Safety and Health Training Needs

In trying to determine the safety and health training needs for supervisors and workers at XYZ Company, we are asking you to give us assistance by completing the following questionnaire. Please place on the back of this sheet under Other Comments any guidance or concerns which you have. 

A3. How are the safety and health training needs for employees determined ... 

Figure 15.1 Safety and health training needs assessment.

Safety and health training is not the answer to accident prevention. Training cannot be the snm total answer to all accidents in the workplace. In fact, training is only applicable when a worker has not been trained previously, is new to a job or task, or safe job skills needed to be upgraded. 

One method of identifying employee populations at high levels of occupational risk (and thus in greater need of safety and health training) is to pinpoint hazardous occupations. Even within industries that are hazardous in general, there are some employees who operate at greater risk than others. In other cases, the hazardousness of an occupation is influenced by the conditions under which it is performed, such as noise, heat, cold, safety, or health hazards in the surrounding area. In these situations, employees should be trained not only on how to perform their job safely, but also on how to operate within a hazardous environment. 

Training can help employees develop the knowledge and skills they need to understand workplace hazards. OSHA considers safety and health training vital to every workplace. 

Effective safety and health training is needed to make sure employees (including contract workers) understand the hazards to which they may be exposed and how to prevent harm to themselves and others. OSHA requires that the worker be trained in how to recognize those hazards before being exposed to them. A comprehensive safety and health management program will provide ... 

The safety and health training, which is needed should include not only workers but supervisors and management. Without training for managers and supervisors, it eannot be expected or assumed that they are eognizant of the safety and health practices of your company. Without this knowledge they will not know safe from unsafe, how to implement the loss control program, or even how to reinforce. 

Facility depends on experience and peer training to meet needs. Marragers/supervisors demorrshate little or no involvement in safety and health training responsibilities. 

In 29 CER 1910.120 (a)(3) it is stated that responses to incidental releases of hazardous substances where the substance can be absorbed, neutralized, or otherwise controlled at the time of release by employees in the immediate release area, or by maintenance personnel, are not considered to be emergency responses in the scope of the standard (HAZWOPER). The term incidental is the key term. Workers need to be trained as to what type of situations would be considered incidental. In general, if the employees actions to clean or control the release do not and likely would not put them in jeopardy (from a safety and health viewpoint), the act would be considered incidental. 

The Site I subeontraetor also laeked a baekup safety and health supervisor fully trained in site safety and health management. The aeting health and safety speeialist (HSS) at Site E was a site worker who had held the position for one week. This individual stated to the audit team that he did not meet the eorporate or SSAHP qualiheations required to hold that position. Apparently, while the Site E eontraetor was waiting for the results of the LTEV performanee test and the unit was not in operation, site management determined that less health and safety oversight was needed. 

Skilled support personnel are proficient in the operation of certain equipment, such as earth-moving or heavy-lifting, which is needed temporarily to provide immediate emergency support which cannot reasonably be provided in a timely fashion by an employer s own employee or a contractor. Skilled support personnel are not required to be trained. However, they must receive an initial briefing at the site on the proper use, function, and limitation of PPE, the chemical and physical hazards involved, and the duties to be performed. All other appropriate safety and health precautions that are provided to the employer s own employees should be used to ensure the safety and health of these personnel. 

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