Thinking differently about training
I have come to the conclusion that in order to make my health and safety training more effective I must begin thinking differently about it. I have concluded that workers are overwhelmed by the training we provide them – both in the numbers of different courses provided as well as the volume of the content presented to them. The health and safety training provided is frequently regulatory focused and filled with information that does not enhance the worker’s job performance. Training should be stripped down to the essentials, to what is absolutely necessary for workers to know, to hold in their heads, in order to perform their job safely. Additional resources and tools (such as checklists), that will enhance a worker’s job performance, should be provided in other ways, such as the internet. We need to learn how to integrate training with tools and other resources.
I have also concluded that too often there is a complete disconnect between when training is provided (such as when hired or annually on a particular date) and when the information is actually needed to solve a problem or perform a task safely. So often we train workers on how to perform an infrequent task and when it comes time for the training to be applied, the training is forgotten. We need to begin thinking differently about training and incorporating the concept of just-in-time training or refresher training. Adult learners learn best when they have immediate problems to solve. I have been exploring the use of just-in-time training by developing custom made web-based programs and short videos that can be streamed to a computer or played on portable players in the field (such as a video iPod).
Do you agree that we need to begin thinking differently about training? What ideas do you have to overcome these issues?
Comments
I agree that we need to look at training differently. I think we overwhelm workers with too much information thinking more is better. We forget that quality over quantity shoudl be the focus. I am curious to see what other ideas we can come up with regarding training.
Posted by: C. Palermo | September 19, 2008 06:46 PM
I agree with the issues you have brought up. All too often we train to meet regulatory needs and not the needs of the workers. At our jobsite we conduct a daily overview in the morning of all the work which is expected to go on that day. In these morning meetings we are able to refresh any training that may come into play that day, but mainly we spend our alloted time going over material which is "required" by regulation. It almost always has no bearing to the work being conducted. It's hard enough for them to remain awake at a 6am prejob, let alone refresh them on important information. It's especially tough after regurgitating weeks of useless information to them.
Posted by: T Etherington | September 25, 2008 09:23 PM
As long as we continue to think about safety training in the same "silos" as regulations, it will be ineffective. By silos I mean respiratory protection training under 20 CFR 1901.134, CSE training under 29 CFR 1910.146, etc. The same thing goes for written H&S program documents. I agree that where all of this matters is just before a worker begins a new job or one that hasn't been done in awhile. To ask a supervisor, much less a worker, to dig out the safety manual binder and try to figure out what from which written programs and that long ago training program (informational, not skills training) applies to this task he or she has just been assigned is absurd. I have some thoughts about things that might work in certain circumstances but I would like to hear what others have tried and succeeded.
Posted by: M McGowan | January 13, 2009 10:50 PM