How do you balance theory and practice in your safety management system training curriculum?

Educating people in one aspect of working towards defined goals. More of job specific teachings is another aspect of steering the team to achieve the goals. To bring about a conjunction between these two aspects is the challenge, that needs to be pondered. Education alone will not give the desired result. It is the course correction at different points that needs to be done to set the tone right.

We aim to improve safety culture and goals through learning objectives. We achieve our goals by embedding a culture of coaching and continual learning within the SMS and organisation. Safety managers must use coaching in their day-to-day personnel management. They must be adequately trained as coaches. Resources should be committed for this purpose. Training must be formalised, introduced systemically, be supportive and be challenging to be effective. Coaching and continual learning should be linked and integrated with the safety policy and SMS. We measure and manage through well-defined key results areas and performance metrics. We achieve safety objectives by measuring our return on expected outcomes following training.

In our SMS, the training section outlines the process for delivering and evaluating the training. The evaluation of training is part of the supervisor's responsibilities as well as part of the Quality Assurance program.

I agree with the post. For SMS, the first step is to identify the training needs for the employee Based on the need design your training programme and define objective - what to deliver, how it benefited to the trainee, and training completion goal Based on training objective conduct training and achieve the goal of training completion Post-training evaluation helps to understand how training is beneficial to participants and understand whether the objective of training is achieved or not.

Defining clear learning objectives is the initial step in balancing theory and practice in a Safety Management System (SMS) training curriculum. These objectives should articulate the knowledge, skills, and competencies participants are expected to gain from the training. By aligning these objectives with both theoretical understanding and practical application, the training can effectively blend conceptual knowledge with real-world scenarios.

In my experience, people learn by watching, reading and doing. Different types of training are offered depending on their risk. We use a risk assessment to determine the different types of training required and their delivery method.

Select the most appropriate training methods based on your learning objectives and your target audience. Consider factors such as the size of the group, budget constraints, and the availability of technology. Common delivery methods include: In-person training: Traditional classroom-style training. E-learning: Online modules and courses. Workshops: Interactive sessions where participants can engage in discussions and practical exercises. On-the-job training: Learning while performing real work tasks.

Live examples can be highly effective. If your objective is to demonstrate how PPE safeguards workers, incorporating practical demonstrations can be incredibly effective. Providing a live simulation where trainees can see how PPE protects against specific hazards, such as showcasing the resilience of safety goggles against impact or the effectiveness of respirators in filtering out harmful particles, can make the training more engaging and memorable.

The only way to make it work is to have it done by hand or in person at the same place as the one we have done before so we don’t need to worry about the cost and the amount of time that would be spent doing it in the first place

Selecting the right delivery methods for SMS training is essential to meet diverse learning objectives and preferences. Options include classroom sessions, online courses, webinars, workshops, simulations case studies, games, and quizzes. A blended approach addresses various learning styles and needs, enhancing engagement and retention. When choosing methods, consider each one's cost, accessibility, interactivity, feedback capabilities, and effectiveness in knowledge retention. This careful selection ensures that training is not only educational but also adaptable to different audiences, maximizing the impact and efficiency. In my HSE career, blending classroom teaching with simulations and quizzes has proven effective, . 2/2

Being SMS Manager, I am a staunch believer of practical exposure after every training session. Any learning based on theory is not complete unless it is augmented with the practical part. However, being in the faculty of undergraduate Aviation Management Program, I relate all theories and content in Document 9859 with a real life examples from both aviation and non-aviation scenarios. Being in the field gives me an edge to make things easier for my students. Also, on the professional front, I discuss the most recent as well as past incidents and accidents with the trainees and refresh the concepts through our day to day incidents. Using pictures or videos is one of my training strategies to reinforce their understanding on the subject.

While the Management System can be understood theoretically but it will need a lot of practice, role play, field assessment, interviews to understand it’s application. Hence I would say 30-40% theory & 60-70% practical should be part of curriculum

Use people who actually do the work when training the practical components of anything. The effectiveness of field-experienced employees as trainers for practical components stems from the fact that a significant portion of learning occurs in real-world contexts. While theory is important, practical experience is where skills are refined. Learning by doing is particularly potent in construction. These workers acting as co-trainers possess deep insights into job intricacies, can relate practical examples, and understand the risks. They excel in conveying real-world knowledge and their expertise bridges theory and practice. Health and safety professionals don’t always know it all either, we have to use the tools around us to be effective.

