Editor’s note: This is an installment of the Human Performance & Ergonomics Training series.
By now, you’re probably aware of the benefits of well-trained and well-equipped people to support your ergonomics improvement process.
You know that maximum human performance is achieved at the intersection of good workplace design and a healthy, fit and engaged workforce.
You know that the positive impact a successful ergonomics process has on production, quality, safety and human performance can be a competitive advantage for your business.
Ergonomics training doesn’t have to be as complicated as rocket science or brain surgery, but it can be a little tricky to get all the right pieces in place to achieve sustainable results.
So today, we’re offering a 5-step checklist to get you started on the right foundation. This checklist can serve as a good review of our ergonomics training and education series.
Check these items off your list, and – based on our experience over the last two decades – you’ll have the right framework to create a successful ergonomics training and education process.
Step 1 – Involve Everyone in the Education and Training Process
By removing incompatibilities between the work and the worker, good ergonomic design allows you to create the highest quality product in the most efficient way possible. Because everyone at your company plays a role in creating the best product (or delivering the best service) possible, everyone should be involved in the ergonomics improvement process.
Each person must have clearly defined roles and responsibilities in the process, and ergonomics training and education should equip each person to meet their roles and responsibilities.
Step 2 – Keep Your Overall Health & Safety Goals in Mind
Ultimately, the goal for your OHS process is to achieve maximum human performance. This is achieved at the intersection of good workplace design and a healthy, fit and engaged workforce.
Because of this, your education and training process should not only include the science of ergonomics and workplace improvements, but it also needs to include training on proper work practices and how workers can keep their bodies fit for the work they have chosen to do.
Step 3 – Align Training Content With Roles & Responsibilities
Your training content should be tailored to each group and aligned with their roles and responsibilities. The purpose of training is to create a well-equipped workforce to support your ergonomics and human performance process. Make sure your training content makes sense for your target audience and empowers them to accomplish their responsibilities. Otherwise, you run the risk of frustrating your people and losing support for the process.
(For more, read Ergonomics Training and Education for Maximum Human Performance and A Guide to MSD Prevention Roles and Responsibilities.)
Step 4 – Use Education & Training Best Practices
Use training best practices to get the most out of your ergonomics and human performance training efforts. Here are a few best practices to start with:
- Practice what you preach.
- Create engaging content that doesn’t put your audience to sleep.
- Be hands-on and create learning opportunities outside the classroom.
- View ergonomics training as an ongoing process that doesn’t end at the end of a training session.
- Integrate education and training into the everyday schedule by taking every opportunity to include your message on ergonomics and human performance.
(For more, read A Safety Manager’s Guide to Ergonomics Training.)
Step 5 – Continuously Improve Your Ergonomics Training Process
As with any other business process, you should always be striving to improve your human performance and ergonomics training process. Work to improve both your training content and delivery. Employee surveys are a great way to determine how your training sessions are going. Use them to generate feedback and improvement ideas.
Conclusion
Just like building the foundation of a sturdy house, accomplish each item on this checklist and you’ll have something solid that will serve you for years to come.
Ergonomics Training and Education Series
This is the final post in our series on Human Performance and Ergonomics Training. You can read the first three posts here:
