5 Heavy Equipment Operator Training Terms You Should Know

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Heavy equipment operator training is a must for any workplace that uses heavy equipment. Offering training on the right topics and at the right levels is crucial to making sure your employees are equipped to do their jobs safely. Unfortunately, there is some jargon used when describing heavy equipment training that might make it difficult for you to determine which type of training is right for you or your workers. Read on to learn about five terms you may encounter when researching this type of training.

5 Heavy Equipment Operator Training Terms You Should Know

  • Heavy Equipment: Heavy equipment is a broad term for many different types of machines that are used in construction, mining, and industrial workplaces. Therefore, heavy equipment training involves training in safely operating cranes, drills, pumps, compressors, bulldozers, front end loaders, backhoes, graders, and other large and potentially dangerous pieces of equipment.
  • Heavy Equipment Operator: A heavy equipment operator is an employee who operates heavy equipment. This employee must have the training and certification necessary to operate such machinery safely. Heavy equipment operator training provides the skills your heavy equipment operators need to ensure your workplace is safe and productive.
  • OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: Construction Safety Experts offers an OSHA training course that covers a variety of workplace safety topics, including training in heavy equipment operation. OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are a part of this program. These two seminars are designed to provide an overview of the topics most important to workplace safety. OSHA 10 is a ten hour seminar most appropriate for entry level employees, while OSHA 30 is a more in-depth program that gives managers and supervisors a deeper understanding of safety topics.
  • MSHA Training: Heavy equipment operators working in mining environments require special training to fully understand the intricacies of safe operation in their workplace. MSHA training ensures that heavy equipment operators in mining environments meet the educational requirements set out by the United State’s Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. This training covers part 46 & 48 of MSHA’s requirements for surface training, as well as hazard awareness training, new miner training, annual refresher training, and more.
  • AISC Certification: AISC Certification is a program run by the American Institute of Steel Construction. Businesses who are AISC certified have passed a rigorous initial evaluation that proved their steel fabrication and erection process meets the AISC’s standards. Well-trained heavy equipment operators are an important part of meeting these standards.

 

Great heavy equipment operator training is vital to creating a great workplace. By being familiar with the training resources available to you and your workforce, you can ensure your site or workspace is safe for everyone involved.

 

OSHA Training Seminars–Learning The Basics

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The Occupational Health and Safety Administration provides a number of training resources appropriate for varying worker levels. OSHA safety training is a valuable resource if your goal is a safer workplace. Read on for an overview of how these seminars work and how they can benefit you and your workers.

What is OSHA Safety Training?

OSHA safety training is a government outreach program designed to provide workers and supervisors with the basic information they need to operate safely in their work environment. The training courses for employees are referred to as OSHA 10 because they take ten hours to complete. Training for managers is more in-depth and takes 30 hours to complete, so those courses are referred to as OSHA 30.

Targeted Industrial Groups

OSHA safety training courses are broken down into four targeted groups. This allows instructors to focus in on safety factors most relevant to specific work environments. The four industrial groups available are:

  • Construction
  • General Industry
  • Maritime
  • Disaster Site

There is overlap among the topics covered in these four training classes, so everyone coming out of this training receives a complete overview of how to identify, avoid, and prevent safety violations in their workplace. However, by attending a training seminar specifically designed for their industry, students become better aware of the issues they are most likely to face in their daily environment.

Choosing the Right Training Seminar

Finding the right seminar for you or your employees depends on the student’s industry and level of responsibility. Knowing which industry to you’re a part of is simple, but knowing whether the 10 or 30 hour course is most appropriate is a little less clear. Generally speaking, the 10 hour seminar is most appropriate for entry level workers who may not have received in-depth safety training before. The 30 level course adds more depth and variety to the topics covered in OSHA 10, as well as focuses more closely on procedures relevant to each industry. This depth makes OSHA 30 ideal for supervisors or others who bear responsibility for workplace safety.

Are OSHA Training Seminars Mandatory?

