Employee Silica Exposure Monitoring Checklist

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment

Crystalline silica checklist image
As you probably know, OSHA’s got a new rule on respirable crystalline silica that goes into effect September 23, 2017, with different compliance requirement dates based on industry (read more about that here).

With that, safety issues related to silica have been on lots of people’s minds. And rightly so, as the health risks are real. According to OSHA, the rule can save about 700 lives and prevent 1,600 new cases of silicosis every year. If you missed it, we’ve already published a blog post full of resources about respirable crystalline silica.

In addition, Convergence Training is offering an Employee Silica Exposure Monitoring Checklist to help you monitor your employees’ silica exposure. You can download it below. The checklist is drawn from a Silica eTool from OSHA.

This is the first of several silica-related posts and free resources we have planned for you, so keep checking back here at the blog for more.

Also we’ve got more free downloadable checklists on other topics here.

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OSHA Proposes New Respirable Crystalline Silica Rule: Here Are Some Helpful Resources

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment

OSHA recently announced a proposed rule to protect workers exposed to crystalline silica. You may have already heard about this-it was even mentioned in the New York Times recently. But we figured we’d run through all the information you need to know right here in this one post.

First, Does the Convergence Training Blog Have Any Free Silica-Related Training Materials?

Yeah, here’s an employee silica exposure checklist for you–in four different formats, no less.

Is This a Rule or Just a Proposed Rule?

It’s just a proposed rule. That means it’s a suggestion that OSHA has put forth. There’s a lengthy process to complete before this becomes a rule, if it ever does. And that includes periods for public comments and public hearings.

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New Papermaking Courses: Continuous Cooking Introduction and Wet End Chemistry – Functional Papermaking Additives

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Here are the new training courses created by our busy Production department in August. They’re all additions to our Pulp, Paper, Tissue, and Box 3D animated training libraries. Scroll down to see short samples of each.

If you’d like to learn more about these courses or view them in a demo, click here.

Continuous Cooking Introduction

In a continuous digester, wood chips are surrounded by alkaline liquor and “cooked” at high temperature for a couple of hours. This cooking process digests, or breaks down, the lignin, or glue, which holds the cellulose fibers together. This course provides an overview of a continuous digester cooking system.

Learn more about our Continuous Cooking Introduction Course.

Wet End Chemistry – Functional Papermaking Additives

Functional additives are added to papermaking furnishes to affect properties of the sheet. This module describes some of the more common chemicals that are used as functional additives, including dry strength additives, wet strength additives, mineral fillers, internal sizing agents, dyes, and pigments.

Learn more about our Wet End Chemistry – Functional Papermaking Additives Course.

Need to know more? Drop us a line; we’d be happy to hear from you.

Take a second to download our free guide to online training for people in the pulp, paper, tissue, and/corrugated industries since you’re here.

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The Papermaker’s Guide to Online Training

Looking for a way to improve your employee training and make it more efficient? Then check out our free guide on implementing online training at work.

Download Guide

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What Is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment
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Many people in learning and development are quite familiar with learning management systems (LMSs). Maybe you use one now, or maybe you’ve used one for years.

On the other hand, there are plenty of people who aren’t familiar with an LMS, haven’t used one, or don’t know what an LMS is. Maybe you’re new to training. Maybe your role in training has never involved using an LMS. Or maybe your company still hasn’t adopted an LMS, and you’re still administering your training through an excruciating series of databases, network folders, SharePoint, Excel spreadsheets, and paper-based training records in manila envelopes stored in metal filing cabinets in various rooms though out the office. 🙁

If the paragraph above describes your situation, here’s a 100-level primer explaining what an LMS is. We’ve also included some additional links to other LMS-related articles. Hope this helps get you up to speed quickly.

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Meet Us at National Safety Council Congress in Chicago, September 30-October 2: Win Free Contractor Orientation and/or Kindle Fire HD

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We’ll be at the National Safety Council’s 2013 Congress in Chicago, IL, this September 30-October 2. Come by and meet us at Booth 1502.

While you’re there, you can see in-person demos of our learning management systems (LMSs) and our animated, narrated, SCORM-compliant safety training modules.

If that’s not enough, we’ve also got some good swag for you. How about a free, animated and narrated contractor orientation module that includes your own site-specific policies and procedures? We’re giving one away, and even better, it comes with our Contractor LMS free for one year. Or how about something a little more tangible–like a Kindle Fire HD tablet. Yep, we’ve giving one of those away too.

