The document provides guidance on conducting effective safety training. It emphasizes getting trainees involved through interactive methods like asking questions, using workplace photos for discussion, and soliciting input and feedback. Safety training should be specific to the workplace and job tasks. A variety of training styles like demonstrations, videos, and discussions should be used within a session to keep people engaged. Training should have a goal of providing "safety takeaways" that trainees can apply to improve safety in their jobs.

1. HOW TO CONDUCT
EFFECTIVE
SAFETY TRAINING
Steve Wise July 2010

2. How to Conduct Effective
Safety Training
Conducting Effective Safety Training - is a critical
aspect of any Safety Leader.
Such Training must not only pertain to what your
People do each day in their workplace - but it must
reach out, grab them, and get them involved.
Any form of Safety Training must be conducted
with the Goal of having your People obtain
“Safety Take-Aways” - something that they can take
back to their workplace and benefit from.
This presentation is being offered to give Safety
Leaders ideas on how to Conduct Effective Safety
Training that will not only benefit their people -
but help ensure their Safety in their Workplace.

3. How to Conduct Effective
Safety Training
Get Your People Involved
Workplace Specific Safety Training
Safety Training Styles
Solicit Your People’s Input / Feedback
Teach Safety with a PASSION

4. Get Your People Involved
One of the worst forms of Training in general -
is using one-way communication.
How many times have you sat through a
classroom session and were lectured to the
entire time? Did you take away anything from it?
Safety Training must reach out and involve
your audience - It must get their attention.
It must pertain to what they do - and show them
why Safety is and should be important to them.
Involving your People in the Safety Training
that you are conducting - will not only reach
them - but provide them “Safety Takeaways.”

5. Ways to get Your People Involved
Use Workplace Pictures - that can be discussed
amongst your People - especially pictures of them.
Use your People in Demonstrations - such as how to
properly Lift, how to properly setup / clean a Tool,
or talk about how to prevent a prior injury that
they had.
Worker Presentations - ask one of your most
knowledgeable Workers to present a Topic - such as
explaining how to perform an Operation.
Include Upper Management - in your Safety Training
- their participation in such sends a strong message
of Safety Commitment to the Workforce.
Put Your People on the Spot - during your Safety
Training, call on them by Name - and ask them to
answer a question, make a Safety Recommendation, or
talk about a Safety Problem that they may have.

6. Use Workplace Pictures
Examples of Questions that you
can ask to involve your People -
What is wrong with this
Picture / Position?
What would you recommend to
this Worker - to improve his /
her position?
What Injuries could be
incurred from working in this
position?
Have you ever been injured
when working in this position?
What actions do you take to
prevent getting injured in
performing this operation?
When you use Workplace Safety Pictures - you are
bringing and applying your Safety Training
to your People’s Workplace.

7. Use Classroom Quizzes
PPE is considered the first line of defense against
another way workplace hazards?
True
to get your False
People Most workers suffer Head Injuries –
involved in While looking down
From an operation that their co-worker was
your Safety performing
From falling equipment
Training - is When not wearing Head Protection
to conduct What operations call for the use of Safety Goggles?
an Open Spray Painting
Grinding Operations
Safety Quiz Having a co-worker working within 5 feet of you
that When working under equipment / Components
pertains to What is the Suspension in a Hard Hat for?
Holds the Hard Hat firmly in place
your Allows you to turn your Hard Hat backwards
workplace Suspends the Hard Hat from your Head, creating
ventilation and helps the cushioning of impacts
Serves as a means of hanging it up when not in use

8. Include Safety Recommendations
from Your People
My example was when my prior Plant was
incurring a rash of Eye Injuries.
I walked through the Plant and randomly
stopped Employees and asked them -
“What do you do to prevent Eye Injuries?”
From there, I produced several Safety
Training Slides - some with Employee
Pictures - that included the statements or
recommendations that they made.
Bill Moots - Fab Shop
Not only is this an effort that can be “Safety Glasses are very
considered Employee Recognition - but important in the Fab Shop - due
to flying metal particles that
you may hear a recommendation that are produced by various
may be considered a “Best Practice” - that Fabrication Operations.”
should be adopted by the entire Plant.

