1. Teaching Adults: Tools for
Safety Trainers
© 2007 Bongarde Media 1

2. Teaching adults: tools for safety
trainers
Goals and objectives
– After the completion of this workshop, the participant should
be able to:
Use the characteristics and learning styles of adult
learners to create more effective safety training
programs
Apply Dale’s Cone of Learning to create safety training
programs that change employee behavior
Create safety training that effectively reaches adults with
different learning styles
Recognize emerging web 2.0 tools for learning
© 2007 Bongarde Media 2

3. OSHA Training Guidelines*
A. Determining if Training is Needed
B. Identifying Training Needs
C. Identifying Goals and Objectives
D. Developing Learning Activities
E. Conducting the Training
F. Evaluating Program Effectiveness
G. Improving the Program
H. Training must align with job tasks
*US Department of Labor. Training Requirements in OSHA
Standards and Training Guidelines. OSHA 2254 1998 (Revised).
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2254.pdf
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4. Characteristics of adult learners*
Need to know why they need to learn something
Learn through experience
See learning as problem-solving
Learn best when the topic is of immediate value
Are often self directed
* Malcolm Knowles. For more about Knowles and his work, see:
http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/resources/malcolmknowles.cfm
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm
http://www.newhorizons.org/future/Creating_the_Future/crfut_knowles
.html
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5. Tips for motivating adult learners
Involve them in assessing and evaluating training needs
Respect their time: keep training short and focused
Tell them upfront the goal and objective of training, and what
they will gain from the training
Ask them to share their experiences and validate the importance
of experience
Give employees opportunities for self-directed learning
Measure retention of learning through quizzes and other
methods
Share summaries of results and feedback
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6. Learning styles
Most people use all styles but show an affinity for one
style
– Visual: learn through pictures and reading
– Auditory: learn through listening
– Kinesthetic/Tactile: learn through touching, feeling,
experiencing, doing
Effective trainers adjust their teaching style to employees’
learning styles and take into account the different styles
when conveying information
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7. © 2007 Bongarde Media 7

8. Reaching visual learners
Illustrated handouts
PowerPoint
Computer-based training
Posters
Clip Art
Props
Employee newsletters
Safety puzzles
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9. Reaching auditory learners
Listening and presenting
Q&A, discussion groups
Narrated PowerPoint Toolbox Talks
Computer-based training
Audio talks
Video
Listening to audio talks at work, driving, exercising
– Download audio talks to CDs
– Download audio talks to mp3 players
Podcasts
Video Ipod training
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10. Reaching kinesthetic learners
Interactive safety training games
– “Safety Jeopardy”
– Virtual oil rig simulators*
Role playing
Hands-on training labs
Adventurous, fast-paced action videos
Give opportunities to move around
Keep training short
*See SimuLynx Rig Skills. Terris-Hill Productions.
(http://www.terris-hill.com/products/simulynx_rigskill.php)
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11. Using stories in adult training*
Stories convey complex information in an understandable
and memorable way
Stories and videos from respected and experienced
workers speak powerfully to new workers
Collect and video tape your workers’ stories
Real-life Fatality Reports grab employees’ attention to the
dangers of close calls
*Cullen ET, Fein AH. Tell Me a Story: Why Stories are Effective to Safety
Training: Report of Investigation 9664. NIOSH (August 2005). Download at
http://0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/2005-152.pdf
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12. Ideas for reinforcing training
Worker slogan contests
Customize training materials with pictures of YOUR
employees, equipment, logo, and locations
What’s wrong with this picture?
Involve employees’ family in safety training and
learning: children’s drawings, laminated placemats,
recipe contests for healthy living, home-safety video
contests . . .
Safety Jeopardy or other games specific to your
worksite
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13. Stay Tuned: Upcoming Web 2.0
tools that will affect training
Web 2.0: second-generation of web-based communities and hosting services
– Browsing, eg, Google Search, StumbleUpon
– Productivity and Commerce, eg, Basecamp, Google Calendar
– Publishing, eg, WordPress, PollDaddy, Drupal
– Graphics, eg, Picasa, Google SketchUp, GIMP, Blender, Synfig
– Reference, eg, Wikipedia, IMDb
– Communications, eg, Skype, Trillian
– Virtual Worlds, eg, SecondLife
– Community, eg, LinkedIn, Facebook, digg, TeacherTube, SafetyXChange, Vermont
Safety Information Resources
– Tools for file sharing and storage, eg, BitTorrent, box
– Gaming & Entertainment, eg, Line Rider, Eventful
– Media, eg, flickr, YouTube, uStream.TV, Slideshare
– Mobile, eg, 1-800-GOOG-411, Radar.Net
411
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14. For More Information
Presentation
by Aileen McHugh
Director, Online Services
Safety Smart Online
Bongarde Media
300 Main Street
Stamford, CT 06902
Phone: 203-653-2895
Fax: 203-316-0283
aileenm@bongarde.com
www.online.safetysmart.com
www.safetyxchange.org
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