Fall 2003 IVES Update Newsletter covers the reasons behind training, TrainTrak Operator Recertification Reminder System details, operator evaluation procedure refresher and more.
There’s a Reason for Everything
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard an operator-trainee ask, “Why do I need to take this training?” (usually in language that is a bit more colorful), I might not be a rich man but I’d sure have a whole lot of nickels. Come to think of it, I seem to be hearing a lot of variations on the “Why train?” query, not only from would-be operators but also from management personnel. On the surface, it sounds like a simple enough question, one that a trainer might attempt to answer, not realizing that the trainee is really asking, “What’s in this for me?” The appropriate answer depends, of course, on who asks the question — an operator-trainee or a manager — because an operator-trainee’s motivation for buying into the validity of a training program will likely be different from a manager’s motivation.
For an operator, it is a simple safety matter of life and limb, so I will report all kinds of accident information in an effort to ram home the seriousness of workplace injuries. I like to make it personal because, unfortunately, I have first-hand experience of the effect an incident can cause. I suffered through the trauma of losing somebody close to me due to an industrial accident.
I tell the trainees that all the statistics, lectures and regulations in the world meant nothing when I saw the looks on the faces of my late friends’ parents and siblings at his funeral. Then, even worse, there was the devastating effect it had on the family afterward. They were never more soundly reminded that one of them was gone as they were when they all got together, so they began avoiding the family get-togethers completely. My deceased friends’ parents took solace in a bottle of booze because they just couldn’t deal with what happened to their son. To cap everything off, there were the legal proceedings to wade through. I remember being in the courtroom watching the lawyers slinging mud. I can still see his parents sitting there, forced to re-live the experience over and over through the vicious and unsympathetic words of a defense attorney. I remember thinking, “I am going to be safe on the job because I never want to be back here again … for any reason.”
From the story about my friend, I usually take it down a notch and make a case for the trainee’s quality of life — as well as life itself. I ask them if they like to play with their kids, go swimming, play a piano, etc. Then I ask them to imagine what life would be like if they lost an arm or an eye, or ruined their back and couldn’t do the things that make their life worth living.
Now, if I sang the same praises of training to a manager that I do to a trainee, I probably would not get anywhere. Managers want to hear bottom-line information. They want to hear statements such as: “With an initial investment of X number of dollars, we can expect to recover our training cost by mid third-quarter and realize a return on investment of approximately three to one for every dollar invested by the end of the next fiscal year. Furthermore, through the savings realized by reduced down time, maintenance costs and insurance premiums, we project that our overall profit margin will increase by up to Y%.” Managers love to hear about increased profits and return on investments.
Although regulatory compliance is as good a reason to train as any, it is a negative motivational factor for manager and trainee alike. Believe me, nobody wants to hear, “You have to do this because the regulations say so.” This is usually perceived as a threat, as in “Do it, or else!”
To sum it up, always try to understand where the people asking for justification for training are coming from, and then give them reasons that matter to them. Think about how you might feel if you had been operating a certain machine for 25 years and all of a sudden you were told that you had to go to a training class. Likewise, consider the feelings of the manager, who may be under intense pressure from above to trim fat and make the company lean and mean, but is told suddenly that it is necessary to spend several thousand dollars on training. If you were that manager or that trainee, when the trainer walks in, what would you want to hear?
— Robert Vetter, Managing Director
Ask Bob
Dear Bob,
As an Ives certified instructor, how does Ives stand behind me if there is an accident in the workplace and I am called to testify in court about my training? I guess my question is, “As an IVES instructor, what kind of backing do I get from Ives?”
Thanks,
Dave
Dear Dave,
As an Ives-trained instructor that is delivering operator training programs, we stand behind you by being available to attest to the validity of our training and will testify to that when called upon.
Of course, there are conditions that must be met, and they are:
- You are an Ives-trained instructor.
- You are training operators on equipment that Ives has certified you to train on.
- You are using Ives material in your operator training programs.
- You are delivering the program as recommended by Ives.
- You are not altering the content of the program or materials.
I hope that helps,
Bob
What’s Your Instructor IQ?
What could have been done to prevent these situations from happening?
For the answers, check out the next edition of Ives Update!
Answers to "What's Your Instructor IQ" (Summer 2003 Update)
- Ground forklift appears to be overloaded.
- Operator of ground forklift is not wearing a seatbelt (?).
- Both forklifts have very unstable loads with no load restraint.
- Raised forklift has an elevated load with no operator at the wheel.
- Elevated personnel are not in an approved work platform.
- Mast of ground forklift is not vertical (with elevated personnel).
