Without Superb Training, Startup Operations are a Recipe for Safety Disasters
Recently I read an OSHA finding about a startup logging operation that had a young new-hire killed on the job.
"This was a tragic, preventable death of a young man who had been on the job just two months," said OSHA's area director. "[Loggers] deal with massive weights and the momentum of falling, rolling, and sliding trees and logs. Training workers to recognize hazards is vital to preventing injuries in this dangerous occupation."
OSHA proposed penalties of almost $20K in this case and who knows how much the company paid in the wrongful death lawsuit that followed. Not to forget, of course, the incalculable loss to the young man’s family, friends, and co-workers.
Effective Training is Even More Critical for Startups
Knowing how to recognize hazards is a critical skill, especially in start-up operations, which are a dangerous mix of unfamiliar equipment, strange procedures, inexperienced people, and intense pressure to deliver results quickly. I know because I’ve managed startups myself.
Start-up training is always overwhelming and there’s never enough time allocated to learn it properly. Newbies try to drink from a fire hose of training, but much of what they’re taught is misunderstood or forgotten. Being good employees, they go out anyway, onto the manufacturing floor, into the mining pit, or out to the logging site and do the best they can. The results are scary near misses, serious incidents, and, yes, even deaths.
Startup or Not, How Can You Train Newbies Better?
However much time you’re allocating for start-up safety training, DOUBLE IT. Maybe even triple it. Is it worth it? Yes. Rushing through training content can get your people killed.
Ditch the Powerpoint. It simply doesn’t work. You need to use every learning trick in the book to actively engage trainees and get them to retain as much content as possible. Simulations, role plays, games, and puzzles are all great ways to engage trainees and build retention. A favorite method of mine is Sure Fire Instruction, which we teach as part of our Maverick Train-the-Safety-Trainer Program. This multi-demonstration technique really locks in learning.
Teach your newbies the Lean for Training concept “Clear Learning Signal.” How do people know when they need to stop what they’re doing and learn something? In this logging case, the clear learning signals were doubt and fear. Employees should see these two emotions in a positive light. They’re alarm bells that scream “DO NOT PROCEED!” Doubt and fear may indicate that the trainee doesn’t understand the material or didn’t have adequate practice time to build confidence. In either case, it’s NOT safe to proceed with the work. Teach your trainees to stop, evaluate, and escalate if necessary. Embracing the Clear Learning Signals doubt and fear can, literally, save their lives.
The Bottom Line
Start-up training is where a strong safety culture builds its foundations. When employees see that enough time has been set aside for safety training and the quality of that training is excellent, they will take it to heart and respond in kind. Don't miss that golden opportunity.
