Susan Harwood Training Grant Program
Best Practices for
- Training facilities should have sufficient resources and equipment
to perform classroom and activity-based learning in a setting conducive
to effective learning.
- Consider the adequacy and appropriateness of the facilities and resources for supporting the training program. These include:
- Space and equipment to conduct training;
- Facilities for hands-on training; and
- Equipment, technical support, and resources for enhanced technology training.
Training development / Instructional design. Training courses should be developed and updated as necessary to be consistent with the recognized principles of training development / instructional design. Training development should follow a systematic process that includes: a needs assessment, learning objectives, adult learning principles, course design, and evaluation. (Reference: ANSI Z-490.1-2009.)
One such instructional design model is called "ADDIE." This stands for the main components of the ADDIE process: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Training materials and content are produced as the course author progresses through the instructional design cycle. First a training analysis is performed, then the structure of the course is designed, next specific content is developed, the course is implemented or presented, and lastly the course is evaluated.
Particular attention should be devoted to the following with respect to course design and content:
- Demographics of the training target audience and their training needs; for instance, what is the literacy level of your target audience?
- Learning objectives, including learning objectives for each training module.
- Analysis and selection of delivery method appropriate to the training target audience and the learning objectives.
- Instructional materials including, but not limited to, an instructor's manual with lesson plans and learning objectives, a trainee manual, training aids, and learning technologies.
- Evaluation methods as noted in the OSHA Susan Harwood Grant SGA.
Training objectives. Every instructor has objectives he/she wishes to accomplish during training. Instructional objectives should be student-focused and state the desired learning outcome. However, it is necessary to note that, while good training can be provided, workers can still face difficulty at work when raising their voices to try to get problematic conditions corrected.
When constructing objectives, the main question that objectives answer is: What should the participant be able to do differently, or more effectively, after the training is completed?
The SMART Model is one method used to construct practical objectives.
- "S" stands for Specific. Objectives should specify what they need to achieve.
- "M" stands for Measurable. You should be able to measure whether you are meeting the objectives or not.
- "A" stands for Achievable. Objectives should be attainable and achievable.
- "R" stands for Relevant. Objectives should lead to the desired results.
- "T" stands for Time-bound. When do you want to achieve the set objectives?
Other training objective construction models include the A-B-C-D Model and Roger Mager's Theory of Behavioral Objectives.
The A-B-C-D Model:
- "A" stands for audience. State the learning audience within the objective.
- "B" stands for behavior. State the behavior you wish to see exhibited following training.
- "C" stands for condition. State the conditions under which the behavior will occur.
- "D" stands for degree. To what level (or degree) will the learner be enabled to perform?
Roger Mager's Theory of Behavioral Objectives has three components:
- Behavior: The behavior should be specific and observable.
- Condition: The conditions under which the behavior is to be completed should be stated, including what tools or assistance is to be provided.
- Standard: The level of performance that is desirable should be stated.
Examples of Objectives:
- The participant will be able to describe elements on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) when provided with a copy of an MSDS that applies to a chemical at his/her worksite.
- By the end of this course, workers will be able to identify health effects information (i.e., acute/chronic, dose/time, routes of entry) about specific chemicals present in their workplace by using the NIOSH Pocket Guide.
- The participant will be able to describe how to create a workplace hazard map, where and how co-workers can be engaged in the creation of hazard maps, and how these hazard maps can be used to identify health and safety hazards in need of correction.
Note that training objectives emphasize what the participant will be able to do, not what the instructor intends to do. In each example, workers are expected to be able to accomplish specific goals by the end of the course. For instance, using the MSDS objective as an example, the learner will be able to 'describe' the elements on a MSDS; the instructor may intend to have the learner 'list' the elements as evidence of their ability to 'describe'. On the job, the learner would be expected to 'describe' not 'list' the elements on a MSDS.
When developing learning objectives, be mindful of what is in your control in the classroom and what is out of your and the participants' control in the workplace.
