The Importance of Safety Training in the

Workplace: Safety Officers Discuss Ways to

Keep Your Business Compliant

PEER
PEER INSIGHT BY Interstate Electrical Services, Safety Training Services, Inc., and SDBright

INSIGHT

How much is the life of an employee worth? How much is the loss of a big toe? Or an index finger? These are
the questions that keep safety managers awake at night. While there are no good answers, the only way to get
a good night’s sleep is to ensure that your company is doing everything possible to make your company as safe
as possible. Unfortunately, simply meeting OSHA standards isn’t good enough. Would you want to drive in a
car that was deemed the “least” unsafe, or one that was a model of safety? Make safety a priority by allocating
yearly funding, finding the best trainers (whether external or internal), and empowering employees to work with
managers to create easy-to-understand safety procedures and protocols. Encourage people to think first, act
second, and consider safety protocols as not just a rote function, but an essential fact of daily practice that might
just save their lives.
 www.skillsoft.com

ExecBlueprints in partnership with Aspatore Books

™

Action Points Compliance experts from Interstate Electrical Services, Safety

Training Services, Inc., and SDBright discuss:
I. Cost of Compliance

The Importance of Safety

The cost of safety is incomparable.
Companies must do everything they can to
ensure that employees are properly trained
on all safety measures, OSHA regulations,
and compliance procedures.
II. The Bottom Line
There is no more important training than
Training in the Workplace:
teaching someone how to do their job prop-
erly. Put the time, money, and personnel into
crafting a strong, relevant program that not Safety Officers Discuss
Ways to Keep Your
only teaches the facts, but reinforces the
underlying concepts.
I II. Must-Haves for Conducting Safety

Business Compliant
Programs
Finding the right balance between class-
room teaching and hands-on application is
key when it comes to safety training. Know
your facts, know your audience, and listen to
feedback so you can constantly update pro- Erik Richman
cedures as necessary.
Director of Safety, Interstate Electrical Services
IV. Golden Rules for Staying Compliant
Compliance should not just be a necessary
evil, but a daily part of life. Take the time to Robert Groszewski
learn why compliance regulations have been President, Safety Training Services, Inc.
set, and then move forward from there to find
the best practices that will elevate your com-
pany’s processes to the next level. Stefan Bright
V. Essential Take-Aways Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment, SDBright
In order for a culture of safety to grow,