Lookin’ forward to seeing you there!

Need some help keeping up with the NSC Congress news? Here’s a link to the NSC 2013 Congress website and here’s a link with their various social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).

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Free Hot Work Training Module

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment

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Until recently, we offered a free Hot Work training course on this blog.
However, we now offer a new product line that allows you to view our full Production-level online safety and health training courses in several different formats, including pay-per-view at a very inexpensive price.
Check out our online Hot Work Training Safety course and our Hot Work Permit course.

And since you’re here, feel free to download our free guide to effective EHS Training, as well.

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Effective EHS Training: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to design, create, deliver, and evaluate effective EHS training by following these best practices with our free step-by-step guide.

Download Free Guide

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MSHA Guidance Explains that OSHA’s New HazCom 2012/GHS Standard Meets Requirements of MSHA’s HazCom Standard

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment

In case you missed it, MSHA recently issued a guidance stating that “mine operators compliant with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) are also in compliance with MSHA’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) standards.”

Want to see it for yourself? You can read the MSHA HazCom Guidance here.

But MSHA’s gone one step further, providing several additional helpful documents. If you’re still reading and aren’t “HazCommed” out, check out this MSHA/OSHA HazCom PowerPoint created by MSHA and this press release on the same topic.

Convergence Training provides online safety training courses, learning management systems, incident investigation software, and contractor orientation solutions for mining safety and general safety. Explore the links below to learn more about what we do. Download our FREE Guide to Online MSHA Training Solutions

Looking for some online MSHA training solutions? Just click below!


 

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Book Review: Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen

Jeffrey Dalto Leave a comment

If you’ve poked around in the field of instructional design and/or learning and development for even a short while, the chances are pretty good that you’ve heard of Julie Dirksen’s book Design for How People Learn. And, the chances that you’ve heard nice things about Dirksen’s book are equally good. Design for How People Learn is very well regarded and seems to be becoming a bit of a modern classic in the field. I was a little behind the times in reading it, but I’m happy to say I’ve now finished it and am ready to join the people saying nice things about it.

First, a little about Julie Dirksen. She’s an instructional designer with a really nice blog called Usable Learning (www.usablelearning.com). The blog has lots of helpful information, and Dirksen frequently responds to reader comments there. She’s been kind enough to respond to mine in the past, for example.

Convergence Training is a training solutions provider that makes many libraries of off-the-shelf e-learning courses, several different learning management systems (LMSs) for companies of different sizes, industries, and training needs, and more. Contact us to learn more and set up a demo.

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When a Job Aid Is Better than Job Training

Jeffrey Dalto 2 Comments

job aids can be better than job training image

Have you ever read an article that discusses job aids, workforce training, mobile training, parenting, and pumping gas into a car? If not, grab a seat, because you’re about to.

By way of background, companies sometimes create training that their employees don’t need, that won’t fix the problem, or that isn’t worth the cost. For example, you can spend a lot of time and money trying to train your employees to memorize 50 codes—which your employees probably won’t successfully memorize despite your best efforts—or you can create a document that lists all the codes, put that document where your employees need it at work, and give them a very short training session about how to use that list.

That document with the codes on it is an example of a job aid. Have you got a Post-It note by your computer telling you how to do something? That’s a job aid too. And with the ease of recording short, instructional videos at work, and the fact that so many people have mobile devices and smart phones they can use to watch those videos as needed at work as well, you can easily imagine using videos as job aids as well.

Sometimes, a job aid is all a person needs. And they can be much more effective than training. Let’s look at an example from my real life outside the office.
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New Papermaking Courses Available: Black Liquor Evaporators-Principles; Box Plant Basics-Corrugators; and Carrier Ropes-Safety

Convergence Training Leave a comment

Here are the new training courses created by our busy Production department in July. They’re all additions to our Pulp, Paper, Tissue, and Box 3D animated training libraries. Scroll down to see short samples of each.

If you’d like to learn more about these courses or view them in a demo, click here.

Black Liquor Evaporators – Principles

Learn the basic function and objectives of black liquor evaporators installed at kraft pulp mills. This course introduces steam theory, including the relationship between steam pressure and temperature, flashing, and boiling point rise. Examine the impact of steam theory on evaporator size and the number of effects in a multiple effect evaporator set.