- No personal fall protection devices are being used by anybody.
- One elevated worker appears to be being used as additional counterweight.
- Another elevated worker is lodged between the load and the mast.
- The operator of the raised forklift is not in the proper operating position.
- Pedestrian on ground (behind boxes) is in a high-risk danger zone.
- The entire lift creates a hazard for everyone in the picture.
Honorable mention: When the raised forklift deposits its load, the ground forklift will have an extremely unbalanced load … the raised forklift itself!
A FREE Operator Re-certification Reminder Service
To help employers comply with the powered industrial truck re-certification requirement, Ives would like to remind you of our TrainTrak service, a FREE operator re-certification reminder service.
When you certify operators and enter them into our TrainTrak database, we will send you a reminder of their re-certification date three years later. This reminder is actually sent to you approximately 90 days in advance of your operators’ re-certification dates, which gives you time to re-evaluate your operators’ knowledge and skill and to retrain, if necessary.
To participate in the TrainTrak system, just contact us to request a TrainTrak registration form and we will fax or e-mail it to you, whichever you prefer. Then, return the completed form (we recommend filing a copy of the registration form in the operator’s employee/training file) and you’re done!
If you prefer, you can submit your operator’s information on your company letterhead. Just ensure that you provide all the necessary information as requested on the registration form and print “TrainTrak Entry” clearly at the top.
We will enter the information into the TrainTrak database and, 33 months later, we will send you an operator re-certification reminder notice. Here is the information we need to enter an operator into the TrainTrak database:
- Name of operator
- Date certified
- Operator certification number
- Type of equipment certified to operate
- Company contact information (name, phone, fax, e-mail, etc.)
- Alternative company contact information (as above)
If you have any questions regarding this FREE service or would like to request information on re-certification training, call us at 1-800-643-1144.
Operator Practical Evaluation Refresher
While conducting Instructor Re-certification Programs, I am struck by the level of misunderstanding there is about the practical evaluation.Yet, when I ask instructors about what kind of difficulties they are experiencing, the practical evaluation rarely comes up.
The evaluation process is one of the most important functions that you perform. Here’s why:
- It provides the opportunity to assess your operator’s ability (or inability) to demonstrate safe operation of whatever equipment you’re working with.
- It provides a mechanism for documenting the demonstration (all hail documentation!).
- Most importantly, you will be able to ascertain if you need to do any further training.
If you have done the evaluation correctly, you will be able to tell what went wrong and where to direct your additional training efforts. That’s why we do the evaluation, to find out if we need to do any more training. If they pass, we don’t need to do any. If they don’t pass (sorry, I mean if they need additional training) then our evaluation will tell us how much more and in what particular area.
When conducting practical evaluations, consider these guidelines:
- Before you start, give the operator a verbal introduction of what the two of you are about to do. Always state your objective.
- Keep your instructions simple and issue one task at a time.
- Focus your attention on the operator, not the evaluation form.
- Make sure you are located so you can see everything (not breathing down the operator’s neck though!) — but, for heaven’s sake, stay clear of the equipment.
- Don’t be tempted to “coach” if you see errors. Training is over … this is a test.
- Keep it “one-on-one.” Get rid of casual observers.
- Have the operator move between 6 and 10 loads (tasks) and keep that number consistent between operators.
- Keep going even if the operator fails early. Remember that you want the information your evaluation gathers for you — pass or fail.
- Stop the evaluation immediately if you become distracted or any kind of hazard presents itself.
- Cover any non-applicable items verbally, if possible. That is, if there were no blind corners traversed during the evaluation, ask the operator what he/she would do if they came across one.
- De-brief the operator… tactfully.
That’s it for the procedure … what about the evaluation form?
- Always use a pen. Who knows? Your form may find its way into court some day.
- Just mark the “X’s” on the form as you go, and do the checks later. Remember the part about watching the operator and not the form? This will help.
- If you duff it with your pen, just draw a single, neat line through your mistake and initial it, like you would on a check.
- Use the “Comments” section. That’s what it’s there for … the more data, the better.
- Fill in everything. Every line should have a check, an “X” or an “NA.” Check when it’s right, “X” when it’s not, and “NA” when it does not apply.
- Double-check to make sure all the information you have recorded is accurate and legible.
- DO NOT change your mind or the form once it is completed.
Well, that’s it for this edition. I hope that you all got something out of this little refresher session. Tune in next time for a refresher on grading and scoring the practical evaluation form. If you have questions in the meantime, don’t forget we have the wildly popular Ask Bob service that you can tap into anytime. See you next time … same place, same channel. Good night and good training.
— Rob Vetter, Managing Director
