Online Safety Training FAQs

Every course varies slightly, but generally speaking, each heavy machinery course covers the following:

• Overview of the course/introduction to the equipment
• Anatomy, including pre-shift inspections
• Stability principles
• Common hazards and how to eliminate or mitigate them
• Accident profiles
• Safe operations
• Rigging and hand signals (for crane courses only)

Our awareness courses generally cover these topics:

• Overview of the course/Introduction to the hazard
• Controls
• Safe operations
• Accident Profiles

Learners can go at their own pace, but in general each class (including the exam) takes anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours, unless otherwise noted. We recommend planning for two or more, so you don’t end up rushing through the exam.

All our courses are built and updated by our experts using OSHA and ANSI guidelines. This means they follow the best practices and safety principles put forth by OSHA and other regulatory or safety bodies.

Take note that it is not possible to cover every code for every situation or hazard across every industry. Our online courses are merely tools trainers and employers can use to increase their knowledge and more effectively train and/or certify their crew.

Remember, just because a course or program is OSHA Aligned does not necessarily mean a company as a whole will be aligned or avoid citation if they were to be audited by OSHA. There is so much more that goes into collective company alignment with OSHA. For example, employees must be observed applying in the field what they learned in the classroom. This observation or evaluation should be done by trainers, supervisors, or other designated competent persons. For ultimate alignment, trainers or employers should be completing tasks such as:

• Addressing any gaps in the training with your crew
• Discussing work-specific hazards
• Addressing safety principles specific to your work situation
• Creating and enforcing written safety programs
• Providing training
• Performing regular inspections and risk assessments.

There is a lot of confusion among operators and even employers about what it means to be certified or qualified. Simply put: no, a course does not certify anyone, only an employer does. It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure an employee is properly trained. That means it is also their responsibility to say when the employee is “certified,” “qualified,” or “competent.” Our eLearning courses are just tools that help them in doing so.

Our online courses are regularly audited and updated to ensure they remain aligned with the latest standards and regulations. However, if you purchase any of our online courses outright, it is your responsibility to update the courses in accordance with the new/updated standard.

OSHA Requirements dictate that safety certification be completed at least once every three years. Since no online course can provide “certification,” these courses will combine with your onsite practical training to fulfill OSHA’s requirements for up to three years. Having said that, refresher training is required sooner if an employee:

• Changes worksites or jobs
• Is asked to operate a different type of equipment
• Is involved in a near-miss or accident
• Is observed operating the machine in a dangerous manner

This will depend on the employer (see “Does this course certify me?”). Remember, it is the employer’s responsibility to see that you are trained; if there is ever an accident, it is they who will have to prove to OSHA that they trained you sufficiently. While some smaller businesses may simply accept your certificate and a copy of your test, more often than not, you will be required to go through their own training program. It is their right to have you do so. It is their further responsibility to train you in accordance with the job, site, equipment, etc.

That being said, we have fielded many calls from potential employers who wanted to learn more about the classroom portion of the training we offer. After hearing our explanation, they accepted the online class as satisfying the classroom portion of the required training and proceeded to proceeded to perform their own practical evaluations.

Once you have completed the course and passed the exam, you will have immediate electronic access to your test, a full-sized certificate, and a checklist you can use for the practical hands-on portion of the training. Simply print the certificate off for your recordkeeping needs.

When a course is assigned to an employee, only that employee can take the course. There are many reasons for this, but most importantly, the course is designed to train that one employee, in accordance with OSHA regulations. Also, there is a final written exam at the end that will be linked to the trainee assigned. OSHA requires proof of training, and if multiple people were to sit in on that one course, they would not get credit for taking it.

Again, having a group of employees taking the same course and exam does not give them the proof of training OSHA requires (a certificate). That being said, we do offer a group training option with our eLearning courses. Please contact us for more information on how to set that up.

Your company’s learning portal can be completely customized for your employees, including colors and logo. Additionally, if you purchase our courses outright to be used on your own company LMS (learning management system), you also get the right to rebuild them and customize them to meet your own needs. If you have iSpring, which we use to build our courses, customization is even easier.

All our online courses are designed to be SCORM-compatible and can be easily uploaded to your company’s current SCORM-friendly LMS. You can license their use annually or purchase them outright. Licensing or purchasing them outright does not, however, give you the right to resell or distribute our courses to parties other than those whom you are training.

We are happy to customize any of our eLearning courses to suit our customers’ needs. Pricing depends on the extent of customization requested. Please contact us for a quote.

We do have resale options available. Please contact us regarding resale opportunities.