Case 52: The Safety Training Program

Question 1. Evaluate the company’s on-the-job training program. Should it be changed? Houghton Refrigeration Company safety training program is very poorly organized. I disagree with their current process of hiring and training new employees. Houghton Refrigeration should not expect newly hired employees to learn a job within ten minutes and perform the job correctly without any prior knowledge of the product they are about to work on. Currently Houghton does not offer orientations. Houghton should offer newly hired employees an orientation where they are given a brief history of the company and the products it offers customers. Houghton should also offer training sessions during …show more content…

Question 4. What other ways might a firm emphasize safety and curtail accidents, other than training?

According to statistics of the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, each year approximately 5,800 workers are killed in work related accidents. Promoting safety at the work place helps protect employees and the employer from death or injury. A safe work environment means that businesses can operate effectively and successfully while increasing worker performance and morale. Safety training programs are vital to a company’s well-being for productivity and can help smooth out day to day operations. An effective training program can reduce the number of injuries, legal liability issues, and workers' compensation claims. Alternative safety procedures can also help reduce workplace injuries other than training programs. For instance, first and foremost an informative orientation must be set as a standard requirement into the organization’s new hire procedures. A written program with policies and procedures needs to be set in place, where training and documentation must be maintained for each area that applies to the working environment. This will help employees understand the work culture and assist in closing the knowledge gap regarding safety procedures. Orientations are critical for new employees to learn the proper safety rules and to embrace the importance of workplace safety. Also, a daily reminder can be