Safety Matters is an in-depth package of safety training sessions designed to teach hazard identification methods for increased safety in the workplace. It includes training for change management, risk assessment, and accident prevention methods. Participants learn to manage hazards and risks for preventing workplace injuries.
The course comprises short videos and support material, including discussion questions. The concise, short-format videos and modules keep the content engaging. By the completion of the course, each participant should understand proper hazard identification and risk assessment practices.
The key topics covered in the Safety Matters Course include:
- Accident causation analysis
- Safety auditing
- Change management process
- Communication skills
- Safety barriers
- Hazard identification
- Incident reporting
- Learning from past incidents
- Managing major hazards
- The organisational structure for managing risk
- The risk of cost-cutting
- Warning signs of potential hazards
The purpose of the course is to help create safer workplaces.
According to Safe Work Australia, there were 194 worker fatalities in 2020. So safety should be a priority for every organisation. Taking the time to analyse workplace hazards and implement safer practices can help prevent injuries and fatalities. With the Safety Matters Course from AlertForce, you can learn how to implement better accident prevention solutions.
What Does the Safety Matters Course Consist Of?
The Safety Matters Course consists of 12 separate modules to give you a comprehensive guide that will help prevent workplace injuries. The course covers the steps needed to identify the hazards in the workplace and implement hazard control measures to maintain a safer workplace.
Each module includes one or more videos covering different workplace health and safety topics. Support material is included for each topic. This includes a script for the videos, discussion questions, activities, and reference material when applicable.
The completion of the modules and discussion questions help participants develop an action plan specific to the needs of their organisation.
Suggested Usage
The suggested usage for the Safety Matters Course involves watching the provided videos and engaging in a group discussion after the completion of each video. The provided support material helps the facilitator and participants recap the key points covered in the video and module.
There are several ways to view the videos and complete discussions, including:
- E-learning format
- Face-to-face safety meetings
- Forum
The e-learning format involves uploading the training videos and allowing participants to watch the videos online. Participants review the support material and answer questions remotely.
With face-to-face safety meetings, the facilitator and participants watch the videos and engage in group discussions in person. Face-to-face meetings offer greater interaction and engagement but may be logistically challenging.
The videos may also be uploaded to a forum. In this method, the participants access the videos and support material via a private forum or internal company website. The answers to the questions are discussed below each video in the modules.
The course may also be completed via email. With this option, the participants email their responses to the discussion questions after watching the videos.
Support Materials
No matter the method of delivery, participants should receive access to the support material. The support material consists of discussion questions and the video script. The questions help the participants explore the impact of safety practices in their organisation.
Each module also includes reference materials and scripts for the videos. These materials help the participants research and review the main points covered in the lesson.
The questions and video scripts help the facilitator and participants develop an action plan. The action plan includes specific steps and suggestions that participants can use in their workplace.
Course Modules
The Safety Matters Course includes 12 modules. Facilitators can select the modules that most reflect the safety concerns of their organisation. Here is a summary of each lesson.
Accident Causation Analysis Module
The Accident Causation Analysis module covers “The 5 Whys”. The 5 Whys demonstrates how asking specific questions can help explore the core issues and uncover potential solutions.
The accident causation analysis module also discusses the importance of using more than one safety barrier. This topic is also covered in greater detail in a later module. However, the lack of safety barriers is one of the leading causes of workplace accidents.
Workers should understand the need for developing a greater defence against safety hazards. Each defence has a weakness. Implementing multiple barriers adds to the overall safety of the situation.
Safety Auditing Module
The Safety Auditing module covers the importance and limitations of safety audits. It also covers the behaviours that people engage in that often contribute to accidents and injuries.
The first section of the module discusses the advantages of safety audit methodology and workplace risk assessments. Safety audits help uncover potential hazards and gaps in safety protections. The module also explains how an audit can create a false sense of security.
An audit is not effective unless you can get people to change their behaviour and follow the latest safety protocols. The course discusses behavioural safety and how people’s actions can increase or decrease the safety of the workplace.
Change Management Module
The Organisational Change Management module covers the steps needed to adopt new safety practices. Change management is the management of required changes within a system or an organisation. Some of the key topics discussed in this module include:
- Management of change
- Technical support
- Alarm systems
- Interconnection
- Inadequate mental model
Redesigning a process often requires the redesign of control systems. Organisations need to use a change management process to implement new safety measures.
The module discusses the risks of redundant control systems and interconnection. These issues limit the ability of safety measures to adequately protect workers from injury. The course also includes an overview of alarm flooding and the need for working with professional engineers to develop more effective hazard control systems.
Communication Skills for Executives Module
Executives need good communication skills to ensure that workers and supervisors understand their roles and responsibilities when it comes to safety matters. Topics covered in this module include:
- The consequences of poor communication during shift changes
- The need to listen to feedback from on-site employees
- Best practices for talking to workers
- The importance of talking one-on-one instead of in groups
- The types of topics and questions to get specific information from workers
The module provides an overview of how executives and supervisors should interact with workers when completing walk-arounds and site inspections.
