Interactive Solutions for Workplace Safety Training

1.  Interpersonnal Communication

Basic communication skills are introduced, along with communication barriers and biases. Using short presentations and exercises the aim is to encourage active listening and messaging clarity. Better worker interactions and useful ‘how to’ tips are used to improve the effectiveness of observations and interventions.

Instruction time: 1 - 1.5 hours

2.   Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention

An understanding of body mechanics and ergonomic principals are emphasised with the goal of enabling the learner to assess Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD’s) or injury risk. 

60% of workplace injuries to Albertans in 2019 were a result of MS injuries, falls and overexertion. Common disorders and the potential for chronic injury are presented from a manual workers perspective with preventive controls offered and discussed. 

This is the essential foundation course of Personal Injury Prevention training. 

Except for office workstation assessments this is a training requirement often overlooked or given minimum coverage by many companies.

Complies with requirements of AB code Part 14 Lifting and Handling Loads; Para. 209, 210 and 211.
Instruction time: 1.25 hours

3.  Practical solutions for Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls

This interactive training is focused on how susceptible we are to slips, trips or falls in the work setting. Participants practice and adopt different foot positioning and stepping techniques that can prevent or limit the risk of falls by improving stance, balance, and stability…. and even minimizing injury if you do fall!

Instruction time: 1.5 hours

4. Manual Handling

The high incidence of hand injuries and causes are reviewed. Activities using tools highlights hazard identification deficiencies and how personal accountability for risk could be improved. Proper positioning of hands and fingers and other parts of the body are explored. Techniques that achieve better grip strength AND surprisingly, how this transfers to a more stable stance, are demonstrated and practiced.

Instruction time: 1.5 hours

5. Manual Lifting

Videos and a PowerPoint presentation begins with busting the myths on ‘lifting correctly’. E.g. The back is never “straight” because the spine has a distinctive “S” curve. Techniques on how to improve lifting without stressing the back - derived from ergonomics, occupational therapy and martial arts are demonstrated. Participants practice large muscle group interaction and bracing techniques when lifting and moving different objects to prevent over-exertion.  

Instruction time: 2 hours

6. Fatigue and Sleep Awareness (NEW) 

Features fatigue, sleep disorders and sleep maintenance. Short presentation and handout on understanding and combatting fatigue. Attention is given to the challenges of night shift work. Quick tips on nutrition and managing shift activities to maintain alertness are offered. The consequences of driving tired and other distracted driving issues can be included.

Instruction time: 0.25 - 0.5 hour

7. Personal Injury Prevention (includes modules 1 to 6 above)

Personal Injury Prevention is a training program designed to increase employee awareness of injury risks encountered in all aspects of life.  PIP training provides methods to improve balance and stability, tools to assess personal risk, and examines other topics such as body mechanics.

The principal concept is maximizing strength with less effort while exercising greater control.

Based on relating to the physical demands of work and specific to each industry sector, participants are taught body positioning techniques that significantly reduce the chance of injury while stepping, handling and lifting, i.e., when using the body as a machine, lever, or tool.

The course is interactive in a class and/or work environment and integrates physical demonstrations, exercises, Q&A, with PowerPoint presentations and video examples of the techniques taught by professionals.  Complies with AB code Part 14 Lifting and Handling Loads.
Instruction time: 4 - 7.5 hours

8. Incident Investigation

Participants will learn incident investigation techniques and protocols, as described by DNV (Det Norske Veritas). The attendees perform small exercises, engage in team and individual discussion, using stop/start video analysis, documenting the steps and solutions in a workbook. Customised to your reporting process in the 8-hr. version.
Instruction time: 4 - 8 hours

9.  Risk Management

Participants learn how to control their working environment with existing risk reduction tools - hazard assessment (JSA/HSA/FLRA etc.), permitting, orientation, observation, and planning. Practical exercises on identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards using different models, such as  assessing and controlling hazards using different models, such as PEME and PEAR etc. Health and safety hazards and human factors are explored. Customised using your company’s risk reporting structure and risk matrix.
Instruction time: 3 - 7 hours

10. Understanding Personal Work Styles to Communicate More Effectively

Using blended behavioural models and a questionnaire, participants identify their dominant personal work style. Working through individual and group exercises, they then identify methods of managing interactions with people who have different styles. Many self-assessments and work activity situations are discussed to help identify problem areas and offer easy solutions. Interpersonal Communications is highly recommended as a precursor to this course.
Instruction time: 2 - 7.5 hours

Resources required and training delivery

Preferred resources for training delivery are indicated below, however, the classes can be held in a variety of work places, as long as there is sufficient space, access to Power Point and access to the actual work environment. A maintenance shop or warehouse environment with a vice, wrenches and typical tools and equipment used in the industry is an adequate substitute.

Attendees must have appropriate PPE to perform the learned techniques in a work setting. Attendance: minimum 8; maximum 30. The ideal number of participants is 12-24

Room and seating arrangements: The training session area must be adequately spacious to hold enough tables for all the participants. There should also be additional space for everyone to move around and perform various exercises away from the tables. While the course can be accomplished without tables, seating should NOT be set up theatre-style. Round tables are not acceptable, though we can work with half-round tables. The ideal set up has rectangle tables arranged in a reverse fish-bone configuration (tails towards screen) with the 'spine' left open as a walkway. The most important factor is that participants are able to clearly see the instructor and the feet of anyone helping with a demonstration at the front.

External hall: This is not the ideal location if it is located some distance from the shop, yard or site. However, if it's the only option to accommodate the participants, it will do.

Setting up mock work areas for demonstrations (if no suitable shop is available): To perform the demonstrations, the personal injury prevention training instructor will need the following: pipe vice on the back of a truck, pipe nipple/collar to make up, 24" pipe wrenches, typical load for the back of a pick-up, barrels and heavy pails of oil or grease, a sack of something, and the use of a step ladder.

Lunch: Logistically, it is usually best to provide lunch for the participants.

Delivery: The delivery is impactful in the sense that the dynamic, mental and physical involvement ensures that everyone is engaged. Willing learners are the perfect foundation for change. With repeated calls for accountability in decision-making processes, along with some simple techniques to protect your staff from harm, most participants leave believing in the methods and philosophies they have been taught. Training makes use of Power Point materials and the employees' actual work environment (or an adequate substitute) to apply what has been learned.

Course themes and summary: The following are some themes, learning prinicipals and reasons why the material is effective.
'Tell 'em three times in three different ways.'
'Motivate, show, tell, test, check.'
'Show them, teach them, have them teach each other.'
'People don't argue with their own data.'

Ultimately, the materials and methods overwhelmingly convince the participants of the benefits of embracing the techniques they have been taught to reduce the likelihood of injuries at work and at home. Lots of humour is used to keep participants interested and to balance the negative impact of some of the information. Short exercises encourage competitiveness and debate encourages ownership of the various ideas and concepts. Reflection and repetition of core concepts, from personal risk assessments to better communication, helps reinforce the lessons. This technique gets course participants to think about ways to minimize hazardous situations using their minds and their bodies. Practicing body protection and lifting techniques and later applying them to their personal work space is a great starting point for behavioural change towards a safer life. Historically, evaluations typically register the 'buy-in' of the safety course training concepts as high as 98%, judging by response to the statement: 'I will use the techniques I learned.'