H
you must provide a multitude of behaviors
to follow. Don’t just tell people to be safe; ow much is the life of an employee worth? How much is the
allow them to help create the protocols, loss of a big toe? Or an index finger? These are the questions
set the guidelines, and model the expected that keep safety managers awake at night. While there are no
behaviors.
good answers, the only way to get a good night’s sleep is to ensure that
your company is doing everything possible to make your company as
safe as possible. Unfortunately, simply meeting OSHA standards isn’t
Contents good enough. Would you want to drive in a car that was deemed the
“least” unsafe, or one that was a model of safety? Make safety a priority
About the Authors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.2 by allocating yearly funding, finding the best trainers (whether external
Erik Richman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.3 or internal), and empowering employees to work with managers to
Robert Groszewski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.6 create easy-to-understand safety procedures and protocols. Encourage
Stefan Bright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.9 people to think first, act second, and consider safety protocols as
Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points. . . p.12 not just a rote function, but an essential fact of daily practice that might
just save their lives. n
Copyright 2015 Skillsoft Ireland Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the prior written permission of the publisher. This ExecBlueprints™ document was published as part of a subscription based service.
ExecBlueprints provides concise, easy to absorb, practical information to help organizations address pressing strategic issues. For more information about ExecBlueprints, please visit www.skillsoft.com.
About the Authors
Erik Richman
Director of Safety, Interstate Electrical Services
E
rik Richman provides a wide range
of risk management and safety
services to Interstate Electrical
Services and its clients, from hazard
assessments and site safety visits to train-
ing and program development. He is
responsible for the oversight of Interstate’s
existing safety program management,
Robert Groszewski
President, Safety Training Services, Inc.
S
ince 1988, Robert Groszewski has
been involved with industrial safety
training, first through U.S. Steel
Hazmat Training, then to Environmental
Resources Management (ERM) as a
trainer and safety consultant. In 2001,
several partners formed Safety Training
Services, Inc and relocated to Hammond,
Indiana. Mr. Groszewski currently serves
as the company’s president, and heads
the consulting division of the business.
Bringing the perspective of a long-time
Stefan Bright
Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment, SDBright
S
tefan Bright has been involved in
safety for the window cleaning and
building maintenance industries for
nearly 40 years. After managing a pro-
fessional window cleaning and building
maintenance operation for 18 years,
he moved into developing and provid-
ing worker safety training programs.
Furthermore, he has also been providing
fall protection for workers with build-
ing and equipment design and installa-
tion. In that capacity he has designed
numerous exterior and interior façade
maintenance and fall protection systems
on commercial buildings throughout the
United States.
He has held the position of safety
director for the International Window
Cleaning Association since 1993 and
also serves as the technical director
for the International Window Cleaner
Safety Certification program. He is also
© Skillsoft, 2015 About the Authors  ExecBlueprints  2
developing new programs, and continu-
ally enhancing our accident and incident
prevention culture.
Mr. Richman has 17 years of industry
experience throughout the Northeast
and Mid-Atlantic regions, ranging from
emergency responder into the safety
consulting and training arena is Mr.
Groszewski’s value-added skill. Helping
facilities prepare for an emergency can
be considerably more efficient when an
effective liaison exists between industry
and local responders.
Mr. Groszewski served six years
as a part-time firefighter/paramedic
in Calumet City, Illinois and was
a ­member of the City of Gary Fire
the coordinator for the OSHA Alliance
with the International Window Cleaning
Association and actively participates on
the OSHA Construction Roundtable for
Fall Protection.
Since 2001, he has been the chair-
man of the ANSI Accredited Standards
Committee I-14.1 for Window Cleaning
Safety and is also a member of the ANSI
A.120 Powered Platforms for Building
Maintenance committee.
Beginning in 1994, when OSHA rec-
ognized professional window cleaning as
a highly skilled occupation, Mr. Bright
developed and has been delivering the
window cleaner safety training program
on behalf of the International Window
Cleaning Association. This program has
been attended by over 7000 professional
window cleaners to date.
Additionally, Mr. Bright led the
development and publication of Safety
engineering and project management to
safety management.
☛ Read Erik’s insights on Page 3
Department since 1984. He was a res-
cue specialist for two years and a Safety
Officer/Training Captain for 12 years. He
served as a Battalion Chief for 10 years,
and prior to retiring in 2012, served
as Shift Commander. Mr. Groszewski
currently serves as a Captain/Training
Officer for the Munster Fire Department.
☛ Read Robert’s insights on Page 6
Guidelines for Window Cleaning, which
eventually evolved into the American
National Standard for Window Cleaning
Safety, which has sold over 5,000 copies
to date.
His passion and focus on the devel-
opment and delivery of safety training
to the window cleaning industry has
resulted in a 30 percent reduction in
fatalities and accidents over the last 20
years. For this accomplishment, he was
recognized by his peers and the American
Society of Safety Engineers as the recipi-
ent of the 2014 Triangle Award for
Heroic Dedication to Safety.
☛ Read Stefan’s insights on Page 9
Erik Richman
Director of Safety, Interstate Electrical Services
Elements of Successful
Safety Training Programs
A successful, effective, and com-
pliant safety training program can
never be a reality without execu-
tive leadership that truly believes in
the need for it; is passionate about
his or her people; and consistently
lives the values and philosophies
that are expected of others regard-
less of the situation, client relation-
ship, or potential profit.
Effective training programs are well thought out,
and at the same time, easy to understand. They
are communicated clearly through visual aids,
hands on experiences, and by knowledgeable,
personable, and relatable trainers.
Successful programs not only
have dollars budgeted for them,
but more importantly have time
budgeted for them. Time for effec-
tive and timely training has his-
torically always been a significant
challenge because it has always
been perceived as something sepa-
rate from a company’s work tasks.
We budget for at least eight hours
of Safety Training per employee
annually. This is in addition to ori-
entation training or project spe-
cific training that may be required.
Training requires little to almost no
coordination if it is simply made
to be a part of your processes and
planning, and not an afterthought
