Safety training creates a base for developing a secure operating environment. Training designed to the trainees' needs provides a great channel for two-way communication, which is a stable base for developing a security culture. In training, it is easier to take the group’s and trainer’s needs into account than it is with plans and other documents. However, the safety documents created for the operating environment create a solid base for training.
When the target group and the operating environment have been taken into account, it’s often easy to provide the most useful training. For example, when a new emergency plan is made, it’s good to organise its implementation as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to do the safety orientation for a new employee simultaneously with other orientations.
The Influence of the Societal Trends
Societal trends should only have a small effect on the selection of the training. For example, employees are less likely to encounter an armed person than a fire alarm, even if the news headlines occasionally paint a different picture. You should recognise the dangers that fall upon the operating environment and to make a training plan based on the risk assessment of the target in question. However, training employees to deal with a threatening person can be necessary if this risk is emphasised in the operating environment.
Training Arrangements
The course of the training is determined by the subject, but there are some general models. The trainer often needs to be a specialised expert, but sometimes it is better to build the training so that it can be held by an amateur. An example of such a training is safety walks where the weight is in observations and insights. It’s recommended to prepare the training material and, if possible, to hand it out in advance to the trainees. The time and schedule of the training should be delivered to the trainees in advance, and the participation should be ensured.
A well-built training session proceeds logically from general to specific information and from theory to practice. The training ends only after all participants have the answers to their questions, or when the faults found with the questions have solutions. After the training, the observations are written down and the conclusion of the training is sent to the participants. It’s important to start fixing the faults that have come up during the training. The people in question should be informed when the faults have been fixed.
Use of a Yearly Recurrence Calendar
A yearly recurrence calendar is a good tool for managing training. Ask: “Which trainings should be organised again and again? What should be organised concerning the orientation for a new employee and what should be organised when circumstances change?”
Here is an example of the yearly recurrence calendar for some safety trainings:
5 years: occupational safety training
3 years: first aid training
Yearly: evacuation drill, safety walk
When Needed: emergency plan training, self-preparedness, orientation for a new person
Developing the Training Gradually
Repeating and gradually developing the training enables the development of the security culture and self-preparedness planning and the advancement of the organisation's internal models. A classic example of the gradual development of security training is the evacuation drill. The first time the evacuation drill is being held, the whole organisation is notified beforehand and educated about the reasons and principles of the drill. For the second drill, advance notice isn't necessary. For the third drill, the safety team might make it more difficult by having one of the exit routes blocked. When all these phases are combined with a review following the evacuation drill, the probability of correct activity in a dangerous situation increases.
Preparing for and being ahead of potential risks is a part of the VUCA strategy. Learn more about what VUCA means and why it matters to your company in VUCA - The Beginning.
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