In the August 2021 issue of The Safety Training Net, I shared a list of 10 recommended podcasts related to EHS. Late last year, I asked the LinkedIn community to share their additional recommendations. Due to a tremendous response, the list has more than tripled in size!

Not only are podcasts a great way to enhance your professional development and take advantage of the benefits of microlearning, but they can also be integrated into many safety training programs.

Podcasts are a simple, flexible way to make training more accessible, engaging, and effective. They remove barriers like reading requirements, allow employees to learn anytime and anywhere, and naturally support microlearning through short, focused content. Podcasts are easy and inexpensive to create and can be tailored to share company-specific messages, reinforce key concepts after training, and provide access for those who miss live sessions. They also enable a flipped learning approach by delivering content in advance so in-person time can focus on discussion and related activities. Podcasts help extend training beyond a one-time event into an ongoing learning experience where messages are more likely to stick.

A summary infographic is shown below. You can download it here.

Now... drumroll 🥁🥁🥁 - Here is the updated list!

You can download the list (plus a page with associated links and QR codes) here.

Listen for Better Safety

The April theme in the Safety Training and Communications 2026 Calendar is listening. This is something we all do but some do it much better than others. You can download a full-size Listen for Better Safety infographic (shown above) here.

Safe Driving is a suggested topic for the month since it is also the National Safety Council’s Distracted Driving Month and the American Traffic Safety Services Association’s National Work Zone Awareness Week. I have created a new related online activity for VIP subscribers called Seatbelt Safety: Connect Four. The download link is in the VIP section below.

Seatbelt Safety: Connect Four

Negotiations in Safety?

You will often hear that workplace safety and health issues are non-negotiable. I wholeheartedly agree, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be put in a position to negotiate in matters related to safety and health.

Chris Voss, former lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI, is the author of a book titled Never Split the Difference. Some negotiation courses or advice suggest finding common ground where both parties are happy. Chris Voss feels differently. In EHS, it’s more likely that we will not be comfortable splitting the difference.

The strategies covered in the book are closely tied to the April calendar theme of listening. It’s difficult or impossible to follow his advice if your listening skills are not top-notch.

I created the above infographic for all subscribers on the topic of negotiations in safety. You can download a full-size version here.

Have you had to negotiate related to EHS matters? What advice can you share with others?

Leave a comment

Note: VIP Subscribers can download the infographic AND accompanying training activity (shown below). The download link can be found in the VIP section.

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If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last five years. It’s still only $50/year!

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One more thing…

If you love podcasts, check out Podcast Magic. Podcast Magic is a tool that lets podcast listeners capture and save moments from any show. When you hear something you want to keep, you simply take a screenshot of your podcast player (showing the timestamp), and the app automatically extracts the relevant audio and a written transcript from that moment and sends it back to you.

Also, a new study just came out listing the most dangerous states for summer driving. You can read more about it here.

Cleaning Off the Bookshelf

I have a lot (and I mean a LOT) of books I have purchased over the years to help me study for various certification exams and for the research needed to write the books I have written. I am starting the process of giving them away. Here are the first eight up for grabs. Simply reply to this email with the the title(s) you are interested in and I will follow up with a request for your mailing address. If you’d like to pay for postage, I’ll give you my Venmo info, but if not, I will send them to you anyway if you are in the continental US:) I’ll be constantly updating this list with details in future newsletters.

Are you a consultant or supplier? Here are two new opportunities to check out.

You can now sponsor and/or advertise the next issue of the Safety Training Net and reach over 4,000 subscribers from around the world! Read more here.

This month’s Safety Days example comes from Jason Morris and his days at Cargill. Jason Morris, CSP, is now Safety Director at Atomatic Mechanical Services. Thanks Jason for sharing the following details!

At Cargill, the event was called Zero Harm week, which highlighted the ultimate goal of zero harm. Each facility/business unit made Zero Harm week their own with some guidance from senior leadership and the team assigned to send out the materials for sites to use or alter as they saw fit.

Zero Harm week starts with a message from leadership at the corporate and site levels. Then each specific group within the location takes one or more days to add additional focus on daily operations and risk reduction. There are contests, prizes, and hands-on safety training during the week as well. It’s a fun week that allows people to slow down from the daily grind and refocus on safety and reducing risk, all while having fun in the process. After the event, each location submits photos and videos that are shared across the organization.

Thanks for sharing Jason! Can you share what you do for your Safety Days? Comment below, or reply to this email, and I’ll be in touch about sharing your story in a future newsletter.

Leave a comment

🌟 Be a Star!