based on observed gaps or proj-
ect management preferences. Stop
thinking production and training
are separate tasks and make train-
ing a consistently required and
integral step in all of your indi-
vidual processes. Leadership will
© Skillsoft, 2015 Erik Richman  ExecBlueprints  3
easily accept this training strategy
when they recognize the return on
investment of having employees
performing their tasks more effi-
ciently, correctly the first time, and
safely as well.
Effective training programs are
well thought out, and at the same
time, easy to understand. They
are communicated clearly through
visual aids, hands on experiences,
and by knowledgeable, p ­ ersonable,
Erik Richman
Director of Safety
Interstate Electrical Services
”A thorough training program is based
on a true understanding of the work
procedures, has risk assessment from
Erik Richman several points of view, and is con-
stantly improved upon.”
Director of Safety
• Conducts hazard assessments and
Interstate Electrical Services site safety visits
• Responsible for continually enhanc-
ing the accident and incident preven-
and relatable trainers. Most of our tion culture at Interstate
safety training is done in house • Oversees Interstate’s existing safety
with my staff, but we also uti- program management and develop-
lize some of our more experienced ing new ones
electricians and superintendents to • Has 17 years of experience in the
instruct on specific tasks and pro- safety industry
cedures. We are very fortunate Mr. Richman can be e-mailed at
to have the depth of experienced erik.richman@execblueprints.com
people who are willing and able
to share their knowledge. We do,
people perform; they don’t make
on occasion bring in outside train-
safety a black and white compli-
ers to supplement a training pro-
ance issue but rather a thought
gram, but even then we will lead
process, and we are always avail-
the training. Our in house electrician/­
able for additional support where
trainers bring a great deal of expe-
an outside trainer may not be.
rience; they are respected by their
Effective training programs allow
peers for their accomplishments;
for employee feedback, questions,
and they are teaching something
and discussions, and are designed
they do or manage on a regular
to be flexible enough to easily facil-
basis. As for my staff, they are have
itate changes and improvements.
a very good understanding of how
The most compliant training
production and safety go together
programs do not exist because
and our training programs are
someone set out to develop a com-
developed to relate to the work our
pliant training program. The most
Erik Richman
Director of Safety, Interstate Electrical Services (continued)
compliant training programs exist
because they support a work pro-
cess that has been designed to
provide the necessary training,
to provide the proper and previ-
ously selected tools, to control
the elements within the environ-
ment in which the work process is
being performed, to include thor-
ough hazard assessment, and most
importantly, to trigger quick reac-
tions when something is out of
place or not compliant.
Above all else, a successful,
effective, and compliant safety pro-
gram empowers the employees by
providing them with opportuni-
ties to have ownership in the pro-
grams through their feedback and
suggestions, by requiring and sup-
porting them in stopping when
something is not right or they are
unsure about something, and by
showing them that working injury
free is a choice not a chance. There
are several ways our employees can
provide feedback, but the most
common way we experience feed-
back is during discussions during
our project visits. We make visiting
the sites on a regular basis a prior-
ity and always take the time to ask
questions and listen to concerns,
suggestions, or questions. During
training, experiences, discussions,
and questions are encouraged and
there is usually a course evaluation
opportunity. Having an instructor-
led course, facilitating discussion,
answering questions, and having
hands on opportunities results in
employees taking interest in the
training and retaining knowledge
they would be hard-pressed to get
through online training. We have
also taken numerous ideas from the
field, put them through engineering
and our pre-fabrication group, and
brought the improvements back to
© Skillsoft, 2015 Erik Richman  ExecBlueprints  4
Expert Advice
We have a 4.5 hour NFPA-70E course that includes presentation, discussions,
quizzes, a test, and a hands-on portion. Every time we teach the course we chal-
lenge the participants to make the next class better through their feedback and
we update the course each time.
the field where they can see first-
hand how their ideas are being
utilized.
The elements described do not
fluctuate across industries because
the training becomes part of the
individual work processes rather
than a separate industry-based pro-
gram that looks to fit a category of
work processes.
Understandably, it certainly is a
significantly larger task to look at
redesigning individual work pro-
cesses than it is to build a train-
ing program to fit your current
work processes, but in the end
your return on investment will not
only be from a safety standpoint
but it will be based on improving
production. The training we do
today is based on the way things
are currently done and in accor-
dance with our current processes.
This company has been around
for almost 50 years and has been
very successful because of the lead-
ership as well as the experienced
talented employees, but the work
force, the way work is done, and
the industry is changing (which
could be a whole other discus-
sion…) so we are changing with it.
We have recently started develop-
ing new standards and procedures
to meet these changes and to bring
our company to the next level. To
do this we are incorporating these
new training strategies into our
shifting focus.
Supporting a Thorough
Training Program
The best practice to truly under-
stand a work procedure is to
involve employees in breaking
down the procedure into steps,
detailing what tools and proce-
dures are needed within each step,
and understanding how each
step is supported.
This can be a challenge as it
requires both a commitment
of employee’s time for a “non-
productive” task and his or her
buy-in. The time aspect is a choice
that leadership can make, but the
employee buy-in is not something
that can be mandated. The employ-
ees need to feel that you are going
to them because they are experts on
the subject matter; they need to feel
that you really do want their input
because your intention is to ulti-
mately make their job easier and
more enjoyable; they need assur-
ances that the intentions are not
to remove or replace their posi-
tion; and most importantly, they
need to have confidence that there
will actually be real follow through
on the exercise in which they have
been asked to participate. If they
see positive changes to the proce-
dures and training they have helped
to develop, then more employees
will be willing to be an integral part
of the improvement process.
Risk assessment is the second
step. A best practice associated
with risk assessment is to per-
form separate risk assessments
Erik Richman
Director of Safety, Interstate Electrical Services (continued)
How to Create an Effective Safety Program in Three Easy Steps
1. Empower employees by