Addressing Literacy in Teaching Methods and Materials
Literacy can be defined as the ability to "use printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential." (National Coalition for Literacy, 2009)
Some workers, including those born in the U.S., have limited literacy in their primary language. More than one-third of recent immigrants have fewer than 12 years of education. Among those from Latin-America, 35% have less than a ninth grade education. Low-literacy training materials and teaching methods that are not limited to written materials should be prepared or acquired to meet the needs of this type of training audience. (Reference: Draft Immigrant Worker Safety and Health Report, NIOSH and University of Massachusetts - Lowell)
Multiple training methods that require fewer literacy skills should be used with this population. Methods include photos, pictures, short role-plays, case studies, demonstrations, hands on practice, and small group activities with which workers can identify and easily understand.
Training Techniques to Reach all Literacy Levels
The following suggestions are designed to help grantees adapt training techniques to reach participants at all skill/literacy levels. These techniques will also be helpful in teaching participants for whom English is a second language (sometimes referred to as English Language Learners (ELL)).
- Do not assume that all participants are equally skilled or confident in speaking, reading, writing, and math.
- Plan for plenty of small group activities where participants get to work together on shared tasks – reading, discussing, integrating new information, relating to life experience, recording ideas on flip charts, and reporting back to the whole group. In small groups, participants can contribute to the tasks according to their different backgrounds and abilities.
- Try to use as many teaching techniques as possible that require little or no reading.
- At the beginning of a class mention that you are aware that people in the group may have different levels of reading and writing skills.
- Establish a positive learning situation where lack of knowledge is acceptable and where questions are expected and valued. Participants need to be able to indicate when they do not understand and to feel comfortable asking for explanations of unfamiliar terms or concepts.
- Make it clear that you will not put people on the spot. Let them know that you are available during breaks to talk about any concerns.
- Let the group know that they will not necessarily be expected to read material by themselves during the training.
- Let people know that you will not be requiring them to read aloud. Ask for volunteers when reading aloud is part of an activity. Never call on someone who does not volunteer.
- Do not rely on printed material alone. When information is important, make sure plenty of time for discussion is built into the class so participants have the opportunity to really understand.
- Read all instructions aloud. Do not rely on written instructions or checklists as the only way of explaining an activity or concept.
- If other materials must be read aloud, read them yourself or ask for a volunteer.
- Make sure your handouts are easy to read and visually appealing.
- Give out only the most important written material. Make any other materials available as an option.
- If possible, provide audio recordings of key readings so that participants have the option to listen and read along.
- Explain any special terms, jargon, or abbreviations that come up during the training. Write them on a flip chart.
- If participants have to write, post a list of key words. This can serve as a resource for people with writing or spelling difficulties.
Participatory Methods of Instruction
Participatory training methods draw on participants’ own experiences. They encourage teamwork and group problem solving. Participants have the opportunity to analyze health and safety problems in a group and to develop solutions. There can also be valuable exchanges between workers and trainers about their lives and work.
Participatory methods work quite well with people who have difficulty reading and writing. They also allow the instructor to observe who may be having difficulty with the concepts and to engage with them to ensure comprehension. Participatory methods 1) draw on the participants’ own knowledge and experience about health and safety issues; 2) emphasize learning through doing without relying on reading; and 3) create a comfortable learning experience for everyone.
Samples of Participatory Methods
Participatory training methods draw on the trainee's own experiences and knowledge, as well as encourage valuable exchanges between workers and trainers. The following are examples of methods to encourage trainees to participate and be actively engaged in class:
- Risk maps
- Role playing
- Small group exercises
- "Trigger" visuals
- Demonstrations and hands-on activities
- Participatory lectures
For more information on each method, see The Right to Understand: Linking Literacy to Health and Safety Training.
Training materials, such as handouts, PowerPoint presentations, or flip charts, are often used as visual aids that facilitate and enhance the student's learning experience. Materials should be easy-to-read and should highlight the most important messages or needs. Keep in mind that visual aids - such as PowerPoint presentations, handouts, overheads, and flip charts - play a supportive role to the main teaching technique and do not substitute for teaching.
The following are some principles for creating the text for easy-to-read materials:
- Base the content on the workers' most important needs.
- Identify the "priority message." The priority message should convey the most important information about a problem and how it could be solved. It should be short, informative, and easy to remember.
- Don't offer so much information that a reader could feel overwhelmed.
- Organize text into short, logical sections by using headings or subtitles.
- Use words that are easy to understand.
- Define technical terms or jargons.
- Keep sentences short and simple.
- Use a conversational style and active voice, such as the kind of language that the students use.
The design of the material is as important as the content. Making the materials visually appealing and easier for the eye will encourage people to read it. The following are tips for the design of the materials:
- Use a large, easy to read font for the main text.
- Emphasize important points with underlining, bold type, italics, or boxes.
- Include plenty of white spaces by using wide margins.
- Use plenty of simple illustrations to explain the text.
- Use simple line drawings, free of clutter and abstract drawings.
Using PowerPoint. PowerPoint is not a teaching technique - it is a visual aid that can be used to enhance learning, just like flip charts, overheads, and handouts. PowerPoint will not, in and of itself, improve student learning. It is the way that instructors use PowerPoint that can encourage learning. Deciding when, where, and how it can be used appropriately is the key.
Many instructors mistakenly use PowerPoint as their main teaching technique. If an instructor teaches only by showing and reading a PowerPoint presentation, there is not much opportunity for participation. In fact, use of PowerPoint can stifle participation. The teaching turns out to be "one-way", similar to the "traditional" model of education with the instructor as expert and the students as just the receivers of information. As mentioned previously adult education is most effective when it is participatory - when students are active participants in the learning process.
Educators need to be creative in using PowerPoint. If you plan to use PowerPoint, it is critical that it be used in such a way that participants retain and use the information, as well as participate in the learning experience.
There are three main issues to consider when using PowerPoint: content, design, and delivery.
- If you are creating PowerPoint presentations, it is best to plan your workshop or class first and then write the content of the PowerPoint slides.
- Include the main points, not lots of text.
- One concept per slide.
- Use a simple design.
- Make sure you really understand how to create and design PowerPoint slides. It takes some knowledge and skill to develop a PowerPoint presentation. For instance, getting the animation correct can be tricky.
- Do not make the mistake of designing the PowerPoint with too many graphics and animation (a common error among instructors). This can result in design that is too complicated and difficult to read. Go easy on the graphics. Simple graphics that are easily understood are best. Do not use graphics just to make a slide look good; only use them if they have some content value. Keep animation to a minimum.
- Use lots of white space.
- Use contrast: dark on light, or light on dark. In choosing colors, make sure that the text is easy to see.
- Design from top left to bottom right.
- Use large font sizes (26 point minimum). No more than two fonts on a page.
- Limit use of bolding, italics and underlining.
- Always remember that PowerPoint is a visual aid, not a teaching technique.
- Your slides should serve as a focal point for the issues to be discussed. Use them to help control the pace of presentation and discussion. Read a slide aloud and follow with commentary, explanation and discussion. Remember questions and discussion are part of the learning experience.
- Practice using the PowerPoint before you actually use it in a class. Make sure you are comfortable moving between slides and between information in slides.
A final note on technology: using PowerPoint requires that you have all the technology you need, that it is in good working order, and that you know how to use it. The best prepared PowerPoint will fail if the technology fails, or if the instructor has trouble using it. Always have a back-up plan in place!
Using Flip charts. Flip charts, like PowerPoints, are visual aids that are used to facilitate, enhance or bring more clarity to the learning experience. It is an interactive and flexible aid that promotes interaction and engagement between the facilitator and the participants.