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last four years. It’s still only $50/year!

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

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March 2026 marks the 5th Anniversary of The Safety Training Net! There have been over 100 newsletters sent out to thousands of subscribers in 94 countries during this time.

A special thanks to our Top 50 subscribers who have been here from the start and continue to be among our most active and engaged community members: Marilyn H., Caitlin R., Michelle R., Tim F., Michelle D., Skipper K., Joann V., Howard S., Stephen L., Leslie B., Rajiv N., Martin J., John S., Kristina B., Lydia K., Ken N., Jessica J., Sean P., Wendy L., Tisha L., James R., Aileen M., Stacey R., Joy C., Melissa R., Michael M., Shirley R., Renfrew S., Tony V., Amy B., Joey S., Brian A., Jerome S., Christina S., Carol M., Lucy M., Alan C., Phill W., Neil F., Kay M., Josh H., Sean P., Kristina B., Stephen L., Joann V., Howard S., Ken N., Martin J., John S., and Lydia K. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

OSHA’s “NEW” Top Ten for 2025 is provided below but like many past lists, the top ten changes very little. While most safety professionals understand the importance of going beyond compliance, this list can provide a reminder of where companies may fall short. Several of these are also directly related to Serious Injuries and Fatalities and deserve extra attention.

1 - Fall Protection General Requirements (1926.501)

2 - Hazard Communication (1910.1200)

3 - Ladders (1926.1053)

4 - Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) (#5 last year)

5 - Respiratory Protection (1910.134) (#4 last year)

6 - Fall Protection - Training Requirements (1926.503) (#7 last year)

7 - Scaffolding (1926.451) (#8 last year)

8 - Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) (#6 last year)

9 - Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment - Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)

10 - Machine Guarding (1910.212)

Below is a Violations Identification activity to help participants recognize hazards related to the top ten OSHA violations. You can download it here.

Are you a consultant or supplier? Here are two new opportunities to check out.

You can now sponsor and/or advertise the next issue of the Safety Training Net and reach over 4,000 subscribers from around the world! Read more here.

Ergin Akbas, Senior Manager - EHS Management Systems at Avangrid, shared what his company does for their “Safety Days.” At Avangrid, Safety Days are called Safety Picnics at the local level where their vendor partners share the latest improvements in the equipment space. One of the more successful aspects has been the Ergo Rodeos, which are built into the Safety Picnics. The Ergo Rodeos are interactive ergonomics training events that include hands‑on stations where employees learn and practice core ergonomic principles like Face Forward, Keep Close, and No Waist Bends. They use real field tools and equipment, so the learning directly reflects day‑to‑day work. Last year, they had more than 1,400 employees participate. One of the most popular elements has been the team‑based lifting and navigation exercise, which reinforces safe body mechanics and communication. It’s become one of their most effective ways to build ergonomic awareness while keeping the experience fun and engaging. The organization also hosts a Safety Summit once a year, which is an inclusive event across the entire organization.

Would you like to share what your company does for Safety Day? Simply reply to this email or comment below.

Leave a comment

Inclusive Communication

A significant portion of the workforce processes information differently or faces barriers to understanding traditional safety messages. Approximately 20% of workers may be neurodivergent, meaning conditions like ADHD, autism, or dyslexia can affect how they absorb and act on information. At the same time, 1 in 6 U.S. workers is foreign-born, with more than 350 languages spoken across the United States. Add to that the fact that 15% of the global population lives with a disability and the communication gap becomes impossible to ignore. Risk increases when safety messages don’t reach everyone, whatever the reason may be.

A few ways in make your safety communications more inclusive include:

· Message Simplification (we talked about this last month in the February issue).

Using plain language and “easy read” formats helps everyone and not just those with reading or cognitive challenges. Pairing simple words with visuals can dramatically improve comprehension and retention for everyone.

· Prepare Multilingual Messages

Providing safety materials in multiple languages is effective. Workplaces that adopt multilingual communication strategies often see measurable reductions in incidents because workers can fully understand expectations. Additionally, many OSHA standards require that training be presented in a way that trainees can understand, taking into account literacy levels, language barriers, and comprehension ability.

· Use More Than Words

Combining audio, visuals, and written content strengthens understanding. When people can see, hear, and read information, they’re far more likely to interpret it correctly, retain it, and take the right action.

A one-size-fits-all approach does not work and safety information is too important to risk poor or no understanding by the audience. Inclusive communication means that every worker, regardless of language, ability, or background, can understand and act on the information that keeps them safe.

