Tips for Creating an OSHA-Compliant Safety Training Program

In a BLR webinar entitled "Safety Training: Implement Effective Worker Education To Boost Compliance and Prevent Injuries," speaker Michael Lawrence gave guidance on creating an OSHA-compliant safety training program.

In the webinar, Lawrence suggested that an effective approach to creating an OSHA-compliant, injury-reducing safety training program involves four basic steps:

• Define the problem that you’re trying to correct through training.
• Identify the risks and protective measures.
• Develop and test prevention strategies. Prevention strategies to reduce the severity and incidence of injury often include informing and encouraging behavior change, modifying the physical environment and promoting policy changes at an institutional or population level.
• Assure widespread adoption of proven prevention principles and strategies. This is where training comes in.

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Time and Patience

Effective training prevents workplace injuries, but you have to remember that teaching the habits of injury prevention is an on-going process.

"Humans by nature, we need to be reminded constantly in order to learn," says Lawrence. "There is no magic bullet when it comes to safety training; it just takes time and patience."

As such, it is in your best interest to create constant reminders through things like periodic meetings, safety posters and face-to-face reminders.

General Safety Training

Training which is conducted as part of your safety program must address:

• Performance of specific job duties or tasks, stressing safe operations, quality and productivity
• Information about company standards, policies and procedures in regard to safety and health
• Explanation of the responsibilities of employees and management
• Identification of the risks and potentials for loss/injury
• Discussion concerning employees’ and supervisors’ judgment when faced with previously unidentified or potentially hazardous conditions
• Importance of communicating concerns about health and safety matters

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Other training topics typically required for all employees include:

• Employee emergency plans and fire prevention
• Hazard communication
• Job hazards
• Safety program overview
• Injury reporting

Also remember that your state may also have specific training requirements in addition to the federal OSHA requirements.

And finally, remember that effective safety training for employees is not a choice—it’s a mandate. OSHA requires you to provide appropriate and effective training for all employees.

Don’t forget that every employee faces some sort of hazard on the job, even office workers are exposed to dangers such as trip hazards, ergonomic dangers, and stress. Therefore all employees must receive appropriate safety training at appropriate times.

Tomorrow, we conclude this brief look at OSHA-compliant training programs with a review of specialized and new employee training requirements.