It All Depends On The Training.
Although there are some classes that can make sense to do online, such as Hazcom, or certain awareness and refresher classes, there are others that do not make sense to try and do online. It’s important to recognize when to have the instructors come onsite.
Typically using online training resources for courses that should be done onsite to get or maintain OSHA certifications results in poorly trained workers who are at greater risk.
That poorly trained/higher risk combination opens the door to two of the most common situations that brings OSHA to your facility:
- The disgruntled employee who files a complaint with OSHA.
- An accident in which OSHA must be notified.
That same poorly trained/higher risk combination can put the company in that untenable position of safety violation citations and fines when there is a surprise visit from OSHA – which happens more often than businesses realize.
Appropriate Onsite Training Means Fewer Injuries, Accidents & Fatalities
It goes without saying that we want our employees safe, but we also don’t want fines, inspections made public on the OSHA site, or other OSHA related problems.
They cost companies dearly in the form of fines, lawsuits, and the loss of reputation.
Group Training Creates a Cohesive and Effective Team
Sometimes onsite training is the better choice: When you’ve had your workforce trained as a group, they’ll work more safely as a group. Consider those teams in various fields that have to learn to coordinate and cooperate in order to perform their duties safely and efficiently.
First responders and emergency response personnel are two such groups. But there are many other groups that this applies to as well. Can you imagine having them log into a computer to do an online class?
OHSA's Primary Purpose
The primary purpose of OSHA is “to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.”
The Cost Factor
Some companies may feel that having an onsite instructor is out of their budget, and in some cases, it may be at first glance.
However, when you see an overall improvement in the company’s performance, you’re not failing OSHA inspections or losing personnel to preventable injuries/accidents, then it becomes quite clear that an onsite instructor is a key to savings for the company.
Time Is Money
Cost comparisons are also important. In some cases, it can be less costly to have the entire team in a two-hour or 3-hour training class once a year (or whatever the OSHA standard requires), to having one or two here and there taking an online class that often takes longer than predicted.
One point to consider is that in many cases other team members could be losing production while they wait for the team member to return from that training. Conversely, there are times when scheduling can be effective for preventing lost production while one or two members do an online course.
The Bottom Line
There are many courses where it’s cheaper, faster and better to have an onsite instructor training your workforce.
You’ll have a better-trained team, less downtime, and fewer injuries/accidents or reasons for OSHA to stop by. Yet there are some courses where the opposite is true.
It’s important to know what’s best for your company and workforce. Make sure you ask us for a consultation to help identify what training you can do online and what training you should do onsite.
FINAL NOTE
All businesses are subject to OSHA.
If you are unsure of the OSHA requirements for worker safety please contact us and we will provide you with a comprehensive evaluation of your specific OSHA requirements.
Don’t wait until an inspection, an injury, or worse…
