HRM 921 _Occupational Health and Safety Training. Module 8.

Occupational health and safety training is the cornerstone of any health and safety program. If an employer introduces a hazard into the workplace, they must train employees on how to safely manage t he hazard. Training can come in many forms such as a formalized classroom format where testing is done, or informal job shadowing where a new worker learns from an experienced worker that knows how to do the job safely. Employers must assess their risks to determine what training is required. Once training needs are determined decisions must be made including who is performing the training, how is it being delivered, and most importantly how will the employer measure the training to determine if it is achieving the objectives. Employers that do not provide proper training increase risks in areas such as workplace accidents, production slow downs, legislative repercussion, and low employee morale. Training options are numerous, and training is necessary to keep workers safe. Employers that argue the expense of training outweighs the value of doing the training, should adjust their priorities to put workers safety ¦rst.  Content Learning Outcomes By the end of this module, you should be able to: Discuss the rationale and necessity of occupational health and safety training, De¦ne health and safety training, List critical steps in planning training, Discuss challenges that occur during design and delivery that may prevent the training from taking place, Explain the purpose of a needs analysis, Name the formats to deliver training, List health and safety training regularly conducted in workplaces, and Explain the importance of evaluating and measuring a training program. Occupational Health and Safety Training Health and safety training can give employees knowledge, skills, and abilities to work in a safe manner by following the industries best policies and procedures and equipment used, to eliminate or minimize the chance of workplace incidents/accidents or injuries. Training comes in many forms and can be conducted from internal and external parties depending on the complexity. Employers are required to conduct a needs analysis to determine what training is appropriate based on the hazards in the workplace. The following story follows Curtis Zanussi as he describes an injury he experienced in the construction industry. Curtis was pinned, as the wall of a trench collapsed and pinned him. Curtis was partially buried which left him in an induced coma for 10 days with a fractured pelvis. Proper training on trench safety could have prevented Curtis from being in the position he was in and suffering a life-threatening situation.