OSHA training seminars are not federally mandated. However, some states, employers, and unions require this type of training. Research the laws for your jurisdiction to determine if this type of training is mandatory for you.

Whether or not OSHA training is mandatory, it is a reliable way to ensure your employees and supervisors have the knowledge they need to ensure a safe work environment. The information provided helps to reduce accidents and improve productivity, creating a safer workplace for everyone involved.

How Safety Consulting Firms Can Ensure A Safe Workplace

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You know that a safe workplace is a productive and successful workplace. In most cases, creating a culture of safety and implementing the standards and practices to ensure a secure work environment isn’t something you can do on your own. Safety consulting firms take that burden off your shoulders, ensuring your workplace is safe so you can focus on other areas.

How Safety Consulting Companies Can Ensure a Safe Workplace

1. Safety Consulting Firms Don’t Have Ulterior Motives: When you hire a professional consultant from an outside safety consulting firm, you’re hiring someone who won’t be bogged down by your past safety record or influenced by your company’s internal affairs. An outside consultant won’t be motivated to make your company look good: instead, they’ll only be interested in making your workplace safe.

2. Safety Consulting Firms Bring Fresh Eyes to Your Workplace: Working in the same space day after day makes it easy to fail to see potential problems. To a professional from a safety consulting firm, however, small safety issues stick out. Having fresh eyes and ears in your workspace eliminates all of those little issues that even in-house safety managers can accidentally overlook. When those fresh eyes and ears belong to someone experienced in workplace health and safety, a comprehensive and effective plan to address these issues will soon follow.

3. Safety Consulting Firms Provide Specialized Knowledge: Are you or your in-house safety manager up to date with the current industry safety regulations in your field? Do you take time off to attend seminars and stay informed about the most recent research? A professional safety consultant does. Working with a safety consulting company makes sure you’re taking advantage of the most up to date information available.

4. Safety Consulting Firms Improve Employee Morale: Hiring a safety consultant sends your employees a strong message: you care about their wellbeing. Employees who feel that management is committed to keeping them safe are less likely to cut corners that can cause accidents. A professional safety consultant provides training and education that will benefit your employees both in and potentially outside the workplace, improving morale and loyalty, increasing safety, and reducing accidents that can interfere with productivity.

Safety Consulting Firms Help Create a Safe Workplace

Hiring an outside safety consulting firm can help ensure that your workplace is safe. At Safety Xperts, your workplace’s safety is our number one concern. Get in contact with us to learn more about how we can help you build an environment that is focused on safety.

5 Key Benefits of On Site Safety Managers

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When putting a team together to complete a task, hiring on site safety managers might not be first on your mind. However, having someone in this role provides several key benefits. Project safety managers offer significant advantages – here are five of the most prominent:

5 Key Benefits of On Site Safety Managers

When you hire an on site safety manager…

1. You’ll Have a Person on Staff Specifically Qualified for Safety Work: Without a specialized safety manager, tasks like handling safety claims and educating on standards and laws are only completed when absolutely necessary, and by employees who likely aren’t completely qualified for the work. Hiring an on site safety manager ensures you have someone on your team who is educated on the most efficient and effective methods to improve safety in the workplace, which greatly increases your ability to meet your safety goals.

2. You’ll Have a Unique Perspective on Your Team: Safety managers don’t think like construction people, or estimating people, or project management people. Instead of focusing on client satisfaction or costs, on site safety managers focus on safety above all else. This focus provides a unique perspective that can lead to real change in your workplace, a huge benefit when safety is something you’re concerned about.

3. You’ll Have a Qualified Resource for Continual Training: Creating a safety culture in a workplace requires ongoing training for all levels of employees. Having a safety manager on staff gives you a designated, qualified individual to provide this training. Because your safety manager will be up to date on the newest laws and standards, you’ll know that everyone from front line workers up will be receiving accurate and usable information, leading to a safer environment and fewer incidents.

