How construction safety training has evolved and improved

A safe worksite is a productive worksite. Construction safety training is the best defense against accidents and mistakes that can injure workers and slow or halt operations. Courses range from basic OSHA training for new hires to forklift training, confined space training, fall protection training and training for trainers.

Today, like worksites themselves, safety training is evolving to become more effective and efficient. Several converging trends are driving the transformation, including the rise of safety-first work cultures, a generational labor shift, the embrace of digital technology and the need to accommodate a mobile, multilingual workforce.

Here’s a closer look at these trends and how leading providers of construction safety training courses, including United Rentals’ United Academy, are responding to give workers the best opportunity to learn and internalize best practices and help companies reduce their risk.

From reactive to proactive: A new culture of safety training

For many companies, safety training is often punitive, required only after an employee is involved in an accident. That’s changing, with the largest construction companies leading the way. Most of these big firms now consider safety training a critical investment in their workforce and their business.

Some smaller companies are beginning to follow suit, training their workers in accordance with the safety standards of major general contractors in order to win more bids. Exposure to these GC’s jobsites is contributing to an increased demand from workers for safer working conditions and more training to help them do their jobs effectively.

Employers who support workers by prioritizing safety and offering high-quality training may have better luck attracting and retaining top talent amid the ongoing skilled labor shortage.

New training methods for new workers

The retirement of Baby Boomers and the influx of Gen Z workers opens the door to new training approaches for a new demographic.

Many Boomers learned the job through on-the-job training, but the apprenticeship model isn’t perfect. Too often, mentors pass on personal bad habits or outdated, less effective ways of working. They may not be experts on the newest equipment or technologies.

Formal courses, including online courses, teach best practices to large numbers of new hires and allow entire teams to work from the same page. Modernization of the courses themselves, including the addition of more interactive activities and “knowledge checks,” is helping to keep workers engaged and ensure that they leave the course with new, actionable knowledge rather than walking away confused.

A rapid shift to digital training

Traditionally, safety training occurred exclusively in person, usually in classrooms. Digital technology has made training more flexible, with the theory portion offered both in-person and online.

As younger generations have taken on leadership roles in the industry, they have spurred a shift toward digital training, one that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety training options offered by leading providers such as United Academy now include:

• E-learning. Workers can access online courses 24/7 and proceed through them at their own pace. E-learning is a convenient option for people who are comfortable with computers and want to learn at the time of their choosing.
• Virtual training. Increasingly popular, these classes feature a live instructor on video. Companies can train workers from different locations at the same time, and teachers and students can engage with each other as if they were in the same space. Virtual training is especially popular among safety trainers, who are often on the road. No computer skills are necessary beyond the ability to click a video conferencing link.
• In-person training. Classroom instruction remains an efficient and popular method of teaching groups. It’s favored on industrial sites, which have large numbers of employees located at the same facility.

After successfully completing the theory portion of training online, workers who seek certification or recertification must follow up with in-person practical training and evaluation. Hybrid courses that combine online theory training with in-person practical training offer optimal flexibility for workers and companies.

Adapting to a mobile, multilingual workforce

Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever. Online training allows companies to train workers wherever they are—and in the language they speak.

More and more construction workers speak Spanish as their first language. OSHA standards require employers to provide safety training in a manner or language that workers can understand. United Academy offers online and hybrid classes in Spanish and Canadian French in addition to English. Online training in these languages is an ideal solution when the local trainers aren’t bilingual.

In-person courses, such as Boom Lift Operator Certification and Rough Terrain Forklift Operator Certification, are offered in Spanish in some locations.

As construction innovates and changes, so does safety training. Seeking out training providers who meet workers where they are and teach in ways that are both effective and convenient can help construction companies improve their safety record, meet project schedules and keep their employees at the top of their game.

Browse the United Academy course catalog to explore safety training opportunities for you or your company.