❓Ask yourself - Where in my organization might someone be missing the message today? Write down one risk and one improvement they will implement this week.

I created a related activity for VIPs called Safety Decoder, designed to help teams recognize when communication is not inclusive and the problems that may arise. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

Climb to Safety

March is National Ladder Safety Month so I am happy to share a new activity, Climb to Safety. In this activity, teams race to build their ladder by correctly answering questions related to ladder safety. All subscribers can download it here.

🌟 Be a Star!

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last four years. It’s still only $50/year!

Subscribe now

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

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Kendrick Global Enterprises helps organizations improve safety processes, management systems, and training. Skipper is a Professional Member and Fellow of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and Certified Instructional Trainer (CIT). Skipper has been recognized nationally for his leadership, training, and contributions to workplace safety, including multiple lifetime achievement and Safety Professional of the Year awards. He is a longtime faculty member for ASSP and OSHA’s Dallas Regional Training Center and a widely sought-after keynote and session presenter.

Thank you Skipper!

On Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which traditionally means there will be six more weeks of winter. Many places across the US have seen a great deal of snow and ice this year. Thousands of workplace and non-workplace injuries are related to weather-related slips, trips, and falls. Education can help prevent some of these. Also, subscriber Hélène Prichonnet had recently asked me if I had any training activities related to slips, trips, and falls (STFs), so I thought this activity and the one that follows would be good to include this month.

You can download Slips, Trips, and Falls Safety Lotería here.

Note: If there is ever a specific topic you need and can’t find in the archives, just send me a note.

VIP subscribers also have access to a Slips, Trips, and Falls Scavenger Hunt too. Download details can be found in the VIP section below.

Safety Lotería activities, similar to the one provided in this newsletter for slips, trips, and falls, can be modified for Safety Days. If you have ever attended an event where the organizer provided a bingo sheet to facilitate networking, you have seen this idea in action. To use Safety Lotería in this way, a simple grid (4x4 or 5x5) is created and an image related to the organization is provided in each square. Safety Lotería cards can be provided to Safety Day attendees to encourage them to identify local resources such as fire extinguishers, a medical office, SDDs, and evacuation routes. I would suggest that you use an actual image of something in the area, for example, a photo of a workplace first aid kit, or if you use a stock image, print out and put a small version of it on the actual item so participants can look to match the same image on their Lotería card with the image of the actual item in the correct location. I’ve created a blank template you can download here to create your own.

If you give it a try or do something similar, please let me know. I’d love to hear about it!

Leave a comment

In case you missed it…

I am looking for subscribers who would like to be published in a collection of safety training ideas. If you can write one page, you can be a published author! To learn more, click here.

Say It Simply

February’s theme in the 2026 Safety Training and Communication Calendar is Say It Simply. At every level in the workplace, communication efforts (presentations, office memos, standard operating procedures, manuals, and a variety of training formats) are often much more complicated than they need to be to convey a message effectively. You may have heard the communication advice “Don’t use a $10 word when a 10-cent word will do.” It is difficult to say something, especially information as technical as safety and health information, simply. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your communications efforts understandable by all.

The infographic outlines four simple but powerful steps:

1. Know your audience and purpose. Before writing, ask: Who am I writing for? What do they need to do?

2. Write with clarity. Use short sentences, common words, and active voice. For example, swap “commence” for “start.” Replace “in the event that” with “if.”

3. Design for readability. Use headings, white space, and lists to guide the reader’s eye.

4. Test for understanding. Don’t assume that something will be easily understood. Take steps to confirm it. Ask whether people can easily find, understand, and act on the information.

I have also created an AI prompt for you that will review what you have developed, determine if you are “saying it simply,” and provide suggestions for improvement. It will also provide a “grade” for your material. You will see that with practice, you will automatically begin to write more simply.

The suggested AI prompt to cut and paste in ChatGpT or other Large Language Model (LLM) (after uploading your file) is:

"I want you to act as a plain-language safety communication reviewer.
I will provide a script, toolbox talk, training content, or PowerPoint slide text.
Please evaluate it using the following criteria:
Clarity – Is the message easy to understand the first time it is heard or read?
Simplicity – Are sentences short, direct, and free of jargon?
Actionability – Does it clearly tell workers what to DO?
Readability – Would someone with an 8th-grade reading level understand it?
Usability Under Pressure – Could someone quickly understand it in a stressful situation?
Then provide:
• An overall clarity score from 1–10 (10 = extremely clear and simple)
• A brief explanation for the score
• Specific examples of confusing words or phrases
• Suggested rewritten improvements
• A fully revised “Say It Simply” version
If the message is spoken (like a toolbox talk), evaluate it for conversational clarity.
If it is written (like a slide or procedure), evaluate it for visual and structural clarity as well.
Be direct and constructive."