providing them with
opportunities to have
ownership in the
programs through their
feedback and suggestions
from multiple points of view. The
employee, the supervisor, and
the safety professional will all
observe and understand the steps
of a procedure differently and these
alternative perspectives are crucial
to the overall thoroughness of the
assessment process. We utilize job
hazard analysis (JHA’s) as well as
observations when it comes to how
work is being done today. When it
comes to current tasks and JHA’s,
the supervisors are responsible for
developing them and are encour-
aged to collaborate with their
crew. Then, JHA’s are reviewed by
the manager and a safety profes-
sional. We are also developing new
procedures, standards, and pro-
cesses by utilizing cross-functional
groups that are made up of various
aspects of our business, but most
importantly with input from the
© Skillsoft, 2015 Erik Richman  ExecBlueprints  5
2. Require them to
stop when something is
not right or they are
unsure about
something
field group. These cross-functional
groups are currently developing
proposals for new procedures and
standards that will be presented to
leadership. If accepted, leadership
will facilitate implementing them.
From that work breakdown and
the hazard assessment, thorough
and specific training programs
can be developed, but that is only the
beginning. Those well-thought out
training programs will require con-
tinual evaluation as a best practice
to ensure they are indeed effec-
tive as intended, and they will
always require tweaking. This can
be a challenge because this part is
rarely made part of the process;
but instead is often left to a super-
visor’s or safety professional’s dis-
cretion and available time. Make
evaluation part of the process;
schedule it, budget for it, make
3. Show them that
working injury free is a
choice not a chance
it part of roles and responsibili-
ties, and most importantly have a
vehicle in place that ensures it is
followed up on. This evaluation
should come from three ­directions:
the employee performing the
task, the supervisor, and the safety
professional. Evaluations are often
conducted through observation.
Common benchmarks for evalua-
tion will include the efficiency of
the task, the tools being used, the
steps of the task, the ergonomics of
the steps, and historical data with
regard to injuries associated
with the task. The short easy answer
is: opportunities to improve any
aspect of the task. A different tool,
a different installation method, or a
different material handling method
could improve the efficiency or
safety of the task. n
Robert Groszewski
President, Safety Training Services, Inc.
I am a retired career fire fighter.
Though I spent 30 years in that posi-
tion, most firefighters have plenty
of time for a second career and I
went into the safety business and
progressed to the point where I
now own the company.
Effective Compliance Safety
Programs
The primary elements of an effec-
tive compliance program are sanc-
tions, support, and funding. If you
don’t have buy in for a safety pro-
gram from the top, or you don’t
have buy in from the bottom, then
it is just going to get stuck in the
middle and stagnate. Evaluations
are another important element.
Examples of this are investigating
damage prevention and controlling
hazards that exist. This is all tied
directly into making sure your peo-
ple are properly trained on safety
guidelines. People will plead igno-
rance if they run into a problem,
so it is best to set firm expectations
from the very beginning so that
everyone is well aware of safety
rules that have been put into place.
Know Your Audience
The best practice for getting buy-
in is knowing your audience. It is
impossible to create a training pro-
gram if you don’t know who you
are training. The first step in cre-
ating a program is creating a needs
Expert Advice
Role of HR  Training and safety are often part of the Human Resources function.
In my organization, the dedicated safety people who also work in HR are referred
to as “two-header.” Very few safety people have an HR background and vice versa.
Finding someone who has both is like hitting the jackpot. Many companies just
mix the two positions together for the sake of convenience and rarely is that an
ideal situation.
© Skillsoft, 2015 Robert Groszewski  ExecBlueprints  6
We need to encourage
more honest reporting
of the types of inci-
dents that could have,
but did not occur
because we can learn
from them.
Robert Groszewski
President
Safety Training Services, Inc.
assessment. When I meet with a
new client, I expect them to tell
me their problem areas so that we
discuss possible solutions. Once I
have that information, then I can
work with my team to create the
best training materials for the audi-
ence. The younger generation of
employees thinks and learns differ-
ently than older generations, so we
take that into consideration when
crafting a plan.
Technology and Training
I have a training facility but also
offer on-site training for customers
at their own locations. Within our
training facility, we have adopted
smart boards in our classrooms.
These have proven to be tremen-
dously helpful to our clients. For
example, last week we were con-
ducting a training session with first
responders and they were able to
really integrate the smart board
into their learning in a way that
Robert Groszewski
President
Safety Training Services, Inc.
”Accidents and injuries are expensive.”
• Has been involved with industrial
safety training since 1988
• Was a member of the City of Gary
Fire Department from 1984 to 2012
• Currently serves as a Captain/
Training Officer for the Munster Fire
Department
Mr. Groszewski can be e-mailed at
robert.groszewski@execblueprints.com
was incredibly fresh and exciting.
One of the new technologies we
are utilizing is interactive clickers
in the classroom. They add a bit
of entertainment value to the pre-
sentation. This allows the students
and instructors to interact in dif-
ferent ways. If a student is not pay-
ing attention in class, the instructor
could call them out and embar-
rass them. Or, by using our smart
boards, the instructor can simply
throw a quick question there to be
answered. This forces the student
to pay attention without alienat-
ing them.
Making It Personal
The bigger the company, the less the
rank and file worries about getting
Robert Groszewski
President, Safety Training Services, Inc. (continued)
hurt because they know that their
workers compensation will be
paid. They don’t see the big pic-
ture of how much those accidents
cost a company. Obviously, it is Finding the Right Safety Staff
important that the executive team
worry about cost compliance, but
they have to make the rest of the
employees understand it. I do this
in a very simple way: I make it per-
sonal. It is much easier for a person 25%
to understand that if he cuts his fin- Mediocre to Bad
ger off because he wasn’t following
safety protocols, that the loss of his
Managers
finger will affect the rest of his life.
When I talk to groups, I always ask
the audience if they know someone
who has been seriously injured, and
75%
unfortunately, most people will Good Managers
raise their hand. I then ask them
what happened post-accident and
allow them to personalize how it
would have felt if they were the
ones involved. The human cost is
much more relevant than the mon-
etary cost.