4. You’ll Have Cost Savings in a Variety of Areas: Investing in an on site safety manager may cost you more up front, but this investment will save you money in a variety of ways. Safety training reduces fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. This will in turn lower your workers’ compensation costs and medical expenses. You’ll avoid OSHA penalties, have lower training costs, and have to pay for fewer accident investigations.

5. You’ll Have Up to Date Knowledge of Standards and Laws: Running afoul of safety standards and laws can be costly, both financially and in your employees’ health. Having a qualified project safety manager on staff gives you a resource that is up to date on the latest changes to workplace safety regulations, keeping you and your employees protected.

The benefits to on site safety managers are numerous, making them a worthy addition to most project teams.

 

5 Benefits of On-Site Safety Training

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There is a lot to be learned from live safety training from construction experts who have the the expertise needed by your workers and the equipment they use. Sitting down to look at a video before tackling a job lacks all of the customization that impact safety and productivity. On-site safety training goes beyond the basics to provide the hands-on preparation that allows employees to find the best solution to any obstacle along the way.

Live Training Will Expand Workers’ Horizons

On-site safety managers with the expertise to use the equipment that is specific to the job can demonstrate the proper use for better understanding. The opportunity will also give all workers the advantage of hearing other workers’ questions and become aware of potential problems and the appropriate solutions before they become an issue for them. The top 5 benefits of having safety managers on-site are:

  1. Maintaining Awareness of Modern Equipment and Procedures – New equipment, procedures and standards are frequently being introduced. Safety managers with the most current information can provide information to workers that is relevant to the project.
  2. Opportunity for Hands-On Learning – Auditory learners get more from a verbal demonstration while others are hands-on learning. The expert safety managers can address individual questions and explain things in a way that makes it easy for them to understand.
  3. Unified Focus – Problems with getting a training video online, interruptions from other people, and other distractions are virtually eliminated so workers get more from the training time.
  4. Project-Specific Training – On-site training will address the specific situations of a project that are important to safety.
  5. Better ROI – Live training has repeatedly proven to get better results, increase productivity, and give companies a better return on their investment.

Onsite Safety Professionals for Your Specific Project

Construction Safety Experts works to match their safety managers with your company and your project to get the best results. The right safety personnel will improve the progression of your project while keeping your workers safe.

 

More Tips on Fall Protection Training

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Fall Protection Training

The construction safety professionals at Safety Experts work closely with the project managers and contractors at your worksite to develop a customized safety solution that will prevent falls from occurring. Typically, they use a full body harness, arrest system and anchorage point as the primary safety equipment during a fall. When workers are required to work at dangerous heights or their supports are of poor quality, they are placed at high risk of falls. Fall protection training by our construction safety professionals will reduce their risk. In addition, they will be provided with the proper materials required for training.

Fall Protection Training Teaches Workers the Fall Protection Basics

The construction safety professionals will teach your workers the 5 fall protection basics which include:

  1. Regular Inspection of Equipment – Equipment should be regularly inspected for normal wear and tear and replaced when needed.
  2. Recognize the Dangers of Falls – Falls account for a large portion of fatalities in the construction industry. With professional fall protection training, they are also the most preventable.
  3.     Be Familiar with All Types of Fall Protection Equipment – There are different types of fall protection equipment that is appropriate for different work sites. Our safety construction professionals will educate workers on the different types of equipment for each situation.
  4.     Know When Guardrails Are Required – Depending on the height, a guardrail may be required in addition to personal fall protection devices.
  5.     Create a Plan for Falls – Have a written plan on what to do in case of a fall that includes retrieval.

Construction Safety Professionals Offer Fall Protection Training with Various Materials

The construction safety professionals at Safety Experts use a variety of source materials and rely on the assistance of their on-site safety professionals to teach fall protection training to every member of your workforce. They understand that your company and each project you approach have unique concerns. They offer the solutions that will prevent your risk of falls to protect your workers and improve the productivity of your operation.

