Mar 3, 2022
Today, Libby is joined by Dave Cress, a safety consultant who has worked in the safety field for decades. His experience includes being a safety officer for the US Army Corps of Engineers and an inspector for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy for 28 years, after which he has provided safety training for over 15 years. In this episode, Dave discusses hosting safety training and how important it is to ask yourself when training, 'Am I being understood?'.
Episode Highlights:
Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions:
Quotes:
“They weren't loud or distracting to others, but I worried they weren't paying attention. It was not until later that I realized that the students were helping each other translate my presentation, English was their second language.”
“They were asking each other questions, double checking to see that they understood the training properly.”
“This turned out to be an 'aha moment' for me. As a safety trainer, it's my responsibility to communicate important information, I have to be flexible in training styles and meet the needs of the audience.”
“Maybe there's a translation issue. Maybe there's a clarity issue that you can help clarify. You now also need to make sure the translator, if you're using a translator, properly understands the material and can successfully explain it to the co-worker. “
“Making sure that that message really comes through is so essential because so much of what we do comes down to communication.”
Links:
National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website