I've been considering using an on line training service to carry out the bulk of the training for our workforce, leaving me more time to carry out  more specific, job appropriate training, giving me excellent record keeping, etc. 

I'm wondering if others that have tried it out could share their experiences.  Is it worth the cost?  Can you maintain enough personal connection with the employees, or does it tend to isolate the trainer from the trainees?

 

Ctech,

I would not recommend it for safety training. OSHA has some very definite negative opinions about the use of online and "trainer-less" training. Check OSHA's website under interpretations.

DOT seems to have embraced online training but remember you've got to cover the function specific tasks.

I have not seen an opinion from EPA.

 MikeCJ

Thanks for that tip.  I've been approached by many sources attempting to sell their online training wares to me, but I had suspected that OSHA might not find them all adequate.  I will look around for OSHA interpretations, but do you have specific ones in mind?

 As an edit:  I didn't see that it was a link to the safety training interpretations.  Oops.

 

At any rate, once again, thanks

Use these dates to search for OSHA interpreations 11/22/1994, 10/11/1994, 6/11/1997

Go to www.osha.gov, use the A-Z Index to find the "Interpretations" page.

OSHA has a lot to say about online training; it’s just hard
to find it all and then see any clear policy. Most of their interpretation
letters on the topic are related to HAZWOPER training, but they have a policy
statement that says how training should be provided (below). OSHA’s own Outreach
Training Program “accepts” online training for 10- and 30-hour training
programs.

Here’s an excerpt from the OSHA training Standards Policy
Statement (4/17/07):

“It is the Agency's position that, regardless of the precise
regulatory language, the terms "train" and "instruct," as
well as other synonyms, mean to present information in a manner that employees
receiving it are capable of understanding. Training and instruction mean
imparting information, a definition that implies the information is presented
in a manner the recipient is capable of understanding.”

Here’s what OSHA tells its inspectors to do in the same
policy statement:

“If a reasonable person would conclude that the employer had
not conveyed the training to its employees in a manner they were capable of
understanding, then the violation may be cited as serious if it is within the
guidelines set out in the Field Inspection Reference Manual.”


“For
example, Lockout/Tagout (1910.147(c)(7)(i)) requires the employer to verify that
the employees have “acquired” the knowledge and skills which they have been
trained. The
Bloodborne Pathogens rule (1910.1030(g)(2)(vii)(N)) says training must
offer “n opportunity for interactive questions and answers with the person
conducting the training session.”

This reinforces
the need for a live trainer somewhere in the training program.

OSHA’s Outreach Training Program website says it has a list
of sources that OSHA has accepted for on-line training for 10- or 30-hour general
industry and construction outreach courses. You have to send OSHA an email to
get the list of accepted sources.

One of
OSHA’s requirements for “accepting” a vendor’s online 10- or 30-hour training
program is “asy trainer availability built into the system.” This
means the person taking an online course must have “easy” access to a trainer
by phone, fax, or other two-way communication. I’m not absolutely sure of this,
but some OSHA guidance on this stated that a trainer must respond to the online
trainee’s questions within 24 hours.

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vc

What are you trying to accomplish?  Do you want to use an established (online) training system? Or create a new one? 

Tracy A. Hanes

www.zeroinjuryinstitute.com 

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Tracy A. Hanes
www.zeroinjuryinstitute.com

Mindflash is a good program. You can control the content.  You can also upload any training that you have already developed and it will convert it for you. Also you can have a live forum to talk to your students while they are seated.  This can be accessed anywhere in the world.  it also delivers the certificate of completion.  Check it out!

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Tracy A. Hanes
www.zeroinjuryinstitute.com

OSHA does have a vested interest in the processes used to do training in OSHA regs and OSHA compliance. Trainer involvement and accessibility are of concern to them so that employers can be in accord with the spirit of OSHA guidance; however, as we all know there is a lot of employee safety training that can be given employees that not only equip the employee to be informed on organizational expectations but litterally equip the employee to know how to work injury free. There are research proven safety technologies that if implemented by an employers will empower their employees to actually work recordable free for amazing numbers of aggregate hours. Much of this type training (under the Zero Injury banner) can be computer or on-line based.

Emmitt J. Nelson, ME, PE, NAC; Associate, ZeroInjuryInstitute.com