• Effective safety training reduces workplace injuries.safety decal image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter what type of business you own or what your workplace is, safety training is an essential tool that aims to limit accidents and injuries. In the process, safety training can actually save a business in terms of costs. Safety training not only enhances employee wellbeing, but may be required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance standards, as well as federal, state and local laws. According to the OSHA, all employers must provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers.
  
  

Resources

• The OSHA provides a variety of free training and educational policies, procedures and publications. Identify the type of safety training required for your workplace to be in compliance with legal and industry standards. Focus on locating training resources needed to conform to those standards. Identify additional potential risks and add those to the training list. Many states have their own job safety and health programs that employers can access as a resource to develop their safety training. Seek employee input to help shape and inform the safety training curriculum.
  
  

Time Commitment

• Designating one individual (or more, depending on the size of the business) as the safety trainer or coordinator can streamline ongoing safety training initiatives. If businesses are concerned about the time commitment needed to provide thorough safety training, online safety training courses, webcasts, training videos and printed materials can provide employees with the necessary training through a variety of venues. On-the-job safety training is an option that will provide more hands-on experiences.
  
  

Ongoing Training

• Ongoing training and education provides workers with continued reminders about safety. Continued training might consist of mandatory monthly meetings, less frequent classes, or reminder posters which outline safety steps. Provide ongoing review and instruction for those using specific machinery to remind workers of correct usage. According to SafetyTrainingTips.com, supervisors should look for unsafe practices in the work place and urge workers to follow safety protocol. Also, discipline employees who not follow safety procedures and policies to prevent future accidents and to make sure workers understand the importance of compliance.