9. Workplace Specific Safety Training
Similar to one-way Training - is to conduct Safety
Training on a topic that does not pertain to a
Workgroup.
Whenever possible - conduct Safety Training that
directly applies to what your People do.
There will be times when you have to teach a Safety
Topic that may not directly pertain to the bulk of your
People - i.e., Forklift Training - only a small percentage
of the work population may actually drive Forklifts.
But one way that you can relate such Safety Training to
them - is to discuss how they are impacted by such
operations - i.e., working near forklifts, employees
injured from F/L operations, etc.
Instruct them on how such Safety Training matters to
them - and offer them related “Safety Takeaways.”

10. Workplace Specific Safety Training
Example - Ergonomics
BACKGROUND:
✦ My prior Plant was starting to incur “Soft Tissue”
Injuries from various and common repair operations.
✦ The majority of these Injuries were Muscular-
Skeleton related injuries - and resulted from poor
Workplace Ergonomics.
✦ Prior to such Safety Training - Ergonomics had not
been talked about at my Plant to any significant
degree - nor had any Ergonomic training been held.
OBJECTIVE: Introduce Ergonomic Safety Training into
the Plant, explain it to the Workforce, and show them
how proper Ergonomics is important to their Safety.

11. Workplace Specific Safety Training
Example - Ergonomics
ACTIONS TAKEN:
✦ Prior to introducing Ergonomics to my Workforce - I
spent time learning how Ergonomics specifically related
to my workplace -
✴ I went to our local Medical Clinic who instructed me
on how “Soft Tissue” injuries are incurred - then I
identified the Ergonomic Hazards of the Plant - and
what Ergonomic Actions can be taken to prevent.
✦ In addition, I spent time on the Plant Floor - talking to
the Employees who were suspect to such injuries -
✴ asking if they ever incurred such an injury - what they
thought the causes were - and what Ergonomic Hazards
they face when performing their daily duties.
READY TO TRAIN: Once I had a thorough knowledge of
Ergonomics and “Soft Tissue” Injuries - I was ready to roll
it out, train my People so that they could apply it to their
Workplace, and get them involved in Ergonomics.

12. Workplace Specific Safety Training
Example - Ergonomics
Ergonomic Safety Training Classes were then held with all Work
Groups that included the discussion of the following Ergonomic items -
Defined - What Ergonomic Type Injuries are and what they are
Called (Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders / WMSD’s).
Ergonomic Hazards - Explained that such were common in our
workplace (i.e., Static Posture, Repetitive Motion, Force) - and why
these types of Ergonomic Hazards lead to WMSD Injuries.
Symptoms - Discussed what the symptoms are of such injuries (i.e.,
Pain, Joint Stiffness, Swelling) - and that such symptoms should be
reported at the onset in order to prevent further injury.
Ergo Injuries - Next we discussed the type of WMSD Injuries that the
Plant had recently incurred - including what Body Part was
involved and what Plant Operations may have lead to the Injury.
Preventative Actions - Finally, we discussed what actions can be
taken by the Worker - to prevent incurring a WMSD Injury including
- Working in a comfortable Posture, Keeping Work Area between
their Waist and Shoulders, and Don’t hold a Position for too long.

13. Workplace Specific Safety Training
Example - Ergonomics
Included in this Ergonomic
Safety Training were Safety
pictures that related to what
they did.
I displayed a picture such as
this and asked -
✦ What are the Ergonomic /
Safety Hazards displayed in
the picture?
✦ What Ergo or Other Injuries
could be incurred from this
operation?
✦ What actions could a Worker
take to prevent incurring
either Ergo Injuries - or any
other type of Injury when
performing this operation.
If such pictures relate to what
your People do in their
Workplace - you can maximize
their impact and effect on them.

