Safety Competency Training

Workplace safety is a requirement by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. According to OSHA, employers must provide employees with a work environment that is hazard-free. Hosting safety competency training is an effective way to educate the workforce about potential hazards and ways to maximize safety at work.

Identification

• Safety competency training instructs trainees on the ways to identify hazards in the workplace. Knowing how to recognize hazards allows employees to make safer, well-informed decisions on the job. Accordingly, accidents, incidents, injuries and illnesses can be prevented or minimized.

Types

• During safety competency training, it is essential to review the types of hazards that are primarily found in the respective industry. Hazards vary from one work environment to another. Furnishing employees with a list of known hazards is an effective way to enhance their safety competency.

Warning

• Employees must be trained on the importance of looking for, and following, warning labels and caution signs. This is especially important when handling chemicals or operating heavy machinery.

Significance

• By providing staff with safety competency training, employees will develop a stronger sense of safety awareness. Safety competency trainings also benefit organizations. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, workplace accidents, injuries, fatalities and illnesses cost employers a lot of money in medical bills, worker compensation and lost productivity.