To demonstrate the use of the above prompt, I dug up an old presentation on respirator safety from 2002 and ran it through ChatGPT. I recorded a 3-minute Loom video showing the process and results that you can watch here.

Leave a comment

Just for fun… If you are like me, you cringe every time you hear someone say utilize instead of use, or fill a conversation with business buzzwords. I have created a Lingo Bingo card for you to use alone or share when in meetings. Every time you hear something that’s on the card, cross it off. You can download it here.

VIP Subscribers also have access to a related activity - Jargon Swap. Jargon Swap is an activity designed to help individuals or teams practice communicating safety and health information clearly and concisely, so important safety concepts and guidance are not lost in the use of jargon or unnecessary complexity. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

Are you a consultant or supplier? Here are two new opportunities to check out.

You can now sponsor and/or advertise the next issue of the Safety Training Net and reach over 4,000 subscribers from around the world! Read more here.

🌟 Be a Star!

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last FIVE years. It’s still only $50/year!

Subscribe now

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

Read more

It includes five classroom training activities including:

- Headfirst Into Safety (inspired by the Skeleton/Luge) and focused on Head Protection
- Overhead Lifting Legend (inspired by Pairs Ice Skating) and focused on Overhead - Hazards / Crane Hand Signals
- Cross-Country Crossword (inspired by Cross-Country Skiing) and focused on Total Worker Health
- Snowboard Risk (inspired by Snowboarding) and focused on Risk Assessment
- Walking on Thin Ice (inspired by Speed Skating) and focused on Walking on Slippery Surfaces

Download the activity packet here.

Since the Closing Ceremonies are also this weekend, VIPs also have access to a Collection of Closers. The download link is in the VIP section below.

Happy Training! - Linda

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There are a few changes you will see in The Safety Training Net this year.

• The focus will be on training and communication, as much of our success as EHS professionals/trainers relies on strong communication skills. The monthly calendar themes will also be linked to communication. Even if you only do a little safety training, or stop doing it altogether, communication skills are something you can take with you anywhere.

• I am looking for subscribers who would like to be published in a collection of safety training ideas. If you can write one page, you can be a published author! To learn more, click here.

• Many companies have at least one annual “safety day” where employees, and sometimes others like contractors, family, and/or community members take part. I’ll be including a new Safety Day section with ideas specifically for these events, so you can add more interactivity and fun to yours.

• Each newsletter will include something related to training and AI. You will find it in a new trAIning section.

• I am also opening up the opportunity for sponsorship and limited advertising. If you would like to learn more, click here.

Many people ask me for ideas for their annual “safety day.” One of my favorite consulting projects was helping an international brewery create 25 safety training games and activities for use across its plants worldwide during their version of a safety day. “Safety Days” take many different forms and are called different things, but almost all provide some type of fun and interaction for employees. I recently asked EHS pros on LinkedIn what their safety day looks like and heard some great ideas. I will be sharing those as well as many others in this new Safety Day section of this newsletter.

💡 January’s Safety Day Idea is a QR Code Scavenger Hunt. I have discussed QR code scavenger hunts for fire safety and new employee orientation in past issues of the Safety Training Net. (Links to both of these are available to paid subscribers in the VIP section below.) A QR Code Scavenger Hunt can be a great way to involve employees, as well as contractors and other visitors, like family members, in identifying key locations around a facility. To learn how to create your own, read more about it on the SafetyFUNdamentals blog.

The 2026 Safety Training and Communication Calendar is Here!

VIP Subscribers have access to the complete 2026 Safety Training and Communication calendar. Each month includes training ideas related to events occurring that week, plus significant historical EHS events. Each month also has one major theme related to safety training communication.

The topic for January is Preemptive Storytelling. Preemptive storytelling in safety training means explaining the *why* before people fill in the blanks themselves. When changes are made without context, such as new rules, new PPE, and new procedures, workers may create their own stories. Preemptive storytelling is a way to get ahead of that and involves sharing the reason, the risk, and the real-world trade-offs up front, along with why the change is necessary and how it will make the workplace safer. If you wait until there’s resistance, you’re already behind.

What & Why Training Activity

Experts in learning transfer suggest we ask ourselves “What does this remind me of?” and “Why does it remind me of it?” when we are learning something new. When learning new material, you may be doing this already, but are you encouraging your trainees to do this?

