Keeping on topic with ASW’s focus on National Safety Month, I wanted to expand on a recent article that the ASW team discussed this week. The article, “Seeing Safety in a New Way,” was featured in Safety + Health, a publication by the National Safety Council Congress & Expo (click here to access). In summary, the article stressed the important role visual literacy can play in cutting through the “noise” that compounds our ability to identify hazards, perceived risks, and open our eyes to various safety concerns that we may overlook in the day-to-day bustle. This visual literacy has a direct impact on safety training methods and ensuring that topics are communicated in a way that employees can retain.
Another main point within this article was the value of safety training outside the workplace as a mechanism for greater visual stimulation. Often-times the workplace can feel compulsory and stagnant, two qualities that can stifle the effectiveness of training. However, the workplace does not have to be a boring training environment! Taking inspiration from this article, think of ways to make safety training stimulating to the senses. The best and most effective trainings are ones that employees remember for years to come, perhaps even laugh at and lend stories. “Do you remember the training when we did this?!” Training should be real, exciting, and go beyond a lecture in a conference room. Incorporate actual mock scenarios in training!
For example, ASW takes a bold approach to fall training. After a brief group discussion and lecture we include do actual mock fall-victim scenarios. Not only is such fall rescue training required by OSHA, but it makes fall training fun and unforgettable. We use the real equipment in the workplace and incorporate dummies so that workers can get a better understanding of situational response. This training structure is useful for all types of learners as it includes opportunities to read, listen, see situations, and participate in a tactile way. So, think of ways to make safety, and all training for that matter, more impactful for employees. Don’t be afraid to get silly, have fun, go outside, and learn as you go!
"Progress Demands Change" -Cheers! Lauren