Flip charts promote participation as they are interactive—the facilitator can use the flip chart to write participants' ideas or answers. They also promote flexibility in teaching and learning, since the facilitator is writing as discussion evolves and not fixed in a "set" progression. Flip charts are low-tech, inexpensive, and easily portable. They also reinforce learning because participants can see and hear what is being talked about.
Participants feel like they have contributed if the facilitator writes what the participant says. It is best to use the words the participant uses and not to paraphrase. It is necessary to remember that what gets written needs to be discussed. Filling a room with lists of things people have said without analyzing and discussing what they say does not produce real learning.
The following are tips for using the flip chart:
- Use only dark marker colors, such as black, dark brown, or dark blue. Lighter colors should only be used to highlight. Using many colors on a flip chart will catch your audience's eye.
- Print in large block letters. Do a "test" flip chart page before a workshop and make sure it can be read from the back of the room.
- Be sure not to crowd the flip chart with too much information. Only key points should be written.
- Watch your spelling. If you have problems with spelling, work on memorizing the correct spelling of words you are likely to use. But do not let spelling get in the way of using a flip chart. Creating a "spell-free" zone in the class may take some pressure off both you and the participants.
- Many facilitators prepare some flip charts in advance. Be sure to proof read any flip charts prepared in advance.
- Post pages you want participants to continue to be able to see, or pages you want to refer back to.
- Tear pieces of tape ahead of time to make it easier to post flip chart pages.
- Keep prepared flip chart covered with blank page until you are ready for the class to see the page. When finished discussing a page, "flip" it over; unless you want the class to be reminded of the information.
- If possible, use flip chart paper with light, preprinted "grid" lines to help you print more legibly.
- Do not turn your back on the group and "talk to the flip chart." Write what is needed, and then turn back to the group. A few moments of silence is okay. Do not block your audience's view of the chart - stand to the side.
- You can, in advance, lightly pencil in reminder notes to yourself on the flip chart.
- Course design and content should take into consideration:
- Demographics of the training target audience and their training needs, including their literacy level;
- Learning objectives, including learning objectives for each training module;
- Analysis and selection of delivery method appropriate to the training target audience and the learning objectives; and
- Instructional materials including, but not limited to, an instructor's manual with lesson plans and learning objectives, a trainee manual, training aids, and learning technologies.
- Training materials, such as handouts, PowerPoints, or flip charts, are often used as visual aids that facilitate and enhance the student's learning experience and do not substitute for teaching. Materials should be easy-to-read and should highlight the most important messages or needs.
As noted in the Susan Harwood Training Grant SGA, there are three types of training evaluation that should be conducted: 1) training session reaction assessments; 2) learning assessments; and 3) training impact assessments.
Training Evaluation: The three required training evaluations are based on the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation model - Level 1: Reaction, Level 2: Learning, and Level 3: Behavior/impact. The Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model is one of the most widely used models of training evaluation. (For more information see Evaluating Training Programs, by Donald Kirkpatrick, 1975.)
There are other training evaluation techniques and methods that can be used to measure the effectiveness of training programs, such as NIOSH's Training Intervention Effectiveness Research (TIER) paradigm, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Simulation Methodologies for Training and Evaluation, etc. For more information about these and other training evaluation methods, refer to CDC's "Report from the 1999 National Conference on Workplace Safety and Health Training, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-132."
Training Reaction Survey. Sometimes called "smile sheets", training reaction surveys measure the trainee's immediate perceptions of the quality and usefulness of the training. The results should be considered when improving the program since they provide information regarding relevancy of information and the teaching style of the instructor. A reaction survey is a subjective evaluation of the training course by the trainees. Questions about trainer presentation skills, accommodations, the course's pace, and difficulty and usefulness of content may be included in a reaction survey. (Reference: ANSI Z490.1) Reaction to training can be conducted by: using participant feedback questionnaires; gathering informal comments from participants; and by holding focus group sessions with participants.