One of the best ways to get trainees to remember the information you need them to remember is to ask these two questions:

1 - What does this remind me of?

2 - Why does it remind me of it?

For example, if you are presenting a training class on silica awareness and ask trainees what it reminds them of, what do you think they could say as an answer?

Next, if you asked them why it reminds them of that, what would they say?

In the case of silica, the hazard and the controls are very much the same as asbestos. If a trainee has been working safely around asbestos, they will have an easier time working safely with silica. By asking them to think about the reasons why something is similar, you are helping them to put the new information into their long term memory.

What is the next training class you are going to deliver? Where can you use these two questions? What will you be trying to learn new yourself? Remember to stop and reflect on these two questions, and you will do a lot for your own and your trainees’ ability to later remember and use the information.

I have created an activity based on this method of learning called What & Why. You can download it here.

I really appreciate it when subscribers share this newsletter with others who might benefit from it. I’d like to thank the following people who have shared The Safety Training Net in the past. (I’ve removed last names for privacy).

THANK YOU Shonda P., Nancy M., H. G., A.J. V., E. H., Mohammed A., Michaeline C., Sajida F., W. M., B.R. B., Atencio G., Charlsia F. Haley D., Blane A., Reese S., Calvin B., Bernadette S., Binit, Cindy B., Edward K., Ellen E., E. G., R. C., James W., and Karen.

Please share this newsletter with those who might enjoy it.

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Did you know, to help combat the use of AI by students taking exams, a few professors are reverting to oral exams instead of the traditional paper and pencil tests? I support the idea of oral exams in safety training because they reduce the issues that can arise when a trainee has poor or no reading skills, though administering an oral test to every trainee is likely impractical. What do you think?

Oral exams are rooted in ancient traditions but are gaining popularity across various disciplines and class sizes. You can read more about this here, although it is behind a paywall that requires you to create a free account to access it.

Leave a comment

If you are a new VIP subscriber, you may not be aware of the SafetyFUNdamentals private chatbot I created. The link is in the VIP section below. This chatbot will provide ideas for training activities, drawing on the content of the safety training books I have written. If you check it out, I’d love to know what you think!

Are you a consultant or supplier? Here are two new opportunities to check out.

You can now sponsor and/or advertise the next issue of the Safety Training Net and reach over 4,000 subscribers from around the world! Read more here.

🌟 Be a Star!

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last four years. It’s still only $50/year!

Subscribe now

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you, and these download links are provided in the section below. As a VIP, you also have access to all issues published since this newsletter kicked off in 2021! The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

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Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

It’s December, and many of us are setting goals for 2026. I recently read Tim Ferris’ advice on doing a Past Year Review instead of setting new goals so I gave it a try. It involves going through your 2025 calendar and writing down the pluses (all of the things you enjoyed) and the minuses (the things you didn’t) for each month and then committing to doing more of the top 20% of the good things and putting the worst things on a “Do Not Do” list. It can even be applied to your safety training program. It can help you plan more of what’s great and eliminate (where possible) what’s not.

In addition to the Past Year Review, I also created a condensed list of “What I Learned Last Year.” I make daily notes in an Evernote journal template and there is a section for me to write what I learned the day before (if anything). There is a lot of random information there, but I think it’s important to periodically review it, which helps retention. If you would like to see my list, you can find it on the SafetyFUNdamentals blog here.

Upskilling in 2025

It’s December, and we are finally talking about the last upskilling topic of the year! Indoor Heat is the topic of the month. The image below shows all 12 upskilling topics that were covered in 2025.

The chart below provides the basics of workplace heat stress safety. You can also listen to an audio deep dive created by Google’s NotebookLM (my favorite AI tool).

🔉 Audio overview of indoor heat stress

Several of the 10 Steps included in this illustration tie directly to safety training including #1 - Teach hazard and risk factor recogniton, #2 - Drill symptom identificaton, #6- Explain engineering and administrative controls, #7 - Instruct on proper PPE use, #8 - Practice Emergency Response, #9 - Conduct Supervisor specific training, and #10 - Ensure language accessibility. Fortunately, activities related to many of these steps have been covered in past issues of The Safety Training Net. I have created a new collection of training resources for these steps and provided links for VIPS in the VIP section below. These activities can be easily modified for just about any topic, including heat stress.

Is there an Upskilling Topic you would like to see included in 2026? Just reply to this email or comment below to let me know.

Leave a comment

Safety Training Calendar

The December training themes focus on Bloodborne Pathogens and Handwashing Procedures. The activity provided for December in the 2025 Safety Training Calendar is an interactive PowerPoint called Safety Feud.

