Why Safety Compliance Training?

- By Dan Brant

Why are we compelled to provide safety training to our employees?
•	Is it to lower our health and accident insurance cost?
•	Is it to lower our medical expenses?
•	Is it to lower our work comp rates?
•	Is it to prevent lost work time resulting in increased production?
•	Is it required by our insurance carriers?
•	Is it required by OSHA?
•	Is it a genuine concern for our employee's health, safety and well-being?

Regardless of our motivation, safety training and awareness is very important in today's work place. As employers, we want to provide the most effective and efficient training possible. By using the most effective and efficient safety training to address the above listed concerns, the results will reflect positively on the bottom line and, most importantly, maintain our associates' and employees' health and well-being.

What is effective and efficient training? Being able to show learning has taken place is one way to show effectiveness; this is often affectionately referred to as testing. Measurable changes in behavior can show effectiveness. What could those be? Fewer reportable accidents, higher compliance to safety rules, less use of sick leave, lower medical expenses, or maybe, positive responses why we provide safety training.

Let's define efficient training. Efficient training is delivered at a time that is convenient for you and your employees. It uses time efficiently; time budgeted for training is used for training, not for classroom housekeeping. Training time is used to cover the course topics and not side tracked on unrelated topics. Training uses all the tools of teaching in a layered learning process. Efficient training provides maximum retention for the time invested. Training dollars are used efficiently and provide maximum training for the money budgeted.

OSHA does not set standards regarding effectiveness or efficiency of safety training. OSHA expects learning to take place in a training session. OSHA does expect competence in our employees. It is our job as employers to provide training and documentation. It is also our job to see that topics are appropriate and training is efficient and effective.

Two recent accidents happened near my home. One resulted in a burning fatality as a result of a cutting torch accident. The other was a trench cave-in. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. I can't help but think that effective safety training and adherence to the OSHA regulations would have prevented the death and a near catastrophic incident. Safety training saves lives.

Your training as required by regulation, economics, or employee well-being must meet OSHA training standards and be effective and efficient. Effective and efficient training through CBIT, coupled with Russell Associates' library of safety classes and learning management system, can make safety training discussions easy, compliant, and successful.