Project Safety Managers for Short or Long-Term Work

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Project Safety Managers for Short or Long-Term Work

Any company that relies on contracted labor for short or long-term projects can benefit from hiring contractor safety managers with the expertise in their industry to secure a safe workplace.

To ensure workers are safe and productive, project safety managers should oversee the factors that go into the safety plan at every level of the job. Safety Experts offers risk assessment, safety training, and safety consulting for various industries, and their customized solutions include providing the right contractor safety managers for on-site safety training to your contracted labor.

How Your Company Can Benefit from Project Safety Managers

Recruiting the right people for the job is just the first step in getting the fastest, most efficient results from any construction team. The safety training they receive from the contractor safety managers will reduce the risk of accidents during the course of a project by identifying risk factors that could result in falls or other accidents. The best time to identify problems is before it goes into the development stage.

The training and management provided by our project safety managers will have a far-reaching impact that will:

  •        Increase Productivity – Increase the confidence in your contracted labor for your project by establishing a strong safety program. An established safety plan will increase contractor morale and boost productivity.
  •        Reduce Insurance Rates – Insurance companies typically base premiums on risk. With a well-established safety plan that is put in place by professional contractor safety managers, you may receive significant discounts to your company and contractors.
  •        Improve Your Image – A good safety program will improve your image and help build your reputation as a reputable company.

Contractor Safety Managers Offer Ongoing Training and Advice

The project safety managers from Safety Experts work with you throughout the project, regardless of whether it is a short-term project or one that is ongoing. They are always close by to provide workers with the tools and advice needed to make safety a priority that never gets overlooked.

 

How to Develop a Safety Culture

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How to Develop a Safety Culture

On-the-job accidents in the construction industry are on the rise, and OSHA has determined that the cause of the increase is due to work-safety violations. Most accidents that occur in the construction industry are serious or fatal, making it one of the most dangerous industries for workers. Developing a safety culture on your worksites should be your highest priority, and it should encompass everyone involved in each project at every level. Hiring safety consultants to assess your safety risk and provide safety training will let you achieve a safe culture while focusing on the project at hand.

How a Safety Consultant Can Help You Develop a Safety Culture

Safety consultants are professionals who have their credentials in a number of different areas of construction safety. The first step in developing a safety culture for your construction site is to hire a safety consultant who is a good match for your company and the types of projects you do. These are some additional ways that you can make safety a priority for every construction project:

  •        Start at the Pre-Planning Stage – Make safety a part of every phase of the project from the time it begins to take shape on paper until each area is under development. The safety consultant can evaluate your safety risk so that you can include all risk exposures into your plan.
  •        Establish a Safety Committee – From upper-level safety managers down, every member of the committee should have specific responsibilities that they discuss regularly to recognize any issues as they arise.
  •        Establish a Weekly Time for Review – Evaluate your training procedures, the safety of your existing equipment, and the need for upgrades on any safety equipment.

A Safety Consultant Can Improve Both Safety and Performance

Safety consultants are trained construction safety professionals who have the expertise to improve the operation of your machinery and the methods your employees use to operate it. Developing a safety culture in your construction company will not only reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities on your construction sites; it will also improve performance so that every project runs smoothly, for better use of your time and resources.  

The Top Five Most Dangerous Construction Hazards

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Let’s take a moment and examine the incidents that account for the largest share of work-related injuries on construction sites around the world. It’s important to be aware of potential hazards when formulating a safety plan for your construction site. This data has been collected from OSHA official statistics.

1. Falls

Falling is by far the most significant hazard of construction work. Falls consistently account for the greatest number of injuries and fatalities. Fortunately, there are many methods and implements that help mitigate the risk of fall-related injuries. Erecting guard rails is the easiest and most effective mitigator. Ensure that guard rails are present anywhere that a fall might occur. When working on scaffolding, ensure that it is regularly inspected to verify its integrity. If a ladder is required for a particular situation, ensure that the ladder selected is the appropriate length. Mitigating fall-related injuries is, fortunately, a fairly straight-forward affair. The most important part is maintaining awareness of the potential hazard and encouraging vigilance amongst your construction crew.