Increased Reporting
Safety documentation can vary
according to the industry or
business a client is in. In certain
instances, there are set regula-
tions that must be followed. Many
places do not report incidences,
they only report injuries. Others
only report the raw data, such
as how many injuries, incidents,
and fatalities. They don’t report
the near misses and the many
times something almost happened.
We need to encourage more hon-
est reporting of the types of inci-
dents that could have, but did not
occur, because we can learn from
them. If you almost have an acci-
dent, next time the same situation
occurs, you will alter your behavior
based on the previous incident. If
people share that knowledge, they
can prevent the same incident from
happening to others.
OSHA Compliance
There are many different OSHA
guidelines, depending upon the
industry in which you operate.
However, whether that is construc-
tion, agriculture, or anything else,
there is always a section called
incorporate and incorporated by
reference. Typically, OSHA only
tells you what the end compliance
levels should be, not how to reach
them. They avoid being specific in
order to avoid legal repercussions.
This has started to change, how-
ever. OSHA is doing a much better
job of writing regulations and being
more objective instead of subjective
about them. However, companies
still have to wade through a quag-
mire of best practices to reach com-
pliance. Even if regulations are
ancillary, your company is respon-
sible for following them. Ignorance
is never a defense when it comes to
non-compliance. As a result, the
companies that hire my firm will
often ask us to make them OSHA-
compliant. I always tell them that
if they were graded on compliance,
and were fully-compliant pursuant
to the big book of OSHA regula-
tions, they would still only earn
a grade of D. This is because the
OSHA regulations are the absolute
minimum a company must follow.
A company that truly wants to set
itself apart in terms of safety must
not just meet those guidelines but
exceed them.

