Workplace safety training is any form of instruction, information, presentation or learning activity that can help employees acquire the knowledge and skills about how to conduct their job in a safe manner.
This includes both on-site and off site trainings, voluntary as well as mandatory ones. It also covers courses provided by organizations other than the company’s own human resources department.
Working safely means putting into action all necessary measures so to prevent accidents from happening, emergencies from occurring, hazards from posing a threat and risks from becoming real threats.
Depending on local laws and regulations (and depending on whether some sort of duty falls upon companies), employers must always make sure that they are in compliance with established safety standards and regulations.
They must also take care of the safety measures in place and ensure that all employees comply with needed safety procedures, rules and regulations.
Workplace safety training usually focuses on certain groups of people like new hires or first time workers who have just started working for a particular company, maintenance staff who may be handling hazardous materials (this doesn’t mean that other personnel aren’t trained) and union representatives.
Top 10 Workplace Safety Rules to Follow
1. Understand the job and be aware of potential hazards.
2. Always wear any safety equipment you are required to wear for your job, like protective eyewear, headgear or boots.
3. Wear a clean uniform because it can reduce the risk of getting dirt in your eyes which is bad for safety too!
4. Check all parts and attachments of your tools before using them each day (and don’t use damaged ones).
5. Improve your safety by minimizing accidents through proper maintenance and handling of machinery/equipment in good condition.
6. Train yourself on first aid so that you will know what to do should an accident take place inside or outside the workplace Building
7. Know how to use emergency equipment like fire extinguishers, alarms and alert systems.
8. Be aware of the emergency exits in your workplace Building so that you can escape in case of an emergency.
9. Make sure that there are no obstructions blocking any aisle/pathway to be used as an emergency exit route.
10) Never leave a safety hazard unattended or ignored-report it to your supervisor immediately!
Trainers, teachers and educators have more experience with instruction and knowledge about how to convey information.
They know how various approaches work for different audiences (which is why they do research about their audience).
Educators also have access to lesson plans and teaching aids like PowerPoint slides which can help them conduct training sessions on a wide range of topics from basic safety to more specialized ones.
If the company’s human resources department has enough knowledge and experience about how to conduct training sessions, they might not need an outside educator or trainer to assist them.
But if they need some sort of expertise on a certain topic that is out of their scope of operation (for example, if there are new regulations that must be followed), then it may be good for them to hire some sort of expert who can help develop a safety program/training plan.
Safety Training: A Necessity in Every Workplace
A lot of little things add up when you don’t pay attention and focus because every small detail counts. With workplace safety training: little things add up over time and make big differences in terms of preventing an accident from occurring.
Even if one employee doesn’t fully understand all aspects of workplace safety, others should know how to take care of potential hazards even without proper instruction because they can learn on their own through observation or taking initiative based on previous experience.
The most important aspect of workplace safety training is compliance . Whether it be new hires who must comply with policy directives like wearing protective gear, or existing employees who must follow workplace safety rules, a training program can make it easier to ensure that everyone follows protocol and policies.
By conducting regular training sessions (say once a month) to reinforce policy compliance through classroom/instructor-led learning, workers will know what’s expected of them and they would be more inclined to comply with various operational standards set by the company or organization where they work.
There are also specific topics which should always be covered not just in general training but in every training session:
Fire evacuation plan
Every individual must know how to get out quickly should there be a fire or other kind of emergency situation inside the building. The best way for this is teaching your co-workers when exiting the building is the first thing to do during an emergency/fire drill.
Participation in a fire evacuation plan should be practiced regularly so that workers will become familiar with what’s expected of them and how to quickly exit the premises should there really be a fire inside your workplace Building.
Fire alarm system: Know where you can get help in case of an emergency
In places like schools, it is vital for students to learn where they can seek assistance from teachers or other school officials when something dangerous happens or when they need some kind of help.
It may also be good to have periodic practical use drills, particularly if a worker has never used (or seen) the alarm system before.
Safety equipment and personal protective gear: How to use and when to use
Workers must know what protective gear they should use in case of different situations or occurances.
Protective eyewear should be used for mechanical/laser operation, while masks and respirators are necessary for dust control or protection from airborne microbes in certain projects.
Gloves are also a requirement whenever workers have to handle substances like chemicals, toxic liquids, powders and other potentially harmful materials which cannot be touched directly by human hands.
The same goes with work boots when an employee needs additional foot support because of standing/walking for extended periods of time (like during long shift hours on hard concrete floors).
Safety regulations: How these affect the workplace, employees and how employees can help
Safety regulations must be adhered to and understood by everyone in the workplace.
This includes how certain safety protocols are put together, what they entail, why you need them and most importantly: how these affect that workers’ performance upon implementation.
Safety at work is a matter of protecting yourself as well as others against accidents or incidents which can occur due to several factors like negligence, improper handling of materials/equipment, lack of focus and awareness on the part of workers during operations or other things.
The best policy for workplace safety training is prevention.
By providing more knowledge about hazards present in the environment or machines used in daily operations (like operating heavy machinery), workers will be better equipped when it comes to handling potential dangers before something bad happens to them or other people.
Other things which must be covered in safety training programs include:
Fatal Four – Mechanical-related accidents at work (e.g. lathe or crane operation)
Slip, Trip and Fall – Accidents on slippery surfaces like wet floors or uneven grounds
Struck By Object/Projectile – Hazards from falling objects
Electric Shock and Burn – Bad wiring, uncovered current sources From the above to this may sound redundant but it will give workers a clearer picture of what they should expect during their training program for workplace safety.