A job must be done safely for it to be well-executed. Every employer is responsible for ensuring workers get adequate safety training, and keeping training routine is critical. Now more than ever, adequate courses can be easily accessed online, and the top training courses for construction professionals include fire safety and extinguisher training, workplace violence prevention, confined spaces, asbestos awareness, and construction health and safety for managers.
Top 10 health and safety courses for construction workers
1. Scaffolding
Where to find it: eSafetyFirst
Scaffolding injuries from falls can range from minor to fatal. These falls can occur from poorly constructed scaffolding to improper work and use while on them. This training course from eSafetyFirst teaches workers to understand the hazards associated with common scaffolding types and the procedures for controlling or eliminating them.
This course is for workers who are expected to assemble, alter, dismantle, move upon, maintain, inspect, or repair an industrial-use scaffold.
2. Fall arrest and protection
Where to find it: Canada Safety Training Centre
Fall arrest training is crucial for any worker on site. It’s designed to provide workers with the skills to anticipate and prevent falls in the workplace. This essential training helps protect workers from injury, and it is typically taken before new workers even step onto the job.
This online course covers fall protection basics. Workers learn to properly inspect, use, and maintain their fall protection equipment to ensure it’s always in proper condition. This course is ideal for any new site worker exposed to fall hazards and supervisors responsible for worker safety. It’s a great beginner course for those new to the site, but also a great refresher course for those looking to maintain proper practices and safeguard against injury.
3. Forklift workshop for construction
Where to find it: J. J. Keller
This safety course from J. J. Keller helps workers meet the formal, practical, evaluation, and refresher requirements of OSHA’s 29 CFR Sections 1926.602(d) and 1910.178(l). Like others on the list, this course is an excellent introduction to safety training and a thorough refresher for those looking to repeat their training.
The course will provide key safety and training operations practices. The workshop format reinforces learning using hands-on tools, learning activities, and exercises. Workers will also learn to conduct inspections, identify job site hazards, read a load chart, and more.
4. Workplace violence prevention specialist
Where to find it: National Association of Safety Professionals
This intensive independent study course from the National Association of Safety Professionals gives construction workers a comprehensive understanding of how to prevent workplace violence and teaches how to maintain safety on site. The completion time depends on your prior workplace safety knowledge, and students can take up to six months to complete it.
Workers, upon completion, will learn about the significant impact of violence in the workplace, how to define various types of workplace violence, how to identify potentially violent employees, and more. This course is recommended for construction professionals in America but could be used by workers in the greater AEC space outside of the U.S.
5. Cold stress awareness training
Where to find it: Canada Safety Training Centre
This cold stress awareness training course by the Canada Safety Training Centre is particularly useful for construction professionals working in temperatures that could threaten their safety and well-being.
This course gives workers the know-how to recognize the signs and symptoms of cold stress and how to manage or prevent it. It’s intended to help everyone from entry-level workers to supervisors and site managers in construction, transportation, agriculture, and more. Completion of the course allows workers to meet OHS requirements and meet compliance standards.
6. Fire safety and extinguishers training
Where to find it: eSafetyFirst
The fire safety and extinguishers training through eSafetyFirst ensures rigorous fire prevention and evacuation training to ensure safety for themselves and their colleagues. This course teaches workers the awareness of the fire triangle and the different classes of fire they need to properly prevent and extinguish on site.
Workers will also learn how to operate and maintain a fire extinguisher, as well as a number of fire prevention strategies and evacuation procedures. This course is a suitable introductory resource and an adequate refresher for those looking to renew their safety training.
7. Confined spaces
Where to find it: Compliance Training Online
Confined spaced training, like fall arrest and protection, is a must-have before most workers enter a site for the first time. Often, construction professionals are required to work in tight or confined spaces and must be aware of the dangers to prevent injury or fatality.
This essential training program from Compliance Training Online takes workers through key terms and examples, hazards, causes of fatalities, and injury and fatality statistics. The course has several units, ranging from before work begins in the confined space to coordinating entry to the duties of key personnel. The course takes two hours and should be retaken when there’s a change in assigned duties or when new confined space hazards present themselves on site.
8. Outdoor crane awareness training
Where to find it: Canada Safety Training Centre
Crane operation is one of the more dangerous jobs on a construction site, and this introductory crane safety training course from Canada Safety Training Centre offers a great way to get started. Workers will begin by understanding the various cranes used in different industries, including construction, transportation, and manufacturing. They also learn the ins and outs of proper maintenance, which is key for staying safe.
Course participants are also guided through numerous modules, including safety guidelines and regulations, pre-operation procedures and checks, hand signals and protocols, and risk assessment and hazard identification.
9. Asbestos awareness online training
Where to find it: Danatec
Exposure to respiratory hazards like Asbestos is a major cause of illness and disability in the workplace. This course from Danatec explains why asbestos causes the most harm and outlines the applicable regulations and protection measures.
The course is aimed at professionals working in environments or industries where asbestos may exist. This is especially applicable to construction professionals on sites that were erected prior to the 1990’s.
10. Construction safety and health manager
Where to find it: OSHA
Worker safety on the construction site starts with competent management that implements stringent safety measures. This construction safety and health manager course from OSHA is 162 hours of training on implementing and managing a health and safety program, learning how to identify workplace hazards, and building leadership skills around health and safety.
The course is suited for all levels of leadership, and the package includes your course certifications, training record card, and a free transcript.
Why health and safety courses matter in the industry
Workplace safety for construction professionals is important for employers and employees alike. The construction industry has incredibly high workplace injury rates, and when companies invest in foundational health and safety education courses, everyone on site can foster a safe environment and reduce the risk of injury or fatality.
By addressing the potential workplace hazards each site contains through specialized training, workers can confidently execute their job duties while maintaining safety and compliance. These courses provide valuable education to new and senior construction professionals, as well as the practical skills to mitigate real-life hazards and risks.
Bottom line
The construction industry is vast in terms of site, project scope, and role. Covering some of the more basic courses like fall protection and confined space certification gives many workers what they need for a job well done. But in some cases, specialized education such as crane and forklift safety, asbestos awareness, and workplace violence knowledge might be the difference between safety and injury.
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