© Skillsoft, 2015 Robert Groszewski  ExecBlueprints  7

Robert Groszewski
President, Safety Training Services, Inc. (continued)
Compliance Reviews
Companies that are regulation-
driven must follow certain stan-
dards. This usually means that in
order to maintain their safety cer-
tificates, they must conduct a yearly
review. Based on the results of
the review, the company must then
make changes so that they remain
compliant. There may not be ded-
icated benchmarks in place, only
best practices. The regulations do
not change often enough to leave
companies flat-footed, so a yearly
review of systems is typically a good
standard to follow.
© Skillsoft, 2015 Robert Groszewski  ExecBlueprints  8
Training Successful someone who has gotten hurt and
Managers can no longer fulfill their job func-
tion to be moved into a safety com-
Most executives have little knowl-
pliance role, and that is not always
edge of safety regulations, so they
a good situation for the person,
don’t know how to make sure
the employees, or the company.
employees are following them. It
This is why it is important to train
is a little like asking someone to
the right people to be safety man-
play baseball when they have never
agers. People who are interested
heard of the game. It is important
will pick up the finer points more
to find the right people to be safety
quickly and will have an inherent
managers and then utilize their
grasp of what is right and what
expertise. Roughly 75 percent of
is wrong. They will be willing to
all safety managers take their jobs
share examples of what could and
very seriously. Unfortunately, that
will go wrong, even using their own
remaining 25 percent can be prob-
mistakes as a guide. n
lematic. It is not uncommon for
Stefan Bright
Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment, SDBright
Elements of Successful
Training Programs
I have found the most effective
safety training includes class-
room knowledge about the occu-
pation or task at hand, as well as
hands-on demonstrations of the
same knowledge. When workers
are involved in the training, they
start ­thinking differently about it.
Others watching them doing the
task they were just trained in is
helpful peer p­ ressure, so the worker
will want to do it right in front
of their peers. This helps them
A safety culture in a company is one where
everyone thinks safely about everything, not just
work-related issues.
Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment
down the road to remember why
doing it right was so important.
I have found it best to explain all
the nuances and critical points
about a technique before showing
the technique. This also enforces the
think before you act concept.
Some non-contractor based
industries — such as factory work
— often only require hands-on
demonstrations for training and do
not require any classroom training.
More knowledge is always helpful
but my original point was specula-
tive in that for example, the worker
who stamps the same number on
the same part a thousand times
a day, may not require the same
classroom training as the person
who uses the machine to cut and
create the part.
Experts in the various aspects of
the occupation are often brought
© Skillsoft, 2015 Stefan Bright  ExecBlueprints  9
in to legitimize safety training pro-
grams. Personally, as a recognized
expert, I am often retained by
companies to perform a “safety
audit” of their operation in order
to find and identify any or all gaps
in an in house safety training pro-
gram. Once identified, I recom-
mend abatement methods and then
work with the company to help
integrate the changes. Company
size dictates the use of outside third
parties. It can be done internally
but often times pay and productiv-
ity are the deciding factor, which
can be hazardous.
Stefan Bright
SDBright
Overcoming Challenges
to Ensure a Thorough
Program
One of the best practices required
for a thorough training program is
simply ensuring that every single
safety precaution is addressed on
any given occupation or task. To
be most thorough, an expert in that
occupation needs to truly be an
expert as opposed to someone who
is a safety professional, but does
not have experience in the industry
or the tasks being addressed. The
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) defines a
qualified person as one who, by
possession of a recognized degree,
certificate, or professional stand-
ing, or who by extensive knowl-
edge, training, and experience,
has successfully demonstrated his
or her ability to solve or resolve
Stefan Bright
Expert in Fall Protection and
Building Access Equipment
SDBright
”Nothing can forego real world and
work experience.”
• Held the position of safety direc-
tor for the International Window
Cleaning Association since 1993
• Developed the window cleaner
safety training program on behalf of
the International Window Cleaning
Association
• Received the 2014 Triangle Award
for Heroic Dedication to Safety
from the American Society of Safety
Engineers
Mr. Bright can be e-mailed at
stefan.bright@execblueprints.com
problems relating to the subject
matter, the work, or the project.
In my opinion, an expert epito-
mizes this definition but also has
extensive knowledge, training, and
experience in the task or industry
at hand.
Finding experts that meet the
aforementioned criteria and who
can also engage students through
involvement instead of just read-
ing or demonstration can often be a
challenge. Reading a book or using
Google or YouTube to see how to
do a task does not make one an
expert in showing others how to
Stefan Bright
Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment, SDBright (continued)
do the task. Also, there may be
qualified experts out there but
they may not know how to engage
people when it comes to safety
training. Experts in any industry
can be found; it may take some
work and some dollars, but it is
proven that for every dollar spent
on safety training, three dollars are
returned down the road.
Another challenge in safety
training is that it is developed to
ensure the company or individual
is compliant and is often done off
the cuff. This can lead to a lot of
missing information. The best way
to overcome this obstacle is by rec-
ommending an outside party with
expertise in the field be the source
of the safety training development
and delivery. Pay and productivity
in the world of a contractor often
dictate worker performance over
that of thinking and acting safely.
Experts in this would know that
just teaching safety isn’t enough;
you have to make safety a culture,
not a job requirement. A safety
culture in a company is one where
everyone thinks safely about every-
thing, not just work-related issues.
Evaluating Training Programs
Developers
© Skillsoft, 2015 Stefan Bright  ExecBlueprints  10
Expert Advice
It is important for communication to be a two-way street when it comes to safety
training and compliance. Our company allows for living safety documentation
that can evolve over time. This is what helps it to be more of a cultural mindset
as opposed to just rules and regulations.
Evaluating the Success and The return on investment result-
Return on Investment ing from trainings can be measured
by looking at the number of inju-
Training programs are evaluated
ries or incidents. An injury or inci-
through testing and onsite worker
dent costs something no matter
evaluations. Typically we are try-
