Safety training is a hot button topic in both business operations and in the EHS field. Because the questions and answers can vary by organization, company size, and budget, it’s tough to know the information relative to EHS that’s right for you, and you’re not alone.
Whether you’re an EHS professional, Safety Pro, Director of HR, or Supervisor, we compiled a list of questions that at one time or another you may have been wondering. This handy guide aims to answer the most common questions in regards to workplace safety training.
What’s the cost of safety training?
The cost of safety training is directly dependent on your budget. There is a myriad of different safety training providers that offer quick “get it done” training to costly, yet engaging safety training that will resonate. Another determining factor is the method at which you wish to administer your training and the number of employees you need to be trained.
Most companies will look for cost-effective, yet engaging safety training that also provides a few different methods in order to cover what they need. Because the cost of safety training is so dependent on your needs, it’s best to price out a few different options to get the most bang for your buck.
What safety training do I need?
Your safety training needs will vary depending on the industry you’re in, but there are a few basic training topics your employees should have covered:
- Sexual Harassment
- Safety Orientation
- Fire Extinguisher
- Fire Safety
- CPR & First Aid
Again, these are in addition to the training topics you’ll need for each area of your business. It may seem like a lot, but nowadays you can gain access to hundreds of instant safety training topics in one central digital library. These online safety training libraries often come with downloads and instructor materials, complete record keeping, or both.
What is the OSHA regulation for safety training?
OSHA doesn’t necessarily have a regulation in regards to general safety training, but each individual standard has its own legally-enforced training requirements that they must adhere to.
To know exactly what safety training you’ll need for the various operations within your organization, consult this handy eBooklet provided as a resource by OSHA, or speak to a safety training specialist about what training you’re required to have.
What’s the best method of safety training?
Most safety training pros would argue that in-class training is the best method of teaching. This is mostly due to the fact that it tends to be the most engaging.
While there’s no arguing that in-class safety training is captivating and effective, it can be argued that it isn’t always the “best” simply because it’s not always the most feasible. Gathering 25 to 50 to even a hundred employees together for different cycles of training with an instructor isn’t easy to do. Plus, there’s no accounting for employees who are absent, and that’s A LOT of record keeping.
The alternative, and also comparable option is online training. Online training has evolved from just watching an online video and printing out a test to being a complete, interactive experience. It’s easy to set up, easy to administer, and the online tests and progress trackers make record keeping easy and pristine.
That said, answering the question of “what’s the best method of safety training” is tricky. In certain areas, in-class definitely excels. But if you’re looking for training that ticks off every box, certain online training providers may be your best bet.
How do I put a safety training program together?
This is not as hard to do as some might think it is. By asking the right questions, you’re already a step in the right direction.
Start by knowing what safety training you need at your organization based on the company policies and OSHA requirements. Next, take a look at the scope of your training and the employees you need trained based on your budget. Remember that it’s okay to allocate more of your budget for safety training, as it can increase costly litigation and liability down the road.
Once you have this information, you can always reach out to us, and we’ll walk through it together. Your safety training program will be directly based on your unique needs, and we’ll make sure to address each one.
