How “Experienced” Are Your Trainers?

Trainers need two sets of skills.

By Richard Bianchi

According to section (l)(2)(iii) of the OSHA 1910.178 standard, “All operator training and evaluation shall be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training and experience to train powered industrial truck operators, and evaluate their experience.”

Clearly, this says at least one thing about those who instruct our operators on the safe use of powered industrial trucks: They should have a certain degree of expertise with those trucks.

But is that all it says?

Extensive, hands-on experience by the instructor is invaluable for credibility’s sake and for a strong foundation from which to teach. Operator training, however, is designed to do more than just inform drivers of the OSHA standards. It should also persuade them to follow the standards.

So the answer to the question “Is it enough for trainers just to be expert drivers?” has to be “no.” In addition to having first hand experience with powered industrial trucks, all trainers need to have another set of skills: those that enable them to deliver the message of safety in a clear and compelling fashion. Because of the nature of the subject matter and the audience, there are six techniques that are particularly useful to any driver trainer.

Get and Keep Audience Attention
Most of those in operator training are veterans, and this group of trainees can be the most rewarding to work with. They can also represent the biggest challenge, because making the training interesting and meaningful for them can be an uphill battle.

One of the best ways to address this is to value the seasoned operator’s experience. Acknowledge up front that there will be little in what they’ll be seeing or doing—in either the classroom or the hands-on sessions—that is new. But also emphasize the OSHA finding that most accidents involve operators with more experience, not less. (Two out of three accidents involve an operator with one or more years in the field.) At the very least, you’ll be helping them in two ways: first, by refocusing their concentration to keep them from becoming part of that statistic; and second, by improving the skills they already have.

Regardless of whether an operator has 10 years or 10 minutes of experience, the best way to ensure that a program sails smoothly is to set the sails right in the first place. Establish ground rules at the outset. A typical team agreement establishes that everyone focuses on the objectives of the class. While all are expected to participate, only one person should speak at a time. All this should be addressed up front.

Put Statistics in Perspective
In the formal (classroom) session of operator training, ideas and numbers can range from the boring to the bewildering. This does not make any of them any less important. To convey the value of a point, fashion and present it in a way that makes sense for the operator. For example, it’s one thing to say that a reach fork truck, even if it’s unloaded, can weigh up to 8,000 pounds. What does that mean exactly? Put it in perspective. Eight thousand pounds is equal to the weight of four small cars. Or to be dramatic, it’s as heavy as an African elephant.

Make Concepts Relevant
Centrifugal force, center of gravity, momentum and the stability triangle are just some of the concepts that are part of the classroom focus. Those in the operator audience are no different from those in any other audience. They want to know the answers to the questions: “What’s in it for me?” and “Why should I care (in other words, “pay attention”)?”

In this example, making concepts relevant means explaining that one in four accidents is a tip over, making it the most frequent type of accident. Not having a good understanding of many of these concepts practically ensures the operator becoming a statistic. Putting it in this context tends to get a person’s attention.

Use Visual Aids Effectively
Much of the information in operator training that is not common sense can be hard to get your arms around. In his article, “Give Presentations a Zing,” which appeared in the July 2000 issue of The Toastmaster, Reid Goldsborough writes that besides using relevant examples and putting terms in perspective, using visual aids effectively can improve retention by 38%.

Remember, too, that a major objective of operator training is to persuade operators to follow safe driving conventions. Given that many of those in the audience are seasoned, this sometimes requires attempting to change certain habits and attitudes. Goldsborough states that visual aids can improve an instructor’s persuasiveness by 43%. As long as they don’t become too busy and detract from the message rather than amplify it, visual aids are critical to the success of operator safety training

Promote Confidence
Effective communication skills are just as important to the driver trainer outside the classroom as in it. Setting high expectations for operators from the outset is important because anyone, even the most proficient operator, can be anxious during training.

As coaches, trainers must speak in positive terms, assuring everyone that both sessions are set up to help them succeed. In the classroom, this means clearly defining what is involved and expected, and assuring that there will be no surprises or “gotchas” anywhere along the way.

For the practical (hands on) training, be up close and personal with the operator who is being evaluated. Provide encouragement, especially to those who experience performance anxiety. This may sometimes mean putting an uptight operator at the end of the program, rather than the beginning. The strategy may be inconvenient, but it results in a win-win for everyone.

Practice the Process, Process the Practice
A woman got lost on her way to a concert in New York City. She stopped a policeman for directions and asked him: “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” He answered: “Practice…practice…practice.”

Professional speakers rehearse eight hours for a one-hour presentation; lawyers prepare up to twenty-four hours for a one-hour court appearance. While these numbers may seem extreme for the type of sessions we do, the first time you actually put on safety training live should not be the first time it’s ever been delivered. Planning and preparing are some of the best investments you can make in striving to put on a clear and compelling program.

Practicing in private, however, is only part of the equation. Rehearsing in public is a great way to get feedback above and beyond your own opinions. In addition to practicing in front of friends and colleagues, organizations such as Toastmasters International, with chapters in every major city, can provide a supportive forum for speakers of any level to get input and evaluation on their presentations.

The most obvious way to process the quality of your program, though, comes from the opinions of those participating in it. A simple evaluation form passed out at the end of the day can be key to sharpening the saw of any trainer.

Train the Trainer
The qualified trainer has a mix of experience and presentation skills. Experience cannot be taught, which is what makes it so valuable in an operator. While difficult to master, though, presentation skills can be taught, which is what makes them so valuable for a trainer.

These six techniques, and many others, are part of ABEL Integrated Handling Solutions’ Train the Trainer classes. Like operator training, these sessions combine lectures with a combination of coaching, exercises and evaluation for maximum results. The primary objective of Train the Trainer classes is not to turn potential trainers into professional speakers, but into effective instructors and coaches. It’s challenging to those participants who have to step outside their comfort zones to develop or to hone presentation skills. Public speaking, after all, is America’s number one fear, and a fear not easily overcome.

Given that trainers are in the unique position of reducing accidents by influencing operators to drive safely, it’s always worth the effort.

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The MHEDA Journal • First Quarter 2001 • Volume 30, No. 1 • Contents are Copyright © Data Key Communications, Inc.
All rights reserved. • Nothing may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission of the publisher.