how small it is; as such, preventing
ing to measure how much knowl-
injuries and incidents of any size
edge and skill are retained, which is
result in savings. The non-financial
determined based on the test scores
reward of successful training is
of the evaluations. The owner or
simply the satisfaction that the
designated safety officer of the
company is promoting and main-
company should be administer-
taining a safe working culture and
ing tests and evaluations. Company
environment.
size and operational techniques
determine suitable scoring crite-
ria. When it comes to life safety, The Impact of Technological
scoring and evaluation need to Advancements on Training
consider that a single mistake
can cause a chain reaction ending
Programs
up with a fatality. Retraining when More photographs and videos
initial training is not effective is are entering the realm every day
the first step. If still not effective, and improving the technologies
a change in the training should be available and used in safety train-
considered. ing. Soon, we will see interactivity
which will allow for testing dur-
ing demonstrations. Photos and
Providers Users
Stefan Bright
Expert in Fall Protection and Building Access Equipment, SDBright (continued)
videos can cross most language
barriers. Seeing the safe procedure
in action is easier for the brain to
mimic as opposed to reading and
then translating what was read into
an action.
Human resource professionals
can select the best training tech-
nologies by selecting those which
involve students and allow for
interactivity, as opposed to those
in which a book or website is read
and then a test is given. It can
be more effective to show some-
one how to use a jack to lift a car
then it is to make them read sev-
eral paragraphs on how to do it.
© Skillsoft, 2015 Stefan Bright  ExecBlueprints  11
Some people can read something
10 times and interpret it differ-
ently each time. Online versions
will never be a substitute, but
they will be an enhancement.
The Importance of Open
Communication
Effective safety officers can suc-
cessfully communicate the impor-
tance of safety compliance across
an organization by involving the
employees both in the training and
the development of the training
instead of just disciplining them.
Safety in the workplace must be a
culturally accepted understanding
and not just a rule to follow.
Training programs should be
evaluated at least on an annual
basis. Evaluations should be com-
pleted by the developers, providers,
and the users. Each of these groups
brings their specific skillset that has
been affected by the training, which
helps to complete a thorough eval-
uation of the rules and regulations
that had been set. The owner of the
program is responsible for ensuring
periodic reviews are complete and
that implementation and follow up
are completed. n
Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points
I. Cost of Compliance
Trying to stay compliant can be expensive,
but the human cost of non-compliance
is far greater than any monetary cost.
Many companies focus on simply trying
to follow OSHA guidelines, but those are
just the mandatory minimums in terms
of safety. A company that aims for true
excellence in safety must not only meet
OSHA guidelines, but exceed them.
• A strong program needs sanctions,
support, and funding.
• Production will improve when
safety standards are regularly met
and exceeded.
• The best return on investment is a
decreased number of injuries and
accidents.
II. The Bottom Line
Training should be just another line item
in the overall budget, it should never be
an afterthought based on observed gaps
or post-accident.
• Make safety training part of the
yearly budget and allocate a specific
amount of time per employee.
• Make continual evaluation of
the training programs part of the
process. Schedule it, budget for
it, and make it part of roles and
responsibilities, and follow through
on making changes.
• Create a needs assessment, deter-
mine the audience, and then craft
a training program that meets the
criteria established.
• Pay and productivity often dictate
worker performance over that of
thinking and acting safely. Eliminate
disparity by ensuring everyone is
trained properly on all facets of
their job.
Benchmarks for evaluation:
• Efficiency of the task
• Tools being used
• Steps of the task
• Ergonomics of the steps
© Skillsoft, 2015 Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points  ExecBlueprints  12
• Data related to injuries associated
with tasks
III. Must-Haves for Conducting
Safety Programs
Like any training program, safety pro-
grams should help employees perform
more efficiently, effectively, and with a
higher degree of safety. In order to do
this, it is important that you:
• Make the training clearly com-
municated, easy to understand, and
relevant to the tasks at hand
• Use visual aids, classroom prepara-
tion, and hands-on training
• Explain the concept, reinforce
critical points, then demonstrate
technique
• Hire experts with extensive knowl-
edge, training, and experience in the
task or industry at hand
• Find in-house staff with the neces-
sary knowledge and allow them to
train others
• Relate the training programs to the
work performed by employees
• Ensure training is flexible enough to
facilitate changes and improvements
• Allow for employee feedback, ques-
tions, and discussions
• Embrace risk assessment in all
programs
• Hire the best people to be safety
managers
IV. Golden Rules for Staying
Compliant
Working injury free doesn’t just hap-
pen by accident, as it were. It happens
because people make a conscious choice
to think before they act and to act in a
manner that follows safety regulations
and guidelines.
Compliance training should:
• Teach compliance as a thought
process instead of a specific rule to
follow
• Support a work process
• Provide the proper tools
• Control the elements within the
work environment
• Include hazard assessment
• Trigger quick reactions when some-
thing is found to be non-compliant
• Empower the employees with
ownership
• Be evaluated regularly and altered
based on changing needs
V. Essential Take-Aways
The only way to build a safety of cul-
ture is to start from the top down and
instill in every employee the importance
of following procedures. Ignorance of
said procedures is never an excuse for
not following them.
• Include employees in the process.
Find the experts in each subject
matter and ask them to create step-
by-step guidelines of how a process
should be properly and safely com-
pleted. Implement their suggestions.
• Perform risk assessments. Make
sure they are conducted from
multiple points of view. Include the
employee, supervisor, and safety
professional/trainer in the process.
Review job hazard analysis.
• Develop cross-functional groups.
Ask them to develop proposals for
new procedures and standards.
Present their ideas to leadership and
implement the best ones.
• Make safety personal. A general
understanding of the need for safety
will never make as deep an impres-
sion as a personal story related to a
lapse in protocol. Explain how one
mistake can cost not just money, but
lives.
• Determine new reporting protocols.
These should include incidences, not
just injuries. Honest reporting will
allow people to learn from mistakes
before they turn into accidents. n
Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points (continued)

