Regular workplace safety training is essential for employees, regardless of department or experience. Here's a look at why ongoing safety training is key.
The Importance of Regular Safety Training for Your Employees
You want a safe workplace, and you and your employees must work together to make your vision a reality. If you offer regular safety training to your employees, you can foster a safe work environment.
WHY REGULAR SAFETY TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES IS KEY
If you only offer safety training once a year, it may be a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” Employees need regular safety training, so they can use the right actions, processes, and systems to complete everyday tasks without putting themselves or others in danger. Plus, regular safety training encourages employees to ask workplace safety questions and raise concerns before they forget about them. It also ensures employees and managers can continuously work together to create a safe work environment that encompasses personnel at all levels.
A safety training program is beneficial, but you need to update it regularly. Because, if you keep your safety training program up to date, you can provide your employees with the latest OSHA recommendations and tips to improve workplace safety.
CREATE AN EFFECTIVE SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM
Here are a few tips to help you develop and maintain an effective safety training program.
1. Highlight the Importance of Workplace Safety
Explain why workplace safety is crucial for all employees, at all times. Your safety training program teaches employees how to limit the risk of on-the-job accidents and injuries, so workers need to take it seriously. Encourage employees to listen closely, and they can learn what to do to make your workplace safer.
2. Teach Workers About Their Roles
Discuss how each employee plays a role in creating and maintaining a safe work environment. Offer insights into how workers across different departments contribute to a workplace in which employees can perform their jobs safely. Whenever possible, use real-world examples to show employees how they can make a work environment safer.
3. Teach Managers About Their Roles
Along with workers, managers must understand how they can promote workplace safety every day. Teach managers how to enforce workplace safety guidelines, handle on-the-job accidents and injuries, and report workplace safety violations. In addition, provide managers with resources they can use to educate employees about workplace safety.
4. Address Workplace Hazards
Let employees know to come forward to address workplace hazards, regardless of when a safety training session is held. Workplace safety is an ongoing initiative, and employees must inform their managers if they believe their work conditions are dangerous. Then, employees and managers can collaboratively address on-the-job hazards and prevent them from becoming recurring problems.
5. Collect and Implement Feedback
Use surveys to collect employee feedback about your safety training program. Employees can help you identify safety training program improvement areas, so you can update your program accordingly and get the best results from it going forward.
Finally, OSHA outlines employer responsibilities for workplace safety — and you need to review these responsibilities regularly. In doing so, you can improve your safety training program and maximize safety across your workplace.
OFFER REGULAR SAFETY TRAINING
I hope these tips can help you build a workplace where employees feel safe. One final note: you need to offer safety training at different times throughout the year.
Creating a safe work environment requires hard work and dedication, and you need to give your employees plenty of opportunities to learn about workplace safety. With regular training sessions, you can teach employees the skills they need to safely perform work tasks, as well as encourage workers to share their safety insights with others. The result: your employees can become more productive and efficient, and your business can further reduce the risk of on-the-job accidents and injuries.
Of course, regular safety training also helps your business stand out to top talent. At Headfarmer, we help finance and technology businesses in the greater Phoenix area uncover ways to attract and retain skilled professionals, too. To learn more, please reach out.
