Of all the safety measures that an employer can use to prevent accidents on a construction worksite, training is top of the list. The time and effort invested in a proper training program can mean not only the difference between accidents and penalties but life and death as well.
Several months ago, OSHA fined a New York company for willful violation of lack of training which resulted in untrained employees using unsafe practices to operate a wood chipper. It also cited the company for three other serious violations, including:
§ Exposing employees to laceration and amputation hazards while operating chain saws during tree removal at three separate locations.
§ Failing to train each employee to use personal protective equipment.
§ Failing to ensure employees wear a protective helmet when working in areas where the potential exists for head injuries from falling objects.
These types of preventive safety measures are applicable in almost every construction project where heavy equipment is used.
According to OSHA, there are several approaches to assembling the necessary materials and methods for an effective training program. To minimize the potential for accidents, construction managers must anticipate hazards before workers are exposed to them. A common mistake, says the agency, is to develop a program around an accident that has already happened, which can be referred to as trial and error. “This method of program development is that it is reactive rather than proactive, and tends to emphasize the problems that have caused an accident (the training is in reaction to an accident). By contrast, proactive training teaches employees to prevent accidents rather than waiting for accidents to occur before recognizing the need for the training and determining what the scope and content of the training should be.”
Training is the means by which an employer ensures that employees have the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs correctly and safely. It is also important to note that training must be ongoing. “After employees have received initial training, acquired the basic knowledge, and perfected their operating skills, the employer may rely on refresher training to reinforce or improve the employee’s knowledge of the basic training material; to impart new information; to teach material in a new manner; or simply to maintain an acceptable level of awareness of workplace conditions, operating hazards, and truck-related characteristics.”
At Diversified Safety Services, we offer a wide variety of construction safety courses. Our classes are taught by experienced and qualified trainers who follow strict Occupational Safety Specialist (OSS) training guidelines. Clients who complete a class will receive records of training for the company files and for each participant, along with a training material for future reference.
For more information, contact our offices at Diversified Safety Services.
