"The top five causes of workplace injuries are overexer¬tion, falls on the same level, bodily reac¬tion, being struck by an object, and falling to lower levels, according to the latest Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index. These account for more than 70 percent of the total cost burden to business of serious workplace injuries. Overexertion alone costs more than $13 billion annually. All five causes of injuries could be substantially reduced by enhanced workplace training and the increased safety awareness that comes with it."
   
That statement comes from Theresa Jones, CEO of Blue Gavel Press, a national information provider for the business community. To help business and industry to reduce incidents that can lead to workplace injuries, Blue Gavel Press has released the 13th Edition of the OSHA Training Guide.
  
Even though compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a top workplace priority, Jones noted, a successful training program still needs to look beyond regulations and laws. "The ultimate aim of any safety program," she said, "is not mere legal compliance, but the prevention of unsafe practices that can injure or kill employees."
  
Nothing is more essential to worker safety than effective training, Jones noted. "Accidents usually result from unsafe acts, rather than unsafe conditions. Like most car accidents, workplace injuries often occur when someone is careless or in a hurry. The OSHA Training Guide provides employers with the basic framework for a safety training program. Training helps employees develop good safety habits and avoid the temptation to take shortcuts."
  
No "Typical" Employers
While the OSHA Training Guide provides a basic foundation for safety training, Jones said, the materials must be modified to meet the particular needs of each workplace. "There is no such thing as a 'typical' employer," she added. "Every workplace is unique, as are the training needs of its workers."
  
Before beginning worker training, businesses need to perform a hazard assessment, she noted. "Employers or their safety personnel need to analyze the workplace to identify the hazards for which safety training is needed," she said. "Then they must tailor the training to the experience and educational level of the workers. If the training fails to connect with employees, it is unlikely to have a practical effect, even if the information is completely accurate."
  
Training is mentioned in over 4,000 places in the OSHA regulations, Jones stated. "Rather than addressing all the possible areas of training in the regulations," she said, "the Guide focuses on the most important general areas for training in the modern workplace."
  
The new edition of the OSHA Training Guide features the most current safety training information, compiled and explained in everyday terms. Highlights of the latest edition include:
  
• A new training module on confined spaces, including regulatory requirements, tips, misconceptions, and more for trainers, along with handouts, quizzes, and Toolbox "refresher" meeting materials for trainees
• New quizzes and answer sheets for each training module
• New information on revisions to the OSHA Outreach Training Program, the Injury and Illness Recordkeeping National Emphasis Program, the 2010 OSHA memorandum on training and comprehension, communications in multilingual workplaces, and training older workers
• New information in the Bloodborne Pathogens training module on “universal precautions” vs. “standard precautions,” proper handling of contaminated sharps, and more
• A revised Employer Checklist for Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training
• New facts on OSHA’s interpretation of “safe” forklift speeds
• New information on safety showers and eyewashes and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Hazard Communication
• Three new Toolbox Meeting handouts, in addition to revised and updated handouts
 
By training employees and improving safety, an employer can avoid OSHA citations and prevent injuries, as well as increase its competitiveness and reduce its costs, Jones observed. "Good training is not only the right thing to do–it is also good business," she added.
  
Developed and updated by imminent legal authorities and compliance specialists, Blue Gavel Press employment guides provide up-to-date facts on top safety, human resources, compliance, and legal topics. Products offered by Blue Gavel Press have been helping the business community for more than 23 years.
  
For more information on the OSHA Training Guide, visit www.bluegavel.com/products/103-osha-training-guide.aspx.

To find out more about Blue Gavel Press, please visit www.BlueGavel.com.