?
10 Key Questions and Discussion Points

1 What are the primary elements of an effective and compliant safety training program?
Which elements fluctuate by industry? Why? What experts are brought in to legitimize the
2 program?
1
3
2 What are the best practices required for a thorough training program? Which practices are
1
4 the most challenging to develop? Why? What are the obstacles to adopting best
3
1 practices? How are the obstacles overcome?
2
5
4
2
3
1 What benchmarks are used to evaluate the training program? What is measured and how?
6
5
3 How are the hard-to-measure benchmarks evaluated, like training retention?
4
2
1
7
6
4 How can the firm measure ROI? What are the non-financial rewards? Can these positive
5
3
2
8 results be quantified? How? How are the training costs calculated for the return
1
7
5
6
4 measurement?
3
1
9
2
8
6
7
5 In the last 12 months, what new training topics have been introduced? Are these
4
2
10
3
1
9
7 requirements of the federal government? What role did media play in promoting these
8
6
5
3 topics? Did industry back the efforts?
4
2
10
8
1
9
7
6
4 What new training technologies can we expect in the next 12 months? Will online courses
5
3
9
2
10
8 expand? For what audience? How can HR professionals select the best training
7
5 technologies?
6
4
10
3
9
8
6
7
5 How is the safety training budget allocated? What percentage is dedicated to materials?
4
10
9
7 To education and workshops? To consulting and experts? To other safety expenses?
8
6
5
10
8 How do international firms approach safety training in overseas operations? Do the same
9
7
6 rules and policies apply? What adaptations are necessary to be sure the training is
9 effective?
10
8
7
10
9 How do effective Safety Officers communicate the importance of safety compliance across
8
an organization? Emphasis on the cost of compliance versus non-compliance? Is
10 communication a two-way street with employees?
9

10 How often should the training program be evaluated? Who should be involved in the
evaluation? What skills will they bring? Who should be responsible for periodic reviews?

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© Skillsoft, 2015 Ideas to Build Upon & Action Points  ExecBlueprints  13


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