Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
20 SafetyandHealthTraining
IntroductIon
Safety.and.health.training.is.not.the.answer.to.accident.prevention..Training.cannot.
be.the.sum.total.answer.to.all.accidents.in.the.workplace..In.fact,.training.is.only.
applicable.when.a.worker.has.not.been.trained.previously,.is.new.to.a.job.or.task,.or.
safe.job.skills.needed.to.be.upgraded.
If.a.worker.has.the.skills.to.do.his.or.her.job.safely,.then.training.will.not.address.
unsafe. job. performance.. The. problem. is. not. the. lack. of. skill. to. do. the. job. safely,.
but.rather.the.worker's.unsafe.behavior.that.he.or.she.has.elected.to.exhibit..Do.not.
construe.these.statements.to.suggest.that.safety.and.health.training.does.not.have.an.
important.function.as.part.of.an.accident.prevention.program..Without.a.safety.and.
health.training.program,.a.vital.element.of.workplace.safety.and.health.is.missing.
The.safety.and.health.training.needed.should.include.not.only.workers,.but.also.
supervisors.and.management..Without.training.for.managers.and.supervisors,.it.can-
not.be.expected.or.assumed.that.they.are.cognizant.of.the.safety.and.health.prac-
tices.of.your.company..Without.this.knowledge.they.will.not.know.safe.from.unsafe,.
how. to. implement. the. loss. control. program,. or. even. how. to. reinforce,. recognize,.
or.enforce.safe.work.procedures.unless.proper.training.on.occupational.safety.and.
health.has.transpired.
Safety.and.health.training.is.critical.to.achieving.accident.prevention..Companies.
that.do.not.provide.new-hire.training,.supervisory.training,.and.worker.safety.and.
health. training. have. an. appreciably. greater. number. of. injuries. and. illnesses. than.
companies.that.carry.out.safety.and.health.training..All.types.of.programs.may.be.
offered.that.use.many.of.the.recognized.accident.prevention.techniques,.but.without.
workers.who.are.trained.in.their.jobs.and.employ.safe.work.practices,.the.efforts.to.
reduce.and.prevent.accidents.and.injuries.will.result.in.marginal.success..If.a.worker.
has.not.been.trained.to.do.a.job.in.a.productive.and.safe.manner,.a.very.real.prob-
lem.exists..Do.not.assume.that.a.worker.knows.how.to.do.his.or.her.job.and.will.do.
it.safely.unless.he.or.she.has.been.trained.to.do.so..Even.with.training,.some.may.
resist.safety.procedures.and.then.you.have.deportment.or.behavioral.problems—not.
a.training.issue.
It.is.always.a.good.practice.to.train.newly.hired.workers.and.experienced.workers.
who.have.been.transferred.to.a.new.job..It.is.also.important.that,.any.time.a.new.pro-
cedure,.new.equipment,.or.extensive.changes.in.job.activities.occur,.workers.receive.
training..Well-trained.workers.are.more.productive,.more.eficient,.and.safer.
Training.for.the.sake.of.documentation.is.a.waste.of.time.and.money..Training.
should. be. purposeful. and. goal. or. objective. driven.. An. organized. approach. to.
on-the-job.safety.and.health.will.yield.the.proper.ammunition.to.determine.your.real.
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