“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” This particular saying has stood out to me over time and I often think of it when I think about when the best time is to conduct training. As a previous iron worker general foreman I can relate to the feeling of second guessing and thinking of possible scenarios that could have taken place prior to an accident ever occurring. The game of playing hind-site is never very productive and has yet to change the outcome of any incident I have ever known. The one thing that has always remained true, is the question one might ask him or herself “Could this have been prevented with better training?” After an accident you may feel that the best time for training, would have been prior to any accident ever occurring. I think it is safe to say that no one wants to see people get hurt on the job site and at the same time it has been very difficult to acquire experienced professionals. So what is the answer to this issue? At the end of the day, the solution to a lack of experience is a well informed and trained work force.
“The solution to a lack of experience is a well informed and trained work force.”
With that said, where should we begin?
Fall Protection is a high priority for those who have workers that are exposed.
After a quick review of the statistic graph above it would seem that fall protection training would be a good place to start for those who have workers exposed to falls. Trivent Safety Consulting offers a variety of fall protection courses from a 4-hour fall protection awareness course, to the rigid standards of the EM-385 that encompasses three days of fall protection training and rescue. We also offer customized training courses for our clients and can develop specific training that can focus on sub-part topics. Some clients prefer to have a greater deal of emphasis placed on specific topics due to their employees exposure rates. Some examples of such courses that we have developed in the past are Sub-part P excavation competent person training, along with Sub-part AA confined space competent person training. At Trivent we pride ourselves on being able to create training that meets the requirements of each standard and the needs of our clients. A well informed work force in construction leads to a safer more productive work environment and in addition can lead to increased employee moral. “The proof is in the pudding” as they say, and the statistics are shown to confirm the end result.
So when is the best time to train your work force? If you can relate to the old proverb it would be a considerable amount of time before there ever was an issue. The second best time is today! Contact us today and let Trivent Safety Consulting be a part in developing your work force and safety culture for your company. Remember luck is never considered a strategy, but proper training and policy development is. Let us help you achieve your goals!
Author: Scott Seppers