Tag: safety

Another Court Case that Hinged on a Training Program

When a painting company got a contract to paint a highway bridge, scaffolds were suspended from the bridge. And because employees would be working 30 feet above the ground, use of fall protection in the form of a personal fall arrest system secured directly to the bridge was required and issued to each scaffold worker. […]

Expert Advice on Handling Difficult Trainees and Questions

Q. What can trainers do to manage difficult participants and difficult questions during training? A. Difficult trainees include hecklers (particularly in large groups) as well as those who “for whatever reason have totally shut down and make it obvious” by not participating and sitting with their arms folded during training, says Veronica J. Holcomb, president […]

Could Your Trainers Use Some Expert Training Advice?

Q. How can trainers make the most efficient use of classroom training time? A. Trainers are under constant pressure from management to decrease the amount of face-to-face classroom time and to reduce overall training time, says Elaine Biech, president and managing principal of ebb associates inc. (www.ebbweb.com), an organizational development firm. That’s why it’s so […]

Online Learning Can Revolutionize Your Safety Training

Online safety training is a dream come true for safety trainers. It provides consistent and up-to-date information, flexibility, evaluation, and systematic documentation—all at a very affordable price. There are many advantages to using this type of self-paced training, including that online training: Allows you to present the same content, in exactly the same way, to […]

Is Your Training Award-Winning?

Johns Manville of McPherson, Kansas, which produces fiberglass insulation materials, was honored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its commitment to safety. In 2007 Johns Manville earned membership in OSHA’s prestigious “star” Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The star designation is the highest level in the program. “Johns Manville has exhibited excellence in […]

When what’s good for business isn’t good employment law: What warrants termination for cause?

by Kyla Stott-Jess Is a Canadian employer justified in terminating an employee for cause when that employee has disobeyed company policy? What if the consequences of the employee’s failure to follow policy put other employees at serious risk of harm? Not necessarily, said the Ontario Supreme Court recently in Barton v. Rona Ontario Inc. Rather, […]

Safety Attitude Survey Enhances Training

Every employee must be dead serious about safety—or they could end up dead. As well as taking job safety seriously, a positive attitude is reflected by other factors, such as: Being willing to learn about safety and health issues Complying with all safety regulations, rules, and procedures Taking personal responsibility for safety Focusing on and […]

NFL lockout hits pay dirt with employment lessons

By Michael P. Maslanka Editor’s note: Fall is here, and for a lot of die-hard fans, that means just one thing — it’s football season. But the first three weeks of this football season were marred by a referee lockout that meant a lot of bad calls and missed penalties by the replacements. Many commentators […]

Independent contractor’s behavior can lead to criminal liability for employers

By Antonio Di Domenico On Christmas Eve 2009, a swing stage (a work platform) suspended on the 14th floor of an Ontario apartment building collapsed. Four workers including the site supervisor died after falling to the ground. Metron Construction was charged with criminal negligence causing death under Canada’s Criminal Code. The company’s owner and sole […]

More Safety Training Q & As

Q. We have a safety meeting that all employees attend. Are the hours attending the safety meeting considered "hours worked" for overtime purposes? A. Training programs conducted during regular working hours constitute work time and must be compensated as such, according to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). After-hours training need not be compensated […]