Examples of questions to assess participant reaction include:
- In your view, what were the three most important strengths of the program?
- In your view, what were the three most important weakness of the program?
- Please evaluate the technical level of this training
A. It was too technical for such a short time
B. It should have been more technical
C. It was just at the right technical level
- The course material has been
A. Totally new to me
B. Mostly new to me
C. Somewhat new to me
D. I knew most of it before
- The instructor's contribution to the training process was valuable.
A. Strongly agree
E. Strongly disagree
- Were the materials, hand-outs and/or activities useful?
___Yes ___No ___Don't know
- Were the teaching methods effective?
___Yes ___No ___Don't know
- Please share with us your overall evaluation of this training
A. I would recommend this training enthusiastically to others in my workplace
B. I would recommend this training to others in my workplace
C. I would not recommend this training to others in my workplace
D. Other ideas and thoughts: _____________________________________________
Learning assessments. Learning assessments measure the skills, knowledge, or attitude that the trainee retains as a result of the training. If you use pre- and post-tests in your training, then the post-test will show the knowledge gained during training. Alternately, small group activities can serve as a "post-test" to see if participants are "getting it." These can be more effective than a post-test because they give facilitators the opportunity to address any problems in understanding that may arise during the program itself. With a true post-test, the class is over and you no longer have an opportunity to help the participant understand the concept s/he missed. You may also conduct follow-up evaluations or focus groups three to six months following the training to check retention of information.
Examples of questions you can ask to assess learning include:
- I feel well informed about how workers should be best protected from
hazards on the job
A. Strongly agree
E. Strongly disagree
- The most common way that toxins enter the body is through
A. Skin Contact or absorption
B. Eye Contact or eye absorption
C. Inhalation- breathing
D. Ingestion- swallowing
- Administrative, engineering and work practice controls are all used to limit lead exposure. If all these controls are used and the workers' exposure to lead is still above the permissible exposure limit (PEL), then respirators MUST be used in order to protect the worker's health
C. I Don't Know
Training impact assessments. Training impact evaluations are typically conducted three to six months after the training and could be conducted by written/electronic surveys or by focus groups. Measures include the level of worker involvement on safety committees, increases in the number of formal complaints filed, or increases in sharing safety and health information with coworkers who did not participant in training.
Examples of questions to ask in order to assess the impact of your training include:
- Since the training, which of the following have you done that you
did not do before your training?
A. I pay more attention to the materials I am working with (transporting, loading, or unloading)
B. I make sure I have shipping papers, and have read them
C. I ask for material safety data sheets
D. I look at the placards associated with the materials I am handling
E. I speak up if I think there is a safety and health issue
F. I work with hazardous materials with more caution and awareness
G. I have not done anything different yet
- What have you been able to do since returning from training to share
new safety and health knowledge with other workers?
A. Write in my company/union newspaper
B. Talk in safety and health/union meetings
C. Talk informally on the job
D. Work with the company/union to communicate safety and health priorities to management
E. Train other workers
F. Work on a safety and committee
G. Nothing yet
- Since you attended this particular training program, have you tried to make improvements in health or safety or participated in other health and safety-related activities in your workplace or in a workplace where you represent members?
___Yes ___ No
If you answered "Yes": go on to question #3 and answer questions #3 - #9.
If you answered "No": what was/were the reason(s) you were not able to be active in health or safety issues with your union since attending this training program (please check all reasons that apply):
___Other people take care of safety and health
___No issue came up that needed addressing
___Local union had other pressing issues to deal with
___Not a priority for me in the work I do with the local union
___Concern about retaliation for raising health and safety issues
___Not enough time between when we took this training and now to do much
Overall Program Evaluation
Key questions for evaluating the overall quality and appropriateness of a training program should include the following:
- Were the program objectives clearly stated?Was there evidence that the program accomplished its objectives?
