Safety and Health Training

Employee training is probably one of the most valuable accident prevention tools in developing employee awareness of safety.  Everyone needs training at one time or other.  Training is important for employees assigned to an activity requiring reaching, material handling, and repetitive motion.  Supervisors need training in safety management techniques to serve as the role models and to ensure employees are performing their assigned tasks in a safe manner.  Retraining of employees at various times is necessary to reinforce safety procedures.

The safety and health training component can be divided into two major categories; 1) New Employee Orientation and 2) Criminal and Specialized Training.

1. New Employee Orientation - This is the first opportunity to establish the expectations for the University safety and health program.   This safety and health orientation training will normally be conducted within the first month of employment; however, the training may be conducted periodically for groups of employees.  As a minimum, the following topics will be covered with new employees by the Safety Officer:

1. University and System safety and health policies.

2. Employee's safety responsibilities

3. Reporting unsafe working conditions or other potential hazards and risks;

4. Accident/incident reporting procedures

5. Emergency procedures;

6. Review of fire and emergency evacuation plan

7. Texas Hazard Communication act (applicable portions)

8. Annual crime statistics and public information brochure

9. Address specific employee questions

2.    General  and Specialized Training - The frequency and subject matter will be determined by an assessment to be performed on a yearly basis by the Safety Officer and Campus Risk Liaison and reviewed by the Safety Committee.  Safety training does not have to be scheduled as a separate event.  General safety training can be presented in 5-10 minutes during regularly scheduled department meetings, where staff attendance is normally required. 

General safety training normally includes topics such as office safety, hazard recognition and avoidance, or may address hazards encountered off the job.  For example, concerns such as hurricanes, excessive exposure to the sun or automobile accident injuries may not be directly work related; however, regardless of where injured, an injured employee is still not available for work.  Specialized training normally requires more time and in some cases will need to be conducted by outside parties.

3.    Scheduled Safety and Health Training - Scheduled safety and health training is posted at http://www.uhv.edu/fin/safety/manual/training2005.htm.  The training schedule is updated continuously.  Examples of training which are appropriate for employees include:

1. First Aid Training (basic, intermediate, advanced)

2. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

3. Hurricane Preparedness

4. Back Injury Prevention Training

5. Cumulative Trauma Disorders

6. Defensive Driving

7. Fire Extinguisher Use and Hands-on Use Training

8. How to Deal with Workplace Violence

9. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Blood Borne Pathogens

10. Proper Use of Equipment

11. Stress Management

12. Hazardous Material Training

Employees are encouraged to notify Gregory Fanelli or any Safety Committee member of any special training they think would benefit the University.

4.    Records and Documentation - It is essential that all training be adequately documented.  As a minimum, the following information will be obtained and maintained on file by the Safety Officer.

1. Date of training;

2. Name of instructor (affiliation, if not an agency employee);

3. Subject matter covered;

4. Name and signature of all in attendance;

5. Evaluation of training by the participants.

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