As we pointed out yesterday, fewer workers are injured or killed at work than away from work. And they do incur costs, such as finding and hiring replacement workers, production slowdowns, and morale downturns. So, it’s a good idea to emphasize off-the-job safety when providing training in activities likely to be engaged in away from work.
What to Emphasize
Here is training information for more on-and-off-the-job hazards.
Electrical safety. Emphasize the same respect for electricity as you do in on-the-job training, such as:
- Do not overload circuits; know which rooms and appliances are on each circuit; make sure extension cords are in good condition and are not underfoot. Outdoors, avoid contact with overhead wiring and remember to "call before you dig" where there is underground wiring.
- Disconnect appliances by grasping the plug (not pulling on the wire); never disable the grounding plug on a three-prong appliance.
- Always remember that water and electricity do not mix! Don’t place appliances or power tools where they can fall into water; don’t use such tools while standing in water. If basement appliances are under floodwater, do not enter; have the electric company turn off power first.
The most effective and cost-efficient way to provide safety training to your workforce—Try a demo of BLR’s remarkable TrainingToday at no cost or obligation.
Hazardous materials. These abound in virtually every household and must be handled with care: cleaning materials, pesticides, paints, and medicines.
- Follow directions. Read the labels on all such materials (or follow doctor’s instructions for prescription medicine); understand which products must not be combined (e.g., bleach and ammonia).
- Use recommended protective equipment, such as gloves, safety glasses, masks, etc., to guard against injury to eyes, lungs, and skin.
- Store materials in locations where incompatible substances will not mix and where children cannot get at them.
- Know how to immediately contact your physician, the nearest hospital, poison center, and local ambulance service.
General safety precautions. A homeowner may indulge in various potentially injurious activities for which he or she has had no on-the-job training because they are not part of the job. One might be the use of tools in the do-it-yourselfer’s workshop. Another is yardwork, where power lawn mowers cause thousands of injuries every year, many of them severe. Again, careful reading and following the instructions for use and protection will be a major key to safety. Another is regular use of a mental checklist to ensure that unsafe conditions are promptly noticed and fixed. Both of these important good safety habits are emphasized at work, and employees can easily be urged to follow them at home as well. Another is the sensible habit of avoiding overexertion, whether on or off the job.
Try a demo of BLR’s remarkable award-winning Training Today at no cost or obligation. Includes the Workplace Safety library. Get the details.
Get Serious About Training!
Whether you’re training employees about on- or off-the-job training—or a whole range of other vital workplace safety and health topics—you have a friend in BLR. We can make training easier for you—and inexpensive for your employer.
Show your employees how serious you are about safety training by giving them access to dozens of prepared safety training sessions with the extensive Workplace Safety Library at BLR’s TrainingToday.
Train Today with TrainingToday
BLR’s TrainingToday is a unique training resource for workplaces of all kinds. Unlike many training solutions available on the market today, TrainingToday courses are routinely reviewed and updated to reflect changes in federal regulations or best practices. Each training course is developed by BLR lawyers, industry experts, and instructional designers who have experience across a wealth of industries, topics, and compliance areas.
Courses keep participants interested with engaging audio, built-in exercises, and key points to remember. At the completion of every course, individuals take a quiz designed to test for competency in all the course material presented. Quiz results and course completion times are automatically recorded.
Every course can be tailored with supporting and custom documents. BLR provides supporting documents for courses that include complete slide show notes and the answer key for the included quiz. As the administrator, you have the option of displaying uploaded documents and requiring review before the session begins. This is especially useful for company policies or worksite-specific information. Supporting materials can be added, edited, or removed at any time.
With only a few minutes’ setup, your company will have a complete Web-based training program with professionally developed courses, employee testing capabilities, and systematic documentation of employee training sessions and scores. And remember, BLR TrainingToday courses can be delivered at individual employee desks, in computer centers, at training kiosks, or even in a classroom.
No wonder BLR’s TrainingToday was named “Best Workforce Training Solution” by the Software Information Industry Association. It can help you launch a cost-effective and successful employee training program.
We urge you to sign up for a no-obligation demo by visiting the award-winning TrainingToday. Or, feel free to call our customer service people toll-free at 866-696-4827.