721 OSH Training Development

Prioritizing Safety Training

One method of prioritizing safety training is to pinpoint hazardous tasks. In most industries there are some employees who operate at greater risk than others. In other cases the degree of risk of a task is influenced by the conditions under which it is performed, such as noise, heat or cold, or 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.

A second method of prioritizing safety training is to examine incidents and accidents, both within the company and within the industry. If employees in certain jobs are experiencing higher accident and injury rates than other employees, training may be one way to reduce that rate. In addition, thorough incident/accident analysis can identify not only specific employees who could benefit from training but also identify company-wide training needs.

Research has identified the following variables as being related to a disproportionate share of injuries and illnesses at the worksite on the part of employees:

1. The age of the employee (younger employees have higher incidence rates).
2. The length of time on the job (new employees have higher incidence rates).
3. The size of the firm (in general terms, medium-size firms have higher incidence rates than smaller or larger firms).
4. The type of work performed (incidence and severity rates vary significantly by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code).
5. The use of hazardous substances (by SIC Code).

These variables should be considered when identifying employee groups for training in occupational safety and health.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.