Construction Solutions work hazards, and options for making work safer
 
Solution:

Worker Training

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  Description:

 

Construction Safety Training

More than 100 standards promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 contain training requirements. To help employers meet these requirements as well as their general duty to provide a “workplace free of recognized hazards” OSHA has developed voluntary training guidelines to assist employers in providing the safety and health information and instruction needed for their employees to work at minimal risk to themselves, to fellow employees, and to the public.
This solution summarizes the OSHA Guidelines and provides toolbox training materials developed specifically for construction workers by LOHP. These training guidelines are keyed to Cal/OSHA requirements but the substantive content is broadly applicable. 
 
  Risks Addressed:

Hazards from the use of Hand Tools in construction that can be reduced or eliminated by following an appropriate work practice.

 
  How Risks are Reduced:

Increasing the workers common knowledge of hazards and proper work methods improves crew teamwork and enhances the safety culture.

Quality of Evidence

  • Independent published studies have found a risk reduction.
  • Safety and health experts believe there is a risk reduction.

A Controlled study (Carey et al) has demonstrated that training can improve compliance with proper work practices.

 
  Effects on Productivity:

Safety training requires time away from job tasks but may also facilitate the more efficient competion of those tasks by reducing down time for injuries and unsafe conditions and practices.

Quality of Evidence

  • Independent published studies have found an increase in productivity.
  • Safety and health experts believe there is an increase in productivity.

Productivity is measured not only by work rate but also by rate of task completion. Work errors, including injuries, that delay overall task completion reduce productivity, sometimes significantly.  Preplanning, which includes safety briefing and training, facilitates timely task completion over the life of a project.  

 
  Return on Investment: No specific calculation ROI information exists for this particular solution, however, there are some general approaches that might be useful for a “Return On Investment” analysis. For a general discussion of these approaches, visit our “Return on Investment Calculation” page.  
  Availability:

 

Toolbox (Tailgate) Trainings

Toolbox (tailgate) safety trainings are 10-15 minute job-site sessions, usually led by a supervisor or tradesperson, that focus on actual, current hazards on the job. Toolbox trainings are best used to keep workers aware of specific hazards in their workplace. They should not be used as a substitute for required training but may serve to supplement or refresh that training.  Topics should be chosen based upon the hazards of upcoming or ongoing work and the supervisor’s or crew’s observation of work practices or conditions that need correction or additional emphasis.   

Toolbox meetings should be short and held in a relaxed atmosphere at the beginning of the shift or after lunch or a break.  The topic should be limited in scope and relevant to the current work.  Employee participation should be encouraged.

 
  Additional Considerations:
  • Just handing out factsheets and toolbox talks to workers doesn’t work.
  • Providing copies after toolbox talks doesn't   make much of an impact to changing behavior on worksites.
  • Using case studies (real life stories of accidents that ended in fatality or injury) in toolbox talks is effective.
  • When toolbox talks containing case studies were accompanied by discussion questions to encourage group participation, they were more effective. Consequently, getting the workers to participate in the discussion about the case study is important. It's not enough to tell the story, it is better to have the workers engage in problem solving that analyzes why the accident occurred and how it could have been prevented. Active learning is always better than passive

How should you deliver these toolbox talks?

 

  1. Choose a topic that is related to work going on at the site.
  2. Hold the meeting on the job, preferably where everyone can sit and relax.
  3. Hold the meeting at the beginning of a shift or after a break. Folks are too tired at the end of a shift to carefully listen and they want to get home.
  4. Read the toolbox talk sheet on the topic prior to conducting the talk.
  5. Start at the top of the form and work right through to the end, which should take around 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Use the questions provided to generate discussions. Always allow time for the crew to respond to your questions before you provide an answer.
  7. Review the case study and emphasize that this was a real incident. Ask the crew for a case study before you review the one provided, however.
  8. Always end with a discussion of the particular worksite where you are conducting the talk. Tie the talk as closely to hazards on the site as possible and encourage the crew to constantly look for and immediately correct hazards. They should also know how to report any problems that can’t be immediately corrected.
  9. Provide copies to each person, if you like, but NIOSH has not found that to be particularly effective.
  10. Encourage workers to do similar talks on their sites and provide them with the IUOE phone number for ordering in bulk.
  11. Have everyone sign the back of the form to indicate they attended this session and point out it is a pledge to look out for the health and safety of everyone on the site.
 
 Hazards Addressed:
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