It’s no secret that the U.S. manufacturing industry faces an ongoing “skills gap” issue that is leaving hundreds of thousands of jobs open because there are simply not enough skilled workers to fill them. As experts have sought to understand the factors causing the skills gap, they’ve learned that a persistent negative impression of manufacturing lingers amongst today’s youth.

Although many, if not most, modern manufacturing facilities are clean, comfortable marvels filled with advanced automation technologies, many younger people still think of “factory work” as uncomfortable, dirty, and potentially dangerous. Changing their minds has been at the forefront of efforts to combat the ongoing skills gap.

For sure, there are still factories out there that can be hot and uncomfortable. Some industries simply can’t maintain a clean appearance given the very nature of what they produce. And the potential for danger exists in any facility using large machinery powered by electricity, hydraulics, and pneumatics.

Safety concerns are certainly valid, and they can be relevant to a discussion of any potential industry job. To ease the minds of potential workers—not to mention current workers—today’s manufacturers can take positive steps to ensure that their workplaces are as safe as possible. Doing so not only improves recruiting and morale, but it insulates workers and the manufacturers themselves from the negative effects of workplace injuries.

In a recent EHS Today article, author Rick Tobin outlines “three layers of safety training—task performance, hazard awareness, and engineering solutions,” which he believes are “essential for comprehensive risk reduction.”

Tobin notes that “[r]eactive safety measures focus on treating injuries after they occur…[they] treat symptoms but fail to eliminate systemic hazards, leading to recurring issues.” Instead, he argues that “upstream strategies aim to eliminate hazards at their source…[by] focus[ing] on redesigning systems and processes to prevent accidents before they occur.”

According to Tobin, “[t]he first layer of safety training is the foundation—teaching workers how to perform the job itself with skill and consistency…When you train employees to perform a task correctly—whether it’s operating a forklift, wiring a panel, or handling a chemical—you remove confusion, improvisation, and guesswork.”

That’s why it’s crucial that manufacturers hire workers with the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the workplace. On-site training is also important to ensure that workers understand what is expected of them. Simply put, proper education and training pours a solid foundation that can be built upon to increase workplace safety.

That’s where layer two comes in: “[o]nce workers know how to perform their jobs, the next step is to teach them why it must be done safely—what hazards exist, and what standards govern their prevention. This second layer is about awareness and compliance: understanding the invisible forces that turn ordinary work into extraordinary risk.”

Tobin points out that “[h]azard recognition training transforms workers from task performers into observers and thinkers. They learn to spot the frayed wire before it arcs, the unstable stack before it falls, the fatigue in a coworker before it leads to a mistake. When safety training includes this second layer, employees begin to internalize a new habit of thinking: What could go wrong here, and what’s my role in preventing it?”

If employers can successfully implement this second layer, they’ll notice that “[t]hat mental shift is transformative. It turns safety from a set of rules into a shared mindset.” It also helps with compliance. “OSHA, PPE selection, lockout/tagout—these are some of the legal and procedural anchors of safe behavior. But compliance works best when people understand its logic. Instead of obeying out of fear of penalties, workers comply out of respect for the system that keeps them alive.”

Finally, the last layer is “training workers to think like engineers.” “If the first layer is about doing, and the second is about seeing, the third layer is about solving. This is where workers learn to think critically and design hazards out of existence.”

This might sound beyond the capabilities of many organizations, but Tobin argues that “it’s the single most powerful form of prevention. It moves safety from reaction to innovation.” And who better to suggest effective solutions than the people intimately involved in the very tasks at issue?

Tobin points out that the sequence of these layers of safety training is equally important: “First, teach the task. You can’t be safe doing something you don’t yet know how to do. Second, teach the hazards. Once the job is understood, risks become visible and relevant. Third, teach the solutions. Once workers see risks, empower them to redesign the work.”

According to Tobin, “when all three layers align—knowledge, awareness and innovation—the payoff compounds.” What are those compounding benefits? To name just a few, Tobin points out that employers can expect:

• Reduced Injuries and Illness
• Lower Workers’ Compensation Premiums
• Higher Productivity
• Operational Efficiency

For those wondering how to go about this approach from a practical perspective, Tobin points out that “[m]odern technology now makes it possible to integrate all three layers seamlessly. Online and mobile safety training platforms turn what used to be fragmented, time-consuming initiatives into connected systems of learning and measurement.”

It can also help to partner with established companies to provide industrial-quality training systems that will stand the test of time. For example, DAC Worldwide offers two safety training systems specifically designed to give employees the hands-on experience they need to master lock-out/tag-out skills:

• DAC Worldwide Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System
• DAC Worldwide Electrical Lock-Out/Tag-Out Training System

Be sure to check out these training systems and contact a DAC Worldwide representative to learn how you can improve your training today!