- Were appropriate facilities and staff available and committed to the program?
- Was there an appropriate mix of classroom, demonstration, and activity-based learning?
- Did new training technologies that have been integrated impact the program being assessed?
- Is the program providing quality worker health and safety training that fully meets the intent and requirements of the applicable regulations?
- What are the program's strengths?
- What are the program's weaknesses?
- How can the program be improved?
- Are trainers using the training outline, objectives and content provided?
- Are the course materials current and the delivery methods relevant to the training target audience?
Documentation and Recordkeeping. A record keeping system should be established for controlling all records and documents to ensure that the records are:
- Retrievable, readily identifiable, and maintained in an orderly manner;
- Dated, current, accurate, and legible; and
- Retained for at least one year following the training.
Certain regulations require specific records be kept for proof of completion of required training. Organizations will want to keep enough documentation to help them compile quarterly reports under the grant requirements.
Student records should identify:
- The target audience and stated learning objectives;
- Sources used to develop the training materials;
- The persons designing and developing the training and their qualifications;
- All training materials developed for the course; and
- Plans for evaluation and continuous improvement of the course.
Trainer records should identify:
- Date, location and duration of the training;
- Course name;
- Name(s) of the trainer/s;
- Materials used; and
- List of trainees participating in the class.
Course evaluation records.
- Document formal or informal training evaluation results.
- Three types of training evaluations are required under the Susan Harwood
Training Grants: training session reaction assessment, learning assessments,
and training impact assessments.
- Training Reaction Surveys measure the trainee's immediate perception of the quality and usefulness of the training. Results of this survey provide information regarding the relevancy of information and the teaching style of the instructor/s.
- Learning Assessments measure skills, knowledge, or attitudes that the trainee retains as a result of the training.
- Training impact assessments measure the influence the training has had on the trainee's work culture.
- A record keeping system is important to control all records and documents.
While a written quality assessment and control plan is not required under the Susan Harwood Training grant, having one will help ensure the overall quality of your training program. A quality control plan is not the same as training evaluation. A quality control plan can ensure that each element of your training program is being done well and achieving its goals. It provides a tool with which to review your training program. While not necessarily all inclusive or stringent, the Check Points in this document could essentially be your quality control tool.
Quality Control Program Assessment. Maintain a written quality assessment and control plan that considers the adequacy and appropriateness of:
- Instructor performance;
- Course evaluations, including feedback, updating, and corrective action;
- The role of trainee evaluations to provide feedback for training program improvement;
- Course materials;
- Outside reviewers to provide overall technical policy guidance (if applicable);
- The competency and role of the outside reviewers (if applicable); and
- The minutes or reports of the outside reviewers meetings or written recommendations (if applicable).
Annual Update. The Project Director should review the written quality assessment and control plan periodically and update it as appropriate. The periodic update provides an opportunity to consider how well the program has:
- Included all applicable regulatory changes;
- Implemented course updates that have occurred during the preceding year;
- Integrated new training technologies; and
- Integrated new modules within the training program.
- Project Directors should maintain a written quality assessment and control plan that considers the adequacy and appropriateness of the overall program.
- Project Directors review the written quality assessment and control plan periodically and update it as appropriate.
- Non-English speaking. A person's verbal ability
often tends to exceed his or her literacy levels. For best results,
trainers should communicate in the native language of the participants
and should provide materials in the participants' primary language.
If the trainer does not speak the trainees' primary language,
interpreters may be used. However, be sure to use a translator with
trusted credentials. It is not advisable to use one worker as a translator
for the others. Employ approaches similar to those used for low literacy
- Limited English proficiency. Materials used with
those who have limited English proficiency should be easy to understand
or written in languages other than English. Favor those materials or
curricula that encourage interaction, student input, and critical thinking.
(Szudy and Gonzalez Arroyo). Consider using pictograms, visuals, and
demonstrations or other methods that are non-verbal to convey information.