2. Scaffold Collapse

Closely related to fall injuries, scaffold collapse contributes an estimated 4,500 injuries and 50 fatalities each year. Selecting the right scaffolding for the height required is crucial. Ensure that any scaffolding erected can support its weight plus four times the maximum intended load. Always verify that the ground on which you intend to erect scaffolding is stable and solid. Never attempt to stabilize scaffolding with unstable objects, like loose bricks, concrete blocks, boxes or barrels. If part of the scaffold is damaged, repair or replace it immediately. Provide training for your employees about how to safely maneuver on scaffolding and about the potential safety hazards of its use.

3. Electric Shock

Electric shock is perilous because it is not as obvious as other hazards commonly found on a construction site. You can’t see it like you can see other hazards, like a potential fall or an unstable rigging. Electricity is all around a construction site: power lines both above on poles and buried underground, and the power cables for tools and equipment that might fray. Situational awareness is the greatest protection against electric shock. Always be aware of power lines around your position and current activity. Regularly inspect the power cords for any electrical equipment you use, and if they’re damaged, replace them promptly. Consciously protect electrical cables; be aware of and avoid sharp corners or projections. Always wear insulated gloves when doing electrical work. Never work on an electrical circuit until power is shut off and grounds are attached.

4. Trench Collapse

Trench collapse constitutes more than half of all trenching fatalities. Always ensure that the slope angles of your trench are at or below the maximum allowable slope for the material in which you are digging. Never enter an unprotected trench. Have a qualified individual regularly inspect your trench. Keep objects at least two feet back from the edge of the trench. If the trench is higher than three feet, make sure you make exits available, such as ladders, stairways or ramps, every 25 feet.

5. Impact

There’s a lot going on at your construction site, and it has many working parts all going at the same time. It can be difficult to keep track of where everyone is and what they’re doing. Impact injuries can occur at any time, usually because someone is where they shouldn’t be or is difficult to see. Make sure your workers never position themselves between moving and fixed objects, and always inspect chains and winches before use. Wear brightly-colored, high-visibility vests or clothing, and never leave unsecured objects in high places.

Awareness is the key to safety. If you know what to look for, these hazards should be completely avoidable. Our qualified safety consultants will inspect your construction site, outline potential hazards, train your construction crew and provide regular updates on operational changes specific to your site. Working together, we can ensure your construction work is as safe as it can be.

OSHA Compliance Training For Beginners

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OSHA compliance training is meant to provide safe working conditions by setting forth a list of standards that must be adhered to for compliance at your worksite. Construction Safety Experts provides the tools and assessments your business needs to improve safety at your site through OSHA compliance training.

What is OSHA Compliance Training?

The goal of OSHA Compliance Training is to ensure safety procedures are met at your worksite. In order to ensure that contractors are knowledgeable about safety procedures and workplace rights, OSHA requires that organizations comply with their set safety standards. Some of the topics include fall protection training, scaffolding, hazard communication, fire protection, and machine guarding.

OSHA Safety Training We Offer

Construction Safety Experts offers an array of training seminars and classes to ensure OSHA compliance. Here is a list of training seminars that we can offer your organization:

  • OSHA 10 and 30-hour seminars
  • MSHA part 46 and 48 training
  • Crane and rigging programs
  • Hazard communication
  • Scaffolding
  • Equipment operator training for cranes, forklifts, aerial lifts and heavy equipment
  • Excavation
  • Fall protection
  • Confined space
  • Electrical safety
  • Fire protection
  • Machine guarding

If you are unsure which seminars are best for you, our safety professionals can assist you by creating a custom-designed safety program which best suits your needs. Prepare your team today, and begin OSHA training with the leader in safety training. Simply contact Construction Safety Experts today to discuss our OSHA safety training to improve worksite safety for your organization.