Interactive Safety Topics

Workplace health and safety is important for all workers and the company's bottom line. A comprehensive health and safety program can improve morale while at the same time reduce the costs for insurance and workman's compensation. Interactive safety training, aside from being fun, gets employees involved in hands-on training and is a departure from simple hand outs or droning through another PowerPoint presentation.

First-Aid and CPR Training

• First-Aid and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is the cornerstone of any workplace comprehensive training program. The company calls in a health organization that conducts small, interactive classes with all of the equipment necessary. This includes a life-sized victim doll. All participants perform various first-aid techniques, including CPR, on the victim doll and are graded on their performance.

Forklift Safety Training

• You must take a forklift driver's test in order to operate a forklift.

  Unless the company has a qualified trainer in-house, an outside consultant is retained to perform classroom training as well as interactive operational training on the forklifts. Operations training consists of learning and understanding the controls. Additionally, a quality program will teach employees how to identify safety and health hazards directly relevant to operation of a forklift truck. A successful forklift driver's test earns the employee a forklift driver's license.

Fire Extinguisher Safety Training

• Training on the proper use of fire extinguishers is important.

  Oftentimes a representative from the local fire department comes to the workplace to perform interactive training with employees on the proper use of fire extinguishers. When able to do so safely, demonstrations take place with real fires under controlled conditions in the open space of a parking lot. Fire apparatus is on-hand in the event of an emergency. In addition to the proper fire extinguishing techniques, employees learn about the different types of extinguishers and the types of fires on which they are best used.

Workplace Hazard Assessments

• Training performed by the company's risk control or insurance company teaches employees how to be good safety investigators. Using a methodical approach to exploring every aspect of the facility, auditors-in-training learn how to spot trip-and-fall hazards, electrical hazards, machine guarding failures, unsafe acts by other employees, and much more. Once trained to understand what to look for, formal assessments are supported by simple, day-to-day identification of workplace safety problems, which initiates corrective actions before accidents and injuries occur.

Fire Drills

• Preparing for a fire is crucial.

  Fire drills aren't just for schools anymore. A quality workplace interactive safety program includes regular fire drills. It isn't enough to simply post signs indicating where the nearest fire exits are. The memory of their existence vanishes with the day-to-day activities of the business. Short of a real fire situation, nothing prepares employees for a swift, orderly exit better than regular, unannounced fire drills performed just as though a real fire danger is present.

Benefits

• Anytime a business is able to provide engaging, interactive safety training, employees retain more of the knowledge the sessions offer. Better still is the reality that fun and interesting programs will encourage active enrollment and participation by employees in future classes. Training and retraining should be ongoing and never-ending, keeping it fresh in employees' minds and maximizing the safety and health of all.