Depending on the type of training identified will determine how in-depth the training is. We use repetition to drive learning. When it comes to equipment operation, we use theory-based training following the SOPs developed. We follow that up with practical training delivered by a trainer, the supervisor or a competent employee. The success of that training is followed up by the supervisor and the QA program.

Continuously look for real life examples to explain theory, and incorporate them when delivering training. People remember good stories.

Risk-based learning. In my opinion managing risk in learning should be more focus on creating opportunity. Every group of person, may call it a team, or even a certain location, such as operating site, has their own particular risk profile. Based on that profile mapping, we could adapt how to deliver the specific topic in Safety Management System. Based on past experience, the pratical is considerably as redefining culture of care to others and themselves. Glad to share. Thank you for your attention.

a) I particularly like the emphasis on tailoring the curriculum to the specific context of the organization. This is crucial for effective learning and behavior change. b) Incorporating real-world examples and case studies can significantly enhance the learning experience. c) To ensure long-term retention, consider using a blended learning approach that combines e-learning, face-to-face training and on-the-job training. This allows for flexible learning and reinforcement of knowledge.

Because the aviation industry is heavily regulated, hazard assessments, safety risk profiles, and the development of SOPs clearly identify our training needs. As the Airport regulatory requirements are clearly defined in the Wildlife Management Plans, Disaster and Emergency Management Plans, Winter Maintenace, Airport Operations, and SMS. Reviews of training are required as part of the annual management review and quality assurance program.

While customizing the curriculum to align with your industry, sector, and organizational nuances is essential, it's equally important to distinguish between training that is legally required to meet regulatory obligations and training that goes beyond compliance to elevate safety standards and performance. This differentiation helps ensure that the training efforts are tailored to address both mandatory regulations and the broader goal of fostering a culture of safety excellence within your organization.

The most important aspect of this is to understand what is happening and how to make it work in the right way for you and your organization

Curriculum designers often involve subject matter experts in the Development phase or the Design phase, but not the evaluation process. I believe involving the Subject matter Experts in the evaluation phase is crucial. They will measure the actual outcome of the training based on their experience in SMS.

We evaluate the training using many of the methods listed above. There is no training delivered that does not have a short quiz to test for understanding. Equipment operations have practical sign-off by the competent employee delivering the training, followed by supervisor observation. Employees are evaluated every three years. The training program itself is part of the annual management review and the quality assurance program.

Observation in the field is the key in assessing the effectiveness of training, especially in safety programs. Quizzes and feedback are valuable but don't guarantee practical application. Real-world observation verifies if workers are using what they've learned, which is vital in safety where actions directly impact well-being. It's the ultimate test of a training program's success. Safety people should be actively out on sites and engaging with workers at all levels, participating in the work. From there your perspective on things will give you a better idea of whether the procedures and practices you wrote are actually working in the real-world. The important part is to be a participant, not a scrutinizer.

I don’t have any idea how much it would take to get it done but it would probably take a little while to get it done so I’m sure it would help

Continuously assess the effectiveness of your training program. This involves: Gathering feedback from participants to understand their learning experiences and identify areas for improvement. Administering assessments or quizzes to gauge knowledge retention. Measuring safety performance and tracking incident rates to determine if the training has had a positive impact.

Training in safety that is taught in a classroom should be a practice that is easy to adopt. Safety is a practice and therefore does not have abstract theories which are difficult to assimilate. Hence the training should be what is practised.

The concept of training has been evolved to competency based training from off the job in classroom/simulation, on the job in the field with supervisors/mentor, and assessment with independent assessor

To me it comes down to competency; theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Certain aspects are classroom based and certain aspects on the job.

If trainers are suitably qualified with post graduate university degrees in tertiary and adult education then they would understand curriculum and modern educational practices. Unfortunately most safety and training personnel are asked to work well above their qualification level and as a consequence, training is often poorly developed and executed.