Employ approaches similar to those used for low literacy audiences.
- Contingent workers, day laborers and temporary workers.
Employ approaches similar to those used for low literacy or non-English
speaking audiences. This will ensure maximum communication of the training
content with minimum language interference. Favor visual and verbal
methods over written text.
- Young Workers. Workers who are high school or college age and recent additions to the workforce require additional guidance. They may be fully able to intellectually comprehend training information, but they lack the experience that time in the workforce provides. Additional emphasis should be placed on safety and health precautions, experiential exercises and demonstrations that exhibit the inherent danger that lurks in the workplace.
- Training organizations should take into consideration specific populations when developing their training program: Non-English speakers, workers with limited English proficiency, contingent workers, day laborers and temporary workers, and young workers. These populations tend to be employed in greater numbers in high-risk occupations and it is imperative that they understand the information you are conveying to them.
Below are resources to use when looking for (mostly) Spanish language health and safety material. Remember that simply translating English health and safety materials into Spanish or another language is not necessarily adequate for your target population to understand the material. There are many different terms and dialects in Spanish (and other languages) and you need to ensure you are using the correct ones. In addition, using the correct literacy level is just as important in other languages as it is in English. It is best to test the translated materials using a focus group made up of a subset of your target population.
English to Spanish OSHA Dictionary.
This site includes links to NIOSH publications on a variety of construction topics, and also provides links to other agencies and organizations that have Spanish resources.
This is an extensive collection of links to worker health and safety training materials (such as factsheets, curricula, and checklists) that are available from many sources online in languages other than English. It was prepared by LOHP and the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation. The Guide was updated in late 2005.
At the end of the Guide, you'll find a listing of web sites with additional links to health and safety information and resources in other languages. The Guide is designed to complement the statewide Worker Occupational Health and Safety Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP).
This Electronic Library was developed and is maintained by CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training and is intended to provide accurate, user-friendly information about safety and health for construction workers from a wide range of sources worldwide.
Information is organized by hazard, trade and job site, and they have educational materials including tailgate guides, hazard alerts, and worker pocket cards and brochures.
They reference construction-related materials available in other languages, including: Creole, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.
This site provides training guides in Spanish on several construction health and safety topics -- scaffolding, fall protection, electricity, handling of objects/materials, and trenches and excavations. For each topic, there are educational materials presented in various formats, including posters, pamphlets, tailgate session guides, and formal presentations.
Hispanics Work Safe
This site provides training and educational materials for Hispanic construction workers, and includes the OSHA 10-hr course in Spanish, a English-Spanish construction dictionary, a video that offers an overview of the different health and safety hazards being encountered at construction workplaces, and other educational materials (it is affiliated with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell).
LOHP has produced a curriculum on construction safety, Tailgate Training for California Construction Workers, which is available in both English and Spanish. The book can help construction foremen and other trainers conduct effective safety training sessions on the job. It includes detailed Training Guides on 14 construction safety topics. There are also 14 matching Checklists on related Cal/OSHA regulations. For some topics, Case Studies (based on actual injuries and accidents) and Factsheets are also provided. Both the English and Spanish editions of Tailgate Training for California Construction Workers are available for sale and can also be read online in English and Spanish.
BuildSafe produced a health and safety tailgate training kit in English and Spanish. The kit consists of Safety Break cards that cover 23 general construction safety topics and are linked to information in the Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry. These cards are simple to use and designed to improve the quality of tailgates.
This Spanish-language website has helpful safety and health information available for construction workers. Developed in collaboration with the hit telenovela "Pecados Ajenos", this site introduces helpful construction safety information to workers and their families, parallel to a construction safety storyline on the show.
Evaluation of Worker Training Programs
It is important to periodically evaluate the training program to make sure that training is effective and that programs are achieving the intended results. Evaluation should determine how well a program is implemented, how much knowledge is gained by students, and the outcomes of the training.