14. Safety Training Styles
The Safety Training Style that you use - should be
one that provides the most impact and benefit to
your People.
Your Safety Training Style should depend upon
your Workplace Environment - i.e., Manufacturing
Plant, Warehouse, Office, etc.
Some Safety Trainers may have different and
multiple Workplace Environments - therefore it is
critical that you adapt your Safety Training Style
accordingly which may require the use of
different approaches.
Know your Workplace and your Audience - then
reach out and grab them - make their Workplace
Safety important to them.

15. Safety Training Styles
Two-Way Training - I am a firm believer in using a Training
Style that gets your People involved -
✦ I ask questions from the start - Get People to demonstrate
or help present - Split the group and challenge them on
their “Safety Know-how” - and make a point to Spotlight
their Safety Efforts and Achievements.
Show-And-Tell - Any time that you can use Workplace Tools,
Equipment, etc. in your Safety Training - you are able to
bring their Workplace to the Safety Classroom.
✦ Example: Fork-Lift Training - I had a F/L placed outside the
Classroom, took my People out to it, then went over how to
perform a F/L Safety Inspection and its critical points.
Live-and-Learn - Safety Leaders should always make it a point
to learn from others - especially from Accidents that relate
to what their Workforce does.
✦ Such examples can easily be found for various Safety
Topics - Always discuss Accidents that were incurred
within the Company, including past and serious Injuries.

16. Safety Training Styles
Use Outside Personnel - that can give your People an
outsiders point of view, share their experiences and Safety
recommendations, provide you and your people with a more
expert opinion on their Safety, and may teach you and your
People something new.
✦ Don’t try to do it all / rely on outside help - Use local
Suppliers or Medical Personnel that you may work with
on a regular basis to assist in your Safety Training.
✦ My Example - for our monthly Fire Extinguisher
Training, I arranged for the local Fire Department to
come out and conduct “hands on” training with our
Supervisors and Safety Reps.
✴ Not only did they provide more expert instruction -
they taught us that a Used Fire Extinguisher should
be laid on its side - to visibly tell others that it is
spent and not to try to use it when fighting a fire.
✴ In addition, we filmed this Training - then were able
to share it with the balance of our Work Groups - as
well as with our sister Locations at my Company.

17. Safety Training Styles
Use Available Methods and Means - to conduct your
Safety Training including - Videos, PowerPoint,
Youtube, etc. Make sure that they are up-to-date.
✦ Using current day media can help convey your
Safety Message - especially to a younger Workforce.
✦ But if you choose to do, make sure that you or
someone at your organization - has the skills and
the time to create such Safety Training
presentations.
Mix It Up - meaning that the Safety Trainer should use
various styles within one Safety Training session.
✦ Mixing up your Safety Training Presentation - keeps
your People fresh and attentive.
✦ Example: 2-way communication / discussion, photo
analysis, open quiz, Worker demo, Live-and-learn,
best practice recommendations.

18. Safety Training Style - Mix It Up
Training Meeting Agenda - Example
1. FIRE EXTINGUISHER USE - 30 2. WHAT IS OUR SAFETY
minutes TEMPERATURE - 10 minutes
Fire Extinguisher Use - How Much Month Safety Performance
do you Know? - Quiz
Recent Safety Findings
Fire Extinguisher Training - 15:35
minute video Safety Statistics
Fire Extinguisher Use - Types / What is Your Safety
Fire Triangle / “PASS” / ABC Fire Temperature?
Extinguishers @ the Plant / 3. OTHER SAFETY ITEMS - 10
Things to consider when Using minutes
Fire Extinguishers / Monthly Fire
Extinguisher Inspections Employee Safety Spotlights -
Employee Recognition
How a Fire Extinguisher Works -
demonstration JSO Update
Fire Extinguishers - Keep them Safety Audits Update
clear - discussion & pictures
4. OPEN SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
Used Fire Extinguishers - What - 10 minutes
good are they? - discussion
Employee Safety Concerns &
Outside Fire Extinguisher Labels Issues

19. Solicit Your People’s
Input & Feedback
One fond memory that I have - that helped me to become the
Safety Trainer that I am today happened several years ago -
✦ I was conducting one of my first Safety Training Classes
after just taking over as the Divisions Safety Manager.
✦ Just after I started my Safety Training Class - one of the
seasoned Mechanics in the group stood up and asked me...
“What the hell do you know about Safety - since you
haven’t done what we do?”
✦ From that moment on - I made it a point to be the Best
Safety Trainer that I could be. My promise was to -
✴ Know the Safety Topic that I was teaching inside out -
Know how how it related to those that I was teaching
and how it could improve their Workplace Safety.
✴ And to rely on my Workforce to not only teach me
what they knew...but to help me to make a Safety
difference.

