Safety training is essential for helping you keep workers safe. Industries that involve construction work, vehicle operation, manufacturing, chemical processes, material handling and other risk factors demand a high level of training to do more than just get the job done. The right training can literally ensure workers return home healthy and happy at the end of the workday.
Safety experts like you must receive safety training of high instructional quality. As you ponder the best way to receive your training and lead workers in proper safety practices, you should consider online training systems to give you the best return on investment (ROI).
The Need for Workforce Training Programs
Every safety professional needs high-quality workforce safety training. Here are some of the reasons why:
- The right skills for the job: Safety training helps you understand how to complete tasks effectively and efficiently. You can help workers better understand their tasks, which is the key to increasing efficiency and getting a solid ROI for your business.
- Safe operations: With proper training, your can help your team members understand how to approach tasks while minimizing risks. You’ll know how to help them respond to emergency situations and take necessary precautions to stay safer in the event of an accident.
- Meeting OSHA safety training regulations: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations stating the need for workforce safety training. If OSHA determines a business has neglected training its employees in proper safety protocol, it could face hefty citations and fines.
How Online Safety Training Has Grown
Safety training has existed in an official capacity since OSHA began requiring employers to provide it to their employees in 1970. Most trainings consisted of in-person meetings conducted at designated times and places. But with the advent of the internet, online safety training has opened up a whole new door of possibilities. As its popularity has increased, so has the quality and validity of online safety training courses.
Today’s businesses can use online safety training to educate their workforce on proper safety practices related to their industry. OSHA also allows many safety certificates to be obtained online, helping businesses stay compliant with regulations. And with the possibility of unpredictable world events (e.g., COVID) and the rise of remote work, online safety training has only become more popular and necessary.
6 Benefits of Safety Training Online
Safety training has also grown because of its many benefits. Here are six ways you and your business can benefit from safety training online:
1. Less Time Lost
In-person safety meetings can take up a lot of time. Imagine a business halting its operations for a single eight-hour workday to conduct safety training. Many businesses can’t afford that loss in time and productivity.
Online safety training can help businesses regain that lost time. It’s a streamlined process that many businesses allow their employees to do on their own, erasing the need to halt operations so everyone can attend a mandatory safety meeting. Even if businesses want their employees to complete their online safety training on-site, they can stagger the times when people do their training so their operations can stay up and running.
2. Reduced Costs
Time is money, and shutting down operations for safety training can have a massive impact on a business’s profits. Add to this the costs of developing training assets, hiring instructors and even flying employees from around the world to attend an in-person safety meeting, and you have a lot of safety training-related expenses — but skipping safety training and paying hefty fines from OSHA can be even more expensive.
This is where online safety training provides the best ROI. When businesses choose online safety training for their workers, they save all the money they would have spent on in-person courses and avoid the money they would have lost from shutting down operations. This also helps businesses stay regulation-compliant, which means they can also avoid large fines from OSHA.
3. Flexible Scheduling
Another major benefit of online safety training is the flexible scheduling it allows for you and your fellow safety professionals. Online safety training lets you create the perfect schedule for who will participate in training on certain times and days. This flexibility ensures the majority of your safety team can continue working as you make progress toward everyone completing their training.
You’ll enjoy having full control over your own schedule as you take the next step toward your next safety certificate. Many people learn better when they can do so at their own pace. You can decide when to facilitate online safety training, fitting it into your schedule in a way that works best for you.
4. Improved Retention
Rigid safety training requirements and worn-out topics can be difficult to sit through, causing anyone to tune out of the topics at hand. In the worst cases, people may choose to drop out of in-person safety courses or test poorly at the end of the course.
You can improve your knowledge retention and stay engaged with your safety training when you take an online safety course. You can experience greater enthusiasm for your safety training when taking online courses as you set your own schedule, learn at your own pace and take relevant courses that take your current level of knowledge to the next tier.
5. Greater Accountability
Another great benefit of online safety training is enhanced accountability. When OSHA asks for proof that you have completed proper safety training, you can show them your online learning certificates obtained through your LMS (Learning Management System) or other online safety training program. Certificates and proof of completion are easy to access, ensuring you are always ready to prove you have undergone proper safety training. Plus, you can take your certificates with you as you seek to advance your career as a safety professional.
6. Learning Accommodations
When you choose online learning for your safety protocol, you enable yourself to achieve your personal best. Many online courses are available in different languages, ensuring you and your team of safety professionals can understand the content. If you’re someone who prefers staying quiet in classroom settings, you’ll enjoy making progress on your online learning course, absorbing the information in the comfort of your own home at times when you’ll be most engaged and ready to absorb the information.
Choose the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) for Your Next Online Safety Course
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career as a safety professional, then NASP is the answer you’ve been looking for. Our online safety courses are dynamic, interactive, and engaging. We provide students with a combination of introductory videos, module reviews using gamification, and a comprehensive test to ensure competence. Online learning is growing, and now is the time to take advantage of it for yourself.
Are you interested in one of our credential-building certifications? Click here to view our newest ANAB-accredited Master Safety Professional (MSP) or Certified Safety Director (CSD) certifications that prove you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to implement an effective safety management system. Contact us today for more information!
