How To Use Microlearning To Maximize The Impact Of Safety Training
Jeff is the safety training manager of a large oil company. A few weeks ago, a major fire broke out at one of the company’s rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, due to the mishandling of a piece of equipment. Several workers were injured, and the company had to shut operations at the rig and pay huge compensation to the injured staff.
Tony is the personnel safety training manager of a large pharmaceutical company. Recently, the drug maker was served show cause notices by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Some of the employees working in its manufacturing plant were not aware that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) had to be used and had inhaled toxic gases; as a result, they fell seriously ill.
Chris is the health and safety training manager of a large electric power generation company operating nuclear power plants throughout North America. A month ago, in one of its power plants, a mistake by one of the employees resulted in a reactor heating up beyond permissible limits, resulting in a minor meltdown. The incident caused massive public outcry and the company was subjected to serious legal action.
Jeff, Tony, and Chris are not alone. Workplace accidents and injuries cause severe financial losses to organizations. According to the 2017 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index [1], organizations in America suffered losses worth 59.9 billion USD due to safety-related incidents at the workplace. This translates into over a billion dollars a week spent on safety incidents. Furthermore, companies suffer loss of reputation and face disciplinary action by regulatory authorities.
How can organizations prevent mishaps at the workplace and safeguard their reputation and limit the loss of lives and property? What does it take to create a safe working environment? Companies need to make their people aware of the risks and train them on the required safety practices and procedures.
It is advisable to use microlearning to impart training on safety. Information on safety aspects, delivered in bite-sized modules, can be understood better than when presented in bulky safety manuals. (Think a long list of dos and don’ts, compared to an eye-catching infographic!) You can use online learning nuggets in all three phases of safety training – creating awareness about following safety practices and procedures, training learners on the practices and procedures, and reinforcing training and providing just-in-time (JIT) support at the workplace. Let us see how.
1. Use Learning Nuggets To Underscore The Importance Of Safety Training
Learners participate in safety training programs enthusiastically if they understand the importance and benefits of the program. You can use micro video-based learning modules to highlight the importance of industrial safety. Videos help learners connect instantly with the learning content and are ideal to create an “emotional impact”.
One of our clients in the petrochemicals sector uses actual video footage of accidents in its online training modules to educate employees on the need to know and follow safety procedures. This initiative went a long way in motivating learners to participate in the safety training program.
2. Develop Micro Modules To Impart Safety Training
After learners are made aware of the importance of safety training, it is time to deliver the “actual” training on safety. Use microlearning assets to impart the training in a learner-friendly, non-overwhelming manner – you can use videos, infographics, and FAQs.
One of our clients in the automobile sector has developed a video-based learning curriculum for its shop floor workers on the use of protective gear, and the curriculum received a good response. You can also consider using infographics in online safety training materials. Infographics are very useful to represent complex and large amounts of information clearly, in an easy to understand way. For example, in order to demonstrate the PASS technique to extinguish fire, an infographic supported by a small explanation through audio can be used.
3. Reinforce Safety Training Using Microlearning Modules
It is a well-known fact that corporate training programs are successful only if learners are able to retain the knowledge and skills and apply them effectively in their jobs. You need to ensure that information delivered in safety training programs is reinforced properly, so that it is transferred to the workplace.
Microlearning modules containing infographics are ideal tools to reinforce safety training and provide performance support at the moment of need.
One of our clients in the automotive space has created a series of infographics to reinforce a training program on industrial safety – one infographic explains why workers need to use safety gear, another lists the various protective equipment, while a third displays the dos and don’ts of using the equipment. Learners can refer to these infographics whenever they have doubts and access the required information, instantly.
The delivery of effective safety training prevents illnesses and injuries at the workplace, thereby preventing financial losses and ensuring your reputation does not take a beating. Harness the power of microlearning to impart high impact safety training.
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