Safety Feud for handwashing is a PowerPoint game similar to the popular Family Feud. You can download it here. (Note: when you open the file, you will need to enable macros for it to work).

Thinking of Getting Published in 2026?

Writing is a great way to learn. It’s also something that can help your career in many ways. If you are interested in being part of an accountability group, plus access to writing and publishing resources and guidance, learn more about the Safety Writer’s Accountability Group (SWAG) by subscribing to the SWAG newsletter.

Safety Writers Accountability Group

A central place to share information about the S.W.A.G. and community chat

By Linda Tapp

Note: This SWAG will start in January and end in early April. After that, SWAG participation will no longer be free:)

A Special Gift for VIPS!

I am so grateful for the support of VIP subscribers who make it possible to keep this newsletter going. Check in the VIP section below for the full gift certificate and redemption code for any free book from the SafetyFUNdamentals bookstore!

Interested in Ergonomics?

QP3 ErgoSystems is a family owned small business founded in 2017 by Tim (The Ergo Tim) Pottorff, M.Eng., CIE, ARM. QP3 provides ergonomics (and sometimes safety, IH, and environmental) services to a wide variety of companies and organizations by a diverse and highly experienced team of ergonomists and safety professionals.

Every week Tim sends out one to two highly impactful ergonomics-related emails to help widen others’ understanding of the science. If you’d like to receive Tim’s emails, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h6mmfn

🌟 Be a Star!

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber of The Safety Training Net, consider upgrading today to get all downloadable resources every month plus access to ALL past issues from the last four (almost five) years. It’s still only $50/year - but not for long!*

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*existing subscribers will never pay more than the rate at which they first subscribed

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

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Cold Stress Infographic and Activity

The American Society of Safety Professionals recently shared tips to help prevent cold stress on the job, and I have adapted this to create the infographic above. (Download here). While this infographic is designed to help safety and health professionals with their cold stress prevention programming, a slightly different focus is needed for workers in the field. A Preventing Cold Stress online activity has been created for VIP Subscribers and is found in the VIP Section below.

Upskilling in 2025

It’s November, and Predictive Safety Technology is the upskilling topic of the month. If you are a new subscriber, the 12 upskilling topics listed above were identified late last year as areas you should focus on to keep your OHS knowledge current.

“Predictive safety technology” refers to a technology that uses data and AI to identify hazards early and warn you before an injury or incident happens.

Predictive safety technology can influence safety training by showing trainers which risks, behaviors, and conditions are most likely to lead to future incidents. By using data and AI to identify patterns, predictive tools help trainers deliver more targeted, relevant, and timely instruction. Predictive insights also allow trainers to personalize learning and reinforce key messages. In short, predictive technology helps ensure safety training is focused on the right issues at the right time, making it more effective and impactful.

Are you integrating predictive analytics into your safety training efforts?

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Safety Training Calendar

The November calendar events focus on wellness (the ADA American Diabetes Month, the Great American Smoke-Out, and Lung Cancer Awareness Month). The activity included in November 2025 in the Safety Training Calendar is a Safety Lotería Activity designed to help others learn the symbols related to the Global Harmonization Standard (GHS).

In case you are not familiar with Safety Lotería, it is an activity like Bingo, but instead of random numbers and letters being called, a description of an image is announced, and if participants know the answer and have that image on their lotería card, they cross it off. Playing this game provides a fun way to review the topic, and it’s image-based, so anyone can play. To download GHS Lotería, including complete instructions, click here.

TWH Communication Mini-Ebook

Last month, I let subscribers know that I would be sending out a short message related to tips for communicating Total Worker Health, each day, for 30 days. The 30 daily posts are now complete, and if you are interested, you can read them here.

For VIP Subscribers, I have assembled all 30 posts into a mini-ebook. The eBook download link is in the VIP section below.

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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This month, I am including a modified version of the Pin the Pain activity I have shared in the past. This is a great activity for helping trainees learn how different types of chemical products can affect different parts of the body. The original Pin the Pain activity can be found in the “Free Stuff” tab on the SafetyFUNdamentals website. The activity shown above is Pin the Pain - Halloween version. This activity is very similar to the original except the “body” provided is that of Frankenstein’s monster instead of a generic man, and six chemical substances, all likely to be found in Frankenstein’s lab are also included as part of the activity. To download this Halloween version, click here.

