CMMS Insight Blog

Qualities You Need for Effective Facility Safety Training

Jan 6, 2021 6:10:44 PM / by CMMS Insight Staff

Assuming it’s true that knowledge is power, the best thing that any manufacturing or construction company can do to ensure a safe work environment is by providing top-notch safety training to all employees. The catch is that it’s easier said than done to provide employees with effective work safety training. There can be a right and wrong way to instruct workers on proper workplace safety.

Naturally, things will differ from one company to the next based on the work being done and the risk that employees take. However, we wanted to pass on as many useful tips as possible. Here are some of the qualities that can help employers provide the most effective work safety training possible to their employees.

Understand Regulations

One of the first steps in work safety training is letting employees know that there are regulations that must be met. Of course, the company itself should have its own safety standards that workers and supervisors are both expected to meet. But employees also need to understand that the business itself could be in jeopardy if OSHA and other government regulations aren’t met. This will let workers know the importance of work safety training, and even product safety training, so that they take everything being shared seriously.

Explain Why

It’s not always enough to explain that things need to be done a certain way because it’s the law. Those receiving safety training need to know what’s at stake and why they should care. When explaining safety procedures, explain what could happen if that protocol isn’t followed. They need to know how and why they might be putting themselves and their co-workers in danger by acting in an unsafe way. Everybody needs to know what’s at stake and how safety procedures impact them personally.

Make Things Interactive

If we’re being honest, it can be difficult to make work safety training exciting. However, you have to find a way to make keep the attention of your workers. The best way to do this is to make safety training as interactive as possible. Don’t just have workers sit and listen. Using pictures, movies, or role-playing exercises can keep people engaged and get the point across. You should also try to keep safety training sessions short and sweet because once folks start to lose focus, they are no longer benefiting from the training.

Listen to Feedback

Company leaders should always be looking for ways to improve safety training. The best way to do this is to ask for feedback from employees and respond to any suggestions they have. Ultimately, the workers going through the safety training will be the best judge of how effective safety training is. It’s also up to managers and supervisors to monitor employees closely to make sure the safety training is sinking in and being practiced on the job. If it’s not, then your training techniques need to be re-assessed.

Rinse and Repeat

For every employee, work safety training should begin on their first day on the job and continue until their last day. Safety meetings and training sessions should be scheduled regularly to reinforce safety guidelines. Even if the material becomes repetitive, constant reinforcement on proper workplace safety will let employees know that you take safety seriously. After all, you can never do enough when it comes to keeping workers safe, which means safety training should be an ongoing endeavor. 

Making a commitment to safety isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It requires constant vigilance to make sure employees are being properly trained and tested on safety protocol and that regulations and standards are being met. Most companies need all of the help they can get if they want to hold themselves to high standards for safety. 

Topics: Facility Management, Safety Management

Written by CMMS Insight Staff