Self-directed program helps promote safety
Self-directed program helps promote safety
Flexibility, depth are features of course
Safety managers and health promotion managers are keenly aware of the importance of occupational safety and health training, but one of the ongoing challenges they face is the time employees must take away from their jobs to attend such courses. The National Safety Council (NSC), of Itasca, IL, seeks to combat this challenge with a comprehensive, yet flexible program that incorporates home study, as well as on-site classes.
The current version of the course, the Supervisor’s Safety Manual, 9th Edition, is the latest offering in an effort that actually began in the 1940s. "At that time, it was called key man’ training back when all supervisors were men," notes Joe Kelbus, CSP (certified safety professional), senior consultant with the NSC. Kelbus, who helped develop some of the material for the current version, teaches the course, trains the trainers, and grades many of the exams.
"Supervisors needed a training program, but many companies could not afford to send them away [to take a course] and lose production time," Kelbus continues. "So, it originated as a home study course, which was better than nothing."
Creating choice
Home study, of course, has inherent weaknesses. The student receives no feedback or recognition, has no one to ask questions, and of course, must have the discipline to work on his own.
Recognizing this fact, the NSC modified the course so that it can be taught and learned in a number of different ways. "The Council recommends that you select qualified people in your organization who need this type of training, and that you combine some kind of classroom activity with home study," says Kelbus.
The process works like this: The student reads a chapter in his book; comes to class and discusses what was read; and goes home and completes the exercises in a workbook.
"The company has to give you time to talk about some of these issues back at your facility," Kelbus asserts. "Home study traditionally has had an unsuccessful completion rate. You can’t just take the material and dump it on somebody, have them take the course, complete the course and get nothing for it; if you do that, there’s no acknowledgement, no recognition."
In the NSC program, the student receives a letter of recognition for the completion of each module (chapter), and a certificate of completion for finishing the entire program. Since each module includes both a written exam and a case study, the student gains a real sense of accomplishment when he receives his hard-earned recognition.
A comprehensive course
The training course is extremely comprehensive, containing a total of 17 modules. They include:
• Safety Management;
• Communication;
• Human Performance Management;
• Safety and Health Training;
• Promoting Safety and Health;
• Safety, Health, and Environmental Auditing;
• Accident Investigation;
• Industrial Hygiene;
• Personal Protective Equipment;
• Ergonomics;
• Hazard Communication;
• Environmental Management;
• Machine Safeguarding;
• Hand Tools and Portable Power Tools;
• Materials Handling and Storage;
• Electrical Safety;
• Fire Safety.
"There are 17 modules, 17 topics, 17 videos, and 17 workbooks — but only one [390-page] manual," notes Kelbus. "If you are going to do the entire course, we recommend you complete it over a period of 34 weeks, because of the time it takes."
Of course, you don’t have to complete all the modules; you can concentrate on those areas that most affect your company. "You can also do select modules on a full-day, seminar basis," says Kelbus.
When a company opts for a full 34-week program, they usually have a coordinator on-site. "But, for example, if you’re going to study electrical safety, you may wish to bring in electrical supervisor. For a fire safety class, you could even get someone in from the fire department. Or, you may have a trainer from human resources who could teach communication," Kelbus suggests.
Changing with the times
The program has been updated a number of times to reflect the evolution of workplace safety issues. For example, there was not an ergonomics module, say, ten years ago.
One of the more fascinating modules is human performance management. "This has to do with behavior — why are people injured? It’s very easy to point the finger at the employee, but what is the company doing to encourage him to operate his machinery safely?" Kelbus asks.
The effectiveness of the program is difficult to measure, Kelbus admits, because every company places a different emphasis on different modules — and they even have different ways of measuring that effectiveness themselves. "It’s dangerous simply to look at the number of people who are hurt each year," he notes. "But the program does get people more involved in safety than they ever were before; they start to ask questions, and to do things differently. They realize that most accidents are caused. No one intentionally goes to work to get themselves hurt, but many of them don’t realize that their actions or lack of attention to safety issues can get them hurt. This course shines a bright light on that issue — that all accidents are caused by some unsafe practice or procedure."
So Kelbus measures success by the number of managers who take the materials and use them at their facilities. "Safety managers tell us the course has helped them get training they were never able get, because the home study component gave them the ability to cover all 17 modules," he notes.
This reliance on the NSC puts pressure on the council, as well. "When a supervisor sees material with the green cross on it, they know that means it has the NSC’s endorsement; it comes from an organization who they perceive be the expert. We are truly obligated to keep up on the latest information because so many companies rely on that green cross."
[For more information, contact: Joe Kelbus, National Safety Council, Occupational Safety & Health Services, 1121 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, IL 60143. Telephone: (630) 775-2359. Fax: (630) 775-2136.]
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