Defence in Depth Module
Examine the importance of using multiple safety barriers or defence systems to shield against hazards. This module uses a specific disaster to explore defence in depth.
Reviewing the points of failure that led to the disaster helps participants better understand that it only takes a single point of failure for a defence to fail.
Participants also examine the consequences of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias occurs when you only accept evidence that confirms your existing beliefs. Confirmation bias can lead to safety gaps, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Hazard Identification Module
The Hazard Identification module demonstrates the steps needed for risk assessment in the workplace. Participants learn proper hazard assessment procedures. Identifying hazards is the first step in preventing workplace accidents. The typical hazard management process includes the following steps:
- Define hazard
- Assessing the risk
- Making changes (risk control measures)
After identifying the hazards, workers, and supervisors can implement the proper risk control measures. This may include both process safety control measures and personal safety measures. Process safety involves changes to processes. Personal safety involves safety steps carried out by individuals.
The module also explores the need for “safety case” regimes for ensuring compliance with government legislation.
Incident Reporting Systems Module
The Incident Reporting module discusses various reporting systems and the importance of incident reporting. The module explains why every organisation needs to report warning signs instead of only reporting incidents that result in lost time or injury.
Other details discussed in this module include the process for designing reporting systems, including how to develop warning signs that are easily understood.
The final portion of the module explains how leaders can use monitor reporting systems to collect as much information as necessary to find the cause of the safety incident.
Learning From Other Incidents Module
The learning from other incidents modules revolves around the need to learn from past incidents. Workers learn how to review previous safety incidents to avoid making the same mistakes.
In the previous module, participants learn how to report incidents. Reporting incidents provides a record of what went wrong and the issues that contributed to the accident. The supervisor or worker reporting the incident can attempt to find the root cause.
Transferring lessons from previous incidents can help prevent the same cause from leading to a new incident.
Managing Major Hazards – the Use of Indicators Module
Certain indicators can help supervisors determine whether major hazards are being managed or becoming more of a threat to the productivity of the organisation. This includes the lost time injury (LTI) rate and other indicators.
This module looks at the use of indicators to analyse the effectiveness of hazard control measures. The module also explains which indicators are most effective for analysing the rise or fall of workplace injuries and accidents. It offers an overview of the use of indicators for managing major hazards in the workplace.
Organisational Structure – Its Impact on Managing Risk Module
The Organisational Structure module offers a detailed look at the need for an effective hierarchy when it comes to managing risks. Every organisation needs a structure in place that gives employees the power to oversee specific safety functions. Key topics discussed include:
- Organisational design
- Lines of authority
- Corporate safety departments
The module explores the importance of a centralised organisational structure and the steps needed for managing major hazards at the corporate level. Taking the time to develop the right structure makes it easier to implement and review safety practices.
Risk of Managing Costs Module
The Risk of Managing Costs module explains the need to balance costs and safety. Cost-cutting can contribute to safety hazards, especially when cutting costs related to maintenance. Poor maintenance increases the risk of injuries and accidents.
The module also explores incentive schemes for helping to increase compliance with safety measures. Participants learn more about the types of behaviours that help maintain a safer workplace.
Other details discussed in this module include unconstrained pressure and the importance of putting safety before profit. Focusing on commercial risks increases the chances of needing to deal with major hazards in the workplace.
Warning Signs – How They May Be Ignored Module
The Warning Signs module explains the advantages and drawbacks of warning signs and warning systems. Some of the primary topics discussed in this module include:
- The danger of intermittent warnings and why people dismiss them
- The reasons why workers may ignore warning signs
- The need to understand that everything is dangerous until proven safe
- The risk of “group think” and how it contributes to safety risks
The module also includes a video exploring how warning signs are often overlooked during major accidents. Understanding how warning signs are ignored could help supervisors develop more effective monitoring systems.
Summary
Safety should matter to every worker and person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). With the Safety Matters Course, participants learn how to conduct safety audits and develop safety practices for workplace injury prevention.
The course covers the process of risk assessment and workplace injury prevention solutions. It can help you develop a better safety culture at your workplace and a greater safety culture in Australia.
Participants learn how to identify the hazard and control or prevent it. The course includes 12 modules that supervisors can choose from to develop a tailored training experience for their staff. The flexibility of the course ensures a personalised solution for each workplace.
The Safety Matters Course is available through AlertForce. As a leading registered training organisation, AlertForce has vast experience developing effective safety training courses.
You can find a wide range of safety courses available throughout the country, along with effective e-learning safety courses. With the Safety Matters Course, you receive a comprehensive guide to developing better safety practices.
Purchase the Safety Matters Course today.
