Virtual safety online: tips on preventing accidents are available 24/7/365 - E-Concrete - Product/Service Evaluation

Concrete Producer, The, Nov, 2003 by Tom Bagsarian

There's no doubt that our business is a people business. So it follows that the most serious responsibility any producer has is to provide a worksite that ensures employees go home to their families at the end of each day, healthy and in one piece. It seems like a simple goal, but as every manager knows, it takes a constant watchful eye. Safety is not only good for employee morale; it's also good business. Good employees don't want to work for a producer or even an industry with a bad reputation.

Online resources are available for producers to learn about safety in the construction industry. The National Safety Council (NSC), in conjunction with FirstNet Learning, a Web-based training company, offers an online training program available anytime, anywhere, and at any pace.

The continuous access this site allows eliminates scheduling conflicts, delayed training, and training before or after it is needed. Safety managers can train, test, and track progress from their desktops. Training is even available in multiple languages. The courses and the format of the virtual training Web site can be customized for each company. Current courses available include back injury prevention, hazard communications, personal protective equipment, biological and chemical hazards, ladder safety, and preventing slips, trips, and falls.

To help the employees finish the online training, NSC sends out reminders that the employees must complete certain parts of the safety program in a timely manner. For instance, one sample message might say, "Remember February is Eye Protection Month here at ABC Company. Please complete your online Eye Protection course by the end of the month. You must receive a 90% or better to finish the course and then be registered for the monthly safety drawing."

In addition to virtual training, NSC offers safety-related computer software. Several CD-ROM kits are geared for truck drivers. One is for drivers who already know the basics of safe driving, but may need to refresh and upgrade their skills. Topics include vehicle inspection, cushion of safety, scanning, and vehicle positioning. Through a series of full-motion video segments, interactive exercises and session tests, drivers build on, preview, and test their knowledge of collision-prevention techniques.

Another site helps the producer learn the standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides construction standards online with links to regulatory citations for each topic. Laws, regulations, statistics, publications, and safety and health tips are all accessible. A search engine allows the producer to easily find information on various safety topics. One way the agency provides helpful tips is its timely homepage: During the summer it offered tips for working in hot weather, with information on how to recognize heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

OSHA recently added some pages with information on truck safety, workplace emergency preparedness and small business resources. The trucking page offers information about preventing occupational illness and injury through links to summaries, training presentations, publications, and other resources. It also offers several links, one of which directs users to applicable U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency compliance requirements.

An emergency preparedness page provides information and links arranged according to employer type and specialty topics. The small business page has information about the consultation program, the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, small business success stories, and benefits for small businesses. It also provides links to compliance assistance pages.

The Internet makes finding information on health and safety in the workplace easier than ever. With these resources, it is possible to promise your employees a safe workplace. Your employees will thank you for spending a short time visiting these Web sites. Their safety is in your hands.

For online information on safety in the workplace, visit the Web sites of the National Safety Council, www.nsc.org, and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, www.osha.gov.