Upskilling in 2025

It’s October and Workplace Violence is the upskilling topic of the month. If you are a new subscriber, the 12 upskilling topics shown above were identified late last year as topics you should pay special attention to to keep your OHS knowledge current.

Integrating workplace violence prevention into safety and health programs is vital because violence disrupts not only physical safety, but also psychological well-being, job retention, and organizational performance. In 2021-2022 there were more than 50,000 nonfatal intentional injury cases due to workplace violence requiring days away or job restriction. In 2022, there were 524 fatal occupational injuries due to homicides. Ignoring workplace violence puts both workers and the business at risk; addressing it proactively strengthens a culture of safety and supports overall health and safety performance.

The infographic below shows proactive measures you can take to address the risk of workplace violence. This infographic has also been turned into a training activity that is available to VIP subscribers in the VIP section below.

⏰ Have a Second?

I am working on the Upskilling topics for 2026 and would love your help! What new or emerging topic would you like to learn more about? Either comment below or reply to this email and let me know. Thanks!

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Total Worker Health Scavenger Hunt

A training activity that supports TWH Initiatives - for VIPs

The TWH Scavenger Hunt provides trainees with a way to learn about TWH and supporting programs in a work area. By having trainees leave the training area to find the listed items, they will gain a better understanding and better retention of program components. The scavenger hunt activity is available to VIP Subscribers, and the download link can be found in the VIP section below.

Communication Corner

Ally Safety is hosting its first-ever Occupational Safety and Health video contest, or OSHCARS for short! If you submit your video, you’ll be eligible for prizes, money, merch, and more! To learn more about it, check out Ally’s YouTube channel at https://lnkd.in/gJPAthR6

🍀 Good Luck!

Safety Training Calendar

October focuses on hearing protection (it’s the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s National Protect Your Hearing Month), reproductive health hazards (it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and fire safety (it’s NFPA’s National Fire Prevention Week). The activity included in the 2025 Safety Training Calendar is Fire Safety BINGO. Fire Safety BINGO is just like regular BINGO but instead of random numbers and letters being called, clues related to fire safety are read to the group, and if a trainee knows the answer, they cross it off on their BINGO card. This activity is equal parts chance and skill, which makes for a fun and effective training activity.

30 Days of TWH Communication Tips

I recently delivered a presentation at the 4th International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health^® titled “Better Communication for Total Worker Health.” I have taken key points from this presentation and will send them out once a day for 30 days, starting November 1st. These will be very short emails with an idea or resource you can use to make your communication of safety, health, and wellness more effective. If you would like to sign up, click the link below.

Subscribe to the TWH emails here

VIP Subscribers also have access to exclusive resources each month. If you are not yet a VIP, upgrade today!

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Upskilling in 2025

It’s September and Safety 2.0 is the upskilling topic of the month! If you are a new subscriber, the 12 upskilling topics shown below were identified late last year as topics you should pay special attention to to keep your OHS knowledge current.

For decades, traditional safety management, known as Safety 1.0, has employed a reactive and failure-focused approach. Safety is defined as a condition where as few things as possible go wrong. Safety 1.0 relies on retrospective tools, such as root cause analysis, to identify factors contributing to adverse events and implement procedures to prevent recurrence. Safety 1.0 falls short because it primarily emphasizes the few things that fail, overlooking the crucial factors that enable the many things that go right every day.

Safety 2.0 marks a necessary shift to a proactive perspective, seeking to understand why things go well. Instead of defining safety by the absence of failure, Safety 2.0 defines safety as a condition where as many things as possible go right. Safety 2.0 views frontline workers as an asset and a necessary resource for system flexibility and resilience, rather than a liability or hazard.

It is important to note that Safety 1.0 and Safety 2.0 are not mutually exclusive; they are complementary perspectives that can be integrated to mitigate failures and replicate successes, leading to a more comprehensive approach to safety management.

Communication Corner

Longtime subscriber Jean Ndana, Senior Corporate EHS Director at Bull Moose Tube, graciously shared the following infographic he created with advice on learning anything quickly. As Jean says, “finding a way to learn faster can be a competitive advantage.” Check out his FAST method below. Give it a try with the information above on Safety 2.0! (To download this infographic, click here).

Safety Training Calendar

September is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Preparedness Month, the Brain Injury Association of America’s Concussion Awareness Month, and National Farm Safety and Health Week. The activity provided in the calendar for September is Lock Out Tag Out Safety Sequence, which is closely related to Farm Safety.

LOTO Safety Sequence Activity

If you have never seen a Safety Sequence activity and want to download one and try it out, you can check out the LOTO Safety Sequence activity I have uploaded to SlideShare.

