advice on how to manager and provide effective training.  Brewer stresses on the importance of employees executing training rather than being taught in a classroom.  Employers utilizing key foundations are able to ensure that safety training is successful and long lasting.

Brewer, Ron. “Finding Greatness in Training.” EHS Today. http://ehstoday.com/training/news/finding-greatness-training-0510/

Filed under: Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci Social tagging: foundation of safety