OSHA's Training Guidelines is a useful document to help contractors plan and conduct effective training.  The guidelines are summarized below.

Determining If Training is Needed

First determine whether a problem can be solved by training. Other actions (such as hazard abatement or the implementation of engineering controls) might better enable employees to perform their jobs properly.

Problems that can be addressed effectively by training include those that arise from lack of knowledge of a work process, unfamiliarity with equipment, or incorrect execution of a task. Training is less effective (but still can be used) for problems arising from an employee's lack of motivation or lack of attention to the job. Whatever its purpose, training is most effective when designed in relation to the goals of the employer's total safety and health program.

Identifying Training Needs

If the problem is one that can be solved, in whole or in part, by training, determine what training is needed. Determine what the employee is expected to do and in what ways, if any, the employee's performance is deficient.

The content of the specific Federal or State OSHA standards applicable to a business can provide direction in developing training content. Another option is to conduct a Job Hazard Analysis. This is a procedure for studying and recording each step of a job, to identify existing or potential hazards. 

Another method of identifying employee populations at high levels of risk is to examine the incidence of accidents and injuries, both within the company and within the industry. If employees in certain occupational categories are experiencing higher accident and injury rates than other employees, training may be one way to reduce that rate. In addition, thorough accident investigation can identify not only specific employees who could benefit from training but also identify company-wide training needs.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) can also provide information for training employees in the safe use of materials. These data sheets, developed by chemical manufacturers and importers, are supplied with manufacturing or construction materials and describe the ingredients of a product, its hazards, protective equipment to be used, safe handling procedures, and emergency first-aid responses. The information contained in these sheets can help employers identify employees in need of training (i.e., workers handling substances described in the sheets) and train employees in safe use of the substances. Material Safety Data Sheets are generally available from suppliers, and manufacturers of the substance.  

The employees themselves can provide valuable information on the training they need. Safety and health hazards can be identified through the employees' responses to such questions as whether anything about their jobs frightens them, if they have had any near-miss incidents, if they feel they are taking risks, or if they believe that their jobs involve hazardous operations or substances.

Identifying Goals and Objectives

Once the employees' training needs have been identified, employers can then prepare objectives for the training.

Learning objectives do not necessarily have to be written, but in order for the training to be as successful as possible, clear and measurable objectives should be identified before the training begins. For each objectives should describe the conditions under which the individual will demonstrate competence and define what constitutes acceptable performance.

Using specific, action-oriented language, the instructional objectives should describe the preferred practice or skill and its observable behavior. For example, rather than using the statement: "The employee will understand how to use a respirator" as an instructional objective, it would be better to say: "The employee will be able to describe how a respirator works and when it should be used." Objectives are most effective when worded in sufficient detail that other qualified persons can recognize when the desired behavior is exhibited.

Conducting the Training

The training should be presented so that its organization and meaning are clear to the employees. To do so, employers or supervisors should: (1) provide overviews of the material to be learned; (2) relate, wherever possible, the new information or skills to the employee's goals, interests, or experience; and (3) reinforce what the employees learned by summarizing the program's objectives and the key points of information covered.

An effective training program allows employees to participate in the training process and to practice their skills or knowledge. Employees can become involved in the training process by participating in discussions, asking questions, contributing their knowledge and expertise, learning through hands-on experiences, and through role-playing exercises.

Evaluating Program Effectiveness

Evaluation will help employers or supervisors determine the amount of learning achieved and whether an employee's performance has improved on the job. Evaluation can include: (1) Student opinion. Questionnaires or informal discussions with employees can help employers determine the relevance and appropriateness of the training program; (2) Supervisors' observations. Supervisors are in good positions to observe an employee's performance both before and after the training and note improvements or changes; and (3) Workplace improvements. The ultimate success of a training program may be changes throughout the workplace that result in reduced injury or accident rates.