20. Solicit Your People’s
Input & Feedback
As a Safety Leader and Trainer -
✦ I feel that it is critical to solicit input from
Your People not only on your Safety Training
✦ But your Safety Efforts in general
Take time when performing your Safety Walks to
stop and talk to your People about your Safety
Efforts and Training
✦ Ask them if such is making a Safety Difference
✦ Encourage them to give you suggestions and
recommendations to improve and how to make
more of a Safety Difference in their Workplace
Remember that Your People are the ones actually
performing the Work.....LEARN FROM THEM!

21. Ways to Solicit Your People’s
Input & Feedback
Personal Questions - can be asked during your Safety Walks.
Take time to ask your People for their thoughts, ideas, concerns,
and suggestions on Safety.
✦ I would often walk the plant floor each day - stopping my
People and asked them about their Safety.
✦ I would ask them what their concerns were and if we were
sufficiently acting on them.
✦ In addition I would ask them about their responsibilities and
how we could make them Safer.
Safety Tests or Questionnaires - can give you a pulse on whether
your Safety Training is understood by your Workforce.
✦ One approach that I used was to start a Safety Training Class
with a Safety Test on the Safety Topic that I was teaching.
✦ I then adjusted my Safety Training to how well they knew or
did not know the particular Safety Topic.

22. Ways to Solicit Your People’s
Input & Feedback
Safety Perception Surveys - can be used to assess your Safety Efforts
and that of your Organization.
✦ If you use such - make sure that you set time aside to act on - because
you will find Safety Issues that will need attention.
Safety Results - should be used as a barometer of the Safety -
Knowledge, understanding, and practice of your People.
✦ I would also include in my Safety Training a review of what I called a
“Our Safety Temperature.”
✦ This showed the Safety Results of my Plant - broken down by
Workgroup, Type of Safety Incidents, Frequency, etc.
✦ I used it as a Safety Communication Tool as well as an aide in showing
where our Safety Efforts should be spent and concentrated.
Employee Safety Participation - as a Safety Leader and Trainer - you
should always consider and use the level of participation of your
People in the organizational Safety Efforts as a guiding factor.
✦ Successful Organizations - will include active participation of their
People their Safety Efforts.
✦ If your People’s Safety Participation is low - whether in your Safety
Training or your organizational Safety Efforts - you must identify
why, then aggressively act on increasing their Safety Participation.

23. Teach Safety With a PASSION
If I could offer one piece of advice to any
Safety Leader....
BE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR
PEOPLE’S SAFETY -
AND YOUR EFFORTS TO TRAIN
AND PROTECT THEM
Passion for Safety if used in the correct
manner....spreads!

24. How I Show My Passion
for SAFETY
The following are ways that I show by Passion for Safety and in my
Safety Teachings -
Throughly prepare for a Safety Session - with the Goal to give
my People “Safety Take-Aways” - that they can apply to their
Workplace, and possibly take home with them as well.
Note down and act on any and all Safety Concerns raised by any
of my People.
Spend time to learn how my People perform their operations and
responsibilities - and the Safety difficulties that they may
encounter in performing them.
Treat each of my People as if I am personally responsible for
their Safety - and show them through my Safety Actions,
Efforts, and Teachings.
By showing your People that you believe in Safety and in their
Safety - your Passion will spread and grow - and for that...you have
made a Safety Difference.

25. Questions or Comments?
Send them to me via “Linked in”
I hope that this offering on
“How to Conduct Effective
Safety Training”
- has given You something
to take away - and that you can
use to help improve your
Safety Training.
Steve Wise