Learn more about our Black Liquor Evaporators – Principles Course

Box Plant Basics – The Corrugator

A corrugator is a large machine, made of a series of smaller machines, that combines two different kinds of paper to create cut sheets of corrugated fiberboard. The corrugator takes large rolls of paper produced on paper machines, flutes the medium and glues it to the liners, one at a time, and delivers stacked, cut, and scored sheets of corrugated board.

Learn more about our Corrugators Course

Carrier Ropes – Safety

This module details the principle dangers and hazards associated with paper machine carrier rope systems. Specifically, it discusses the importance of safe behaviors related to housekeeping, nip points, unguarded rope runs, rope breakage, and crossing rope runs. It also stresses the importance of maintaining the proper amount of respect for the ropes.

Learn more about our Carrier Rope Safety Course

Take a second to download our free guide to online training for people in the pulp, paper, tissue, and/corrugated industries since you’re here.

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The Papermaker’s Guide to Online Training

Looking for a way to improve your employee training and make it more efficient? Then check out our free guide on implementing online training at work.

Download Guide

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OJT and the Training Needs Analysis

Jeffrey Dalto 2 Comments

Before you begin any OJT program, you should perform a training needs analysis. Actually, that’s true no matter what kind of training you’re considering. But what is a training needs analysis, and why should you do one? Glad you asked, because that’s what we’re about to explain.

Before we begin, let’s cover some basics. First, you’ll sometimes hear this called a training needs analysis, and other times you’ll hear this called a training needs assessment. They’re basically the same thing, or at least have similar steps intended to lead to the same result.

Second, know that this “analysis” or “assessment” comes before you begin creating training materials (perhaps by using the traditional ADDIE instructional design model or a similar method for creating training materials).

And finally, note that there are entire books written about performing a training needs analysis. We’ve given only a quick-and-dirty, brief overview below. This should get you headed in the right direction and in many cases may be all you need. But watch our blog for further posts with more details, and check the links at the bottom of this post for even more helpful information.

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New Spanish-Language Safety Training Courses Available (Nuevos Cursos Adicionales en Nuestra Libreria de Entrenamiento de Seguridad y Salud en Español)

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Need help providing safety training to a Spanish-speaking workforce? If so, we’ve got just what you need. We’ve been creating Spanish-language versions of our popular, 3D-animated safety training courses, and we’ve got a new collection of courses that are available now.

If you’d like to learn more about these courses or view them in a demo, click here.

Crane and Hoist Rigging Safety

This training module gives an overview of the primary rigging issues that affect crane and hoist safety. Workers will learn about the materials used for rigging and slings, the various sling hitches used, and basic safety precautions. It is based on OSHA General Industry and Construction regulations, as well as recognized best rigging practices.

Hazard Communication

Covers the 1994 version of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, which is designed to inform workers of the hazards of the chemicals they work with and associated protective measures. The HazCom 1994 Standard is in the process of being phased out by OSHA in favor of the HazCom 2012 standard, with transition periods that end in 2015 and 2016.

Hydraulic Fluid Safety

From bottle jacks to forklifts and shop equipment, this course provides important information on the principles of hydraulics and the hazards that hydraulic systems can present. Based on OSHA documents and industry experience, this course is designed to help workers understand how to recognize common hydraulic hazards and avoid serious injuries.

Machine Guarding

This course covers the importance of protecting workers from industrial hazards with proper machine guarding. This course is aligned with OSHA General Industry standards and industry best practices. It is meant to be used as an introductory or refresher course for general industry workers who will be operating or working near industrial machinery.

Electrical Safety General Awareness

Spark discussion with your team on effective ways to recognize, evaluate, and avoid electrical hazards. Topics covered include personal protective equipment related to electrical safety, OSHA requirements for working on equipment, and electrical injuries such as shocks, burns, electrocutions, and falls.

Hand and Power Tools

The power to recognize and avoid injury is right at your fingertips. This module includes information on hand tools and power tools, including electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, liquid fuel, and powder-actuated power tools. Topics covered include general tool safety, maintenance, guards, best practices, and operating guidelines.

Ladder Safety

With this course, you get the step-by-step basics of ladder safety. Topics discussed on this computer-based training module include information on the types of ladders you may find in your workplace as well as ladder construction, ladder selection, height requirements, weight capacity, hazardous conditions, inspections, ladder setup, use, storage, and maintenance.

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