Training and Supervision: Keys to a Successful Safety Program

By Kym Varner, CBR Risk Manager

Injuries occur because of unsafe conditions and/or unsafe acts, 98% of which are preventable. However, if no one is trained to recognize those hazards, and no one is trained to protect against those hazards, then the risk remains high.

How safe are your workers? Are your managers/supervisors/foremen trained to recognize jobsite hazards and correct the unsafe conditions or unsafe acts? Training and supervision are critical, and CBR provides resources to help you manage those risks. Consider attending CBR’s monthly Safety Webinars (available live and online), and consider providing training such as OSHA 30 for your managers/supervisors/ foremen.

Training

Training begins the moment a new worker walks in your door! The new employee should be given a full orientation including:

  • The worker’s specific job description. (Specifically, for what is he/she responsible?)
  • Clear instruction as to who his/her immediate supervisor is and how to contact that supervisor. (Inexpensive business cards with the supervisor’s name and contact information can be printed from a computer.)
  • Detailed instructions and hands-on training (under supervision) in how to complete each task he/she is expected to perform. (Don’t assume the employee knows how to perform a task correctly.)
  • Certification training, if necessary. (Certification is required for operation of equipment and various other things specific to your industry.)
  • Designation as a “competent person,” if necessary. (“Competent persons” are designated by your company, and must be documented in order to meet OSHA regulations. Employees who erect scaffolding, operate equipment, perform various inspections and other industry-specific tasks must be designated “competent persons” by your company.)
  • General safety guidelines, such as the proper use of appropriate personal protective equipment, proper lifting techniques, proper use of machine guarding, daily inspection of equipment and orderliness of the jobsite.
  • Specific instructions regarding what to do in case of an injury. This should include:
  • Notifying his/her supervisor immediately of all accidents and/or injuries, even if no medical attention is necessary.
  • If necessary, seeking medical treatment at the appropriate medical facility. Concentra Medical Center is the appropriate medical facility. (If your company is in an area where there are no Concentra locations, we have established protocols elsewhere. Contact CBR if you don’t know what facility that is.)
  • Avoid emergency rooms unless the injury is life or limb-threatening. (Waits are longer, costs are higher, no work instruction is given and we cannot obtain information from hospitals and, therefore, cannot assist injured employees very efficiently.)

Supervision

Supervisory personnel (such as managers, foremen, crew leaders) have a responsibility to keep workers safe. Supervisory personnel should be trained and empowered to:

  • Recognize and correct job hazards. (OSHA 30 is excellent training for your supervisory personnel. Click here for low cost training opportunities.)
  • Train new workers (or those assigned to new tasks) how to correctly and safely perform the tasks they are expected to perform.
  • Adjust procedures if there is a safety risk to any employee, or to the public.
  • Conduct (and document) weekly safety meetings.
  • Conduct (and document) regularly-scheduled safety inspections.
  • Conduct (and document) Job Hazard Analyses (JHA’s) to identify hazards, prior to the beginning of a project.
  • Conduct routine accident investigations and submit reports immediately to CBR.
  • Maintain certification in appropriate skills (equipment operation, CPR and first aid, etc.)
  • Report unsafe work conditions to the Safety Coordinator and/or upper management if the condition is beyond his/her control.

Eliminating unsafe conditions and unsafe acts will greatly reduce injuries. By training your workers and supervisors, and by granting authority to supervisors to be proactive in keeping their workers safe, you create a safe work place!

The CBR Risk Team is continually at work to help keep your workers safe and your company profitable. Take advantage of our free monthly Safety Webinars (for owners, managers and safety coordinators) and the low cost opportunity for OSHA 30 training (for supervisory personnel)! Please contact Kym Varner at CBR for additional information about these services.