Back to basics: Classroom training remains a favorite

What type of safety training do you find most effective with your employees? A recent J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., social media poll posed this question with four options to choose from. Responses came back with the following breakdown:

• Live classroom training: 64%
• Virtual reality training: 18%
• Online training: 14%
• Video-based training: 4%

The benefits of classroom training

In addition to the benefits of gathering in person and interacting with others, classroom training allows employees to ask questions and receive timely responses, something OSHA requires of effective training. Classroom training also supports hands-on and worksite-specific instruction.

Hands-on training allows employees to interact directly with equipment and tools under the guidance of a qualified trainer. This approach enables employees to learn or refresh skills through practical experience while giving the trainer the opportunity to observe performance and verify that proper techniques have been mastered.

Classroom training also provides a forum for worksite-specific training, such as what chemicals employees may be exposed to in the workplace and where Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are stored. Some regulations, such as the bloodborne pathogens standard, include site-specific training elements that should to some degree be tailored to workers’ assigned duties.

What does OSHA say about online training?

Online training, streaming videos, and video-based training have exploded in popularity, and they’re an excellent way to provide an overview of safety topics and can supplement your classroom training. They’re also great for reaching large numbers of workers and remote workers. However, from an OSHA perspective they shouldn’t be the sole form of training that workers receive.

In a letter of interpretation, OSHA says that online training alone does not meet OSHA training requirements unless it includes interactive and hands-on elements. Employees must be able to demonstrate mastery of safe work practices and have timely access to a qualified trainer to ask questions and receive feedback.

Virtual reality training gains popularity

Virtual reality (VR) as a training tool continues to grow in popularity and has several benefits, among them appealing to younger generations who have grown up with technology. Other benefits include:

• Real-world scenarios can be re-created in a controlled environment.
• Hands-on maneuvers can be practiced multiple times before being used on the job.
• Learning is more visual, which aids retention and recall.

OSHA addresses both VR and online training in a 2020 letter of interpretation, cautioning that relying solely on either one may not provide the site- and/or job-specific training that employees need. Additionally, “Whether online or virtual reality training methods provide “adequate” or “effective” training may only be determined on a case-by-case basis. Employers need to examine the standards applicable to their workplaces and determine whether the training tools (such as online or virtual reality) they are using advance their employees’ overall comprehension and understanding of workplace hazards.”

Some OSHA standards have specific training format requirements

Most regulations don’t specify how training is to be conducted, such as whether it has to be classroom or online, but as an example, the powered industrial truck standard at 1910.178 does require “a combination of formal instruction (such as lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video, written material), practical training (demonstrations performed by the trainer and practice exercises performed by the trainee), and evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace.” It’s important to read the applicable regulation to ensure you’re meeting all training requirements.

Key to remember: Employers find classroom training most effective for their employees, but virtual reality training is gaining in popularity. OSHA cautions that any training must include job- and workplace-specific elements and that employees must have the opportunity to ask questions and receive timely answers.