Many classrooms and one-on-one training opportunities continue to be unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions. Essential workers that rely on options like job shadowing and in-person training are left at a disadvantage compared to their remote colleagues that have easier access to virtual training. Does this mean that essential workers, specifically those working with electrical assets, must do without training and knowledge learning until restrictions are lifted? Not at all. Technology has accelerated and evolved since the pandemic started, providing more accessibility and availability to your organization’s essential workforce. Learn how to support your electrical workers with effective remote training options that help ensure optimal performance and a safe working environment.

Join us for a complimentary webinar: The Case for Virtual Training: Deployment Technologies that Make it Effective on March 24^th. See details and register now.

Remote Training Options in the New Normal

Virtual meetings, trainings, and classes that were just emerging prior to the pandemic are now becoming necessary for communication and knowledge sharing since traditional training options continue to be unsafe and unavailable. Because safety training is critical, organizations like yours must start embracing digital tools and remote options to continue supporting your organization’s employees.

These are just some of the technology and remote training options that are available to organizations like yours:

• E-Learning is typically self-paced online learning. It may include access to instructors through online bulletin boards, online discussion groups, and e-mail. Or, it may be totally self-contained with links to reference materials in place of a live instructor.


• Learning Management Systems are software applications for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.


• Virtual Classrooms enable instructors to interact with students, online and in real-time. Students can voice their questions and interact with peers similar to how they would in a regular classroom.


• Augmented Reality is the new workforce training technology. Job shadowing, training, and troubleshooting are conducted remotely with the added capability of being able to connect with an expert trainer who is able to see what the employee sees in real-time.

Using Augmented Reality to Enable Your Employees to Work Safer

Hands-on training has been proven to help people learn faster and retain more information. Augmented reality technology makes it possible for a worker to show an expert a problem and get immediate assistance on a resolution, while the expert is seeing what the employee is seeing. Similarly, augmented reality can be used for remote training, enabling employees to connect with an expert to share knowledge, ask questions, and “learn by doing.” This modern technology is truly a value for organizations working on energized asset management. When an employee needs electrical training or assistance with arc flash or lockout/tagout procedures and their trainer is remote, augmented reality creates a virtual space for the interaction and problem solving to happen.

Augmented reality technology includes:

• Real-time collaboration with, and knowledge transfer from subject-matter experts


• Remote communication and experiential learning from industry trainers


• On-demand training scenarios that display safety hazards, machine components, and work instructions

Moreover, augmented technology boosts worker productivity by as much as 50 percent and reduces human errors by up to 90 percent.

Is Your Organization Ready for Remote Training?

If your organization has a segment of remote employees, chances are you’ve started taking advantage of virtual conferencing to communicate regularly. But, what about your essential workers with their boots on the ground? You may be able to meet with them on-site, but what about their training? Has it resumed since the pandemic started? For many organizations it hasn’t. However, in lieu of meeting in the classroom or job shadowing, there are many remote training options available that are just as effective as being performed in person and offer many benefits to an organization, including continuing to promote a safe environment.

Interested in learning more about remote training for your organization?

Join us for a complimentary webinar: The Case for Virtual Training: Deployment Technologies that Make it Effective on March 24^th. SEAM Group’s Manager of E-Learning Operations, Chris Rucci discusses the different types or training technologies available and how organizations and their employees can benefit from modern remote options. Register now.

 

Energy sources such as electricity, chemical, pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical and many others can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers. By having an effective Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program in place, your organization can give your employees a set of tools to work safely and also maintain compliance with OSHA regulations and standards as well as your company’s specific requirements and policies.

Defining LOTO

Lockout is the placement of a lockout device on an energy isolation device, in accordance with an established procedure, ensuring the equipment being controlled cannot be operated until lockout device is removed.

Tagout is the placement of a tagout device on an energy isolating device, in accordance with an established procedure, to indicate that the equipment may not be operated until tagout device is removed.

Why is it important to have an effective LOTO program?

Many organizations may have a LOTO program in place; however, it can be outdated, training may be inconsistent or not enforced, and worse yet, can be fragmented where only a few procedures are completed at a time. To truly protect employees from injury and incidents, employers must create a program that develops, documents, and uses procedures to control potential hazardous energy. These procedures also explain what employees must know and do to control hazardous energy when they service or maintain machinery.

What does a comprehensive LOTO program include?

An effective Lockout/Tagout energy control program consists of:

1. Energy Control Procedures (ECP) for affixing appropriate lockout devices and/or tagout devices to energy isolation devices

• PHASE I – Process Review and Data Collection


• PHASE II – Energy Control Procedure (ECP) Development


• PHASE III – Final Review and Delivery

2. Employee training on hazards or hazardous energy and lockout tagout procedures, policies, and equipment


3. Periodic audits of the system (at least annually) to verify that ECPs are accurate, and that employees can demonstrate proper energy isolation of equipment to perform servicing and maintenance.

Learn How to Develop the Right LOTO Program for Your Organization

According to OSHA, using lockout/tagout procedures prevents 120 deaths and nearly 50,000 injuries each year. At SEAM Group, we work with your organization to mitigate the risks associates with operating and maintaining hazardous energy sources. If your organization does not have a written LOTO program in place, we help you develop a sustainable program that meets your organization’s specific requirements and policies as well as compliance with applicable regulations.

For organizations that already have a LOTO program, but believe it could use improvement, we offer a LOTO Compliance Gap Assessment (CGA) where we assess your current LOTO program for compliance and efficacy, recommend revisions as deemed necessary, and develop equipment specific LOTO procedures. Clients appreciate this offering as they don’t have to necessarily start from scratch and can receive the proper guidance and service to enhance their current program.

Work with SEAM Group to develop the proper LOTO program that controls and maintains hazardous energy in your organization. Connect with us to learn more about our LOTO services.