The following are resources and guides that can be used to create and conduct a successful evaluation and maintain quality control of the training program.
Resource Guide for Evaluating Worker Training:
A Focus on Safety and Health (1997)
The Resource Guide for Evaluating Worker Training is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and its Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) in collaboration with the George Meany Center for Labor Studies. The goal of the Resource Guide is to ensure that workers receive safety and health training that works.
The Resource Guide presents and explores a range of successful evaluation ideas, techniques, and tools for:
- Identifying areas for program improvement;
- Measuring the short- and longer-term accomplishments of a worker training program; and
- Assessing whether, and to what extent, training has brought positive changes to the work place.
Examples of instruments developed and used by NIEHS WETP awardees to evaluate their worker training program are displayed throughout the Guide.
For copies of the Resource Guide, please contact the NIEHS National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training at (202) 331-7733 or email.
UCLA-Center for the Study of Evaluation Program Evaluation Kit (1987)
The Program Evaluation Kit developed by the UCLA Center for the Study of Evaluation consists of 9 volumes of practical guidelines for designing and implementing evaluation.
- Volume 1, The Evaluator's Handbook (provides dozens of checklists)
- Volume 2, How to Focus an Evaluation
- Volume 3, How to Design a Program Evaluation
- Volume 4, How to Use Qualitative Methods in Evaluation
- Volume 5, How to Assess Program Implementation
- Volume 6, How to Measure Attitudes
- Volume 7, How to Measure Performance and Use Tests
- Volume 8, How to Analyze Data
- Volume 9, How to Communicate Evaluation Findings
Measuring and Evaluating the Outcomes of Training (1996)
This is a collection of research papers that was presented at the1996 NIEHS Spring meeting on measures and evaluation of safety and health training programs.
- A Worker's Sourcebook: Spanish Language Health and Safety Materials for Workers, University of California, Los Angeles, Labor and Occupational Safety and Health.
- Assessing Occupational Safety and Health Training: A Literature Review, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-145, June 1998.
- Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training, American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Z490.1-2009.
- Culture, Health and Literacy: A Guide to Health Education Materials for Adults with Limited English Literacy Skills.
- Delp, L. et al, Teaching for Change: Popular Education and the Labor Movement, UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education, 2002.
- Evaluation of the Limited English Proficiency and Hispanic Worker Initiative, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Prepared by Coffey Consulting, December 2009.
- Immigrant Worker Safety and Health Report, from a conference on research needs, draft NIOSH scientific information disseminated for peer review, NIOSH and University of Massachusetts Lowell, April 2010.
- Minimum Health and Safety Training Criteria: Guidance for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), HAZWOPER-Supporting and All-Hazards Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Response, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Education and Training Program (WETP), January 2006.
- ODP Blended Learning Approach, version 1.0, ODP/DHS. November 27, 2003.
- OSHA Outreach Training Program Guidelines, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, February 2009.
- OSHA Training Standards Policy Statement, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, April 28, 2010.
- Report from the 1999 National Conference on Workplace Safety & Health Training: Putting the Pieces Together & Planning for the Challenges Ahead, Cosponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-132, February 2004.
- Robson L, Stephonson C, Schulte P, Amick B, Chan S, Bielecky A, Wang A, Heidotting T, Irvin E, Eggerth D, Peters R, Clarke J, Cullen K, Boldt L, Grubb P. A systematic review of the effectiveness of training & education for the protection of workers. Toronto: Institute for Work & Health, 2010; Cincinnati, OSH: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-127.
- Szudy, Elizabeth and Gonzalez Arroyo, Michele, The Right to Understand: Linking Literacy to Health and Safety Training, Labor Occupational Health Program, University of California at Berkeley, 1994.
- Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines, OSHA 2254, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1998 (Revised).
- Wallerstein, N. and Rubenstein, H., Teaching about Job Hazards, A Guide for Workers and Their Health Providers, American Public Health Association, 1993.
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