Emergency Preparedness

There is a wealth of information available online for emergency preparedness including:

Ready.gov (FEMA) – U.S. federal resource with guides for families, businesses, and communities on how to prepare for disasters, including checklists and toolkits.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Preparedness

American Red Cross– how-to-prepare-for-emergencies

OSHA Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness in the Training Room

One area that might be overlooked is emergency preparedness in the training room. A few key considerations for planning your in-person training events include lighting and sound, alarms and phones, exits and meeting locations, disaster management, emergency plans, and backup communication methods. If you have trainees in your class who are unfamiliar with the area, such as those visiting from another location, reviewing this information is especially important. For additional details, refer to the infographic below. You can download the full-size infographic here.

To-Go Bag Crossword Activity

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you know that games like crossword puzzles are a great (sneaky) way to see how much trainees understand about a particular topic. They can act as a quiz but are not as intimidating as a formal evaluation. The following crossword puzzle activity has been created for all subscribers to provide an overview of the items that should be included in a To-Go bag and can be downloaded here.

VIP Subscribers also have access to a new emergency preparedness training activity called Roll for Readiness, which helps trainees understand the importance of to-go bags. The download link can be found in the VIP section below

Concussion Awareness

If you are a new subscriber to The Safety Training Net, you may have missed the concussion awareness activity shared last year “Heads You Win - Tails You Lose.” To download this activity, click here.

Check these out - You might find a good addition to your safety training toolbox

Eightify - an AI YouTube Video Summarizer

Block Posters - If you want to print out a safety poster, message, or “supersize” an activity to post on a wall or floor, this is a great site and it works really well.

Confetti - This is a big collection of virtual training games. They are pricier than other options but may work for your group if you have a bigger budget.

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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Upskilling in 2025

It’s August and Serious Injury and Fatalities (SIFs) is the upskilling topic of the month! SIFs are incidents that have the potential to cause permanent impairment or disability, making them far more critical than minor workplace injuries. Examples include severe head trauma, paralysis, amputations, heart attacks, and broken bones—events that often demand an immediate emergency response and can leave lasting consequences for workers and their families. The true focus of SIF prevention is not just reducing the overall number of incidents, but identifying and eliminating the situations that carry the highest potential for serious harm. Focusing on SIFs moves safety programs from “counting injuries” to preventing true tragedies.

How can you begin to integrate the importance of focusing on SIFs in your safety programs? The following infographic suggests a few ways to use safety training and communication to do just that.

VIPs have access to an online game, Workplace Safety Scenario Flip, which helps teams of trainees identify SIF potential in various situations. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

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Communication Corner

To effectively connect with an audience, it’s not only important to have great ideas and technical expertise, but excellent presentation skills. Michael Foley, a clinical assistant professor of leadership and communication at the Kellogg School, offers four key strategies in a great article titled “Want to Connect with Your Audience? Stop Trying to Impress Them.”

These strategies include 1) tailor your message to each specific audience by understanding their priorities and concerns, 2) design your talk with "structured improvisation" by preparing key points while allowing for natural expression, 3) strike a balance between objective data and subjective stories to establish context and illustrate points effectively, and 4) Set a primary goal to educate your audience rather than impress them, which shifts focus from the presenter to the audience and helps reduce nervousness. Presentations related to safety and health often have high stakes so it’s important to make them as effective as possible. To read the full article, click here.

Safety Training Calendar

August is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign.

All subscribers have access to The Fleet Safety Quiz on YouTube. In this 9 minute video, 20 timed questions are presented for trainees, or better yet teams of trainees, to try to answer. The correct answers are shown immediately so trainees can keep track of how many they have correct, and the facilitator can easily see which content needs more discussion.

VIP Subscribers can download the Risky Driving Safety Sort activity. In this activity, teams of trainees work to rank 30 different risky behaviors related to driving. The conversation between teams and team members is valuable in the understanding and retention of the content. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

VIP Subscribers also have access to a new case study activity related to road safety titled “The Case of Nelly The Night Shift Nurse.” In this learning activity, learners are presented with a scenario that includes multiple risky behaviors related to driving. Using a Total Worker Health approach, teams of trainees are asked to identify the risks and possible solutions. Download details can be found in the VIP section below.

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Have you heard of The Dutch Reach?

Although I lived in Holland for 3 years, I had never heard of the Dutch Reach but that’s probably because I was riding a bike everywhere instead of driving a car. In the Netherlands, bikes are everywhere and have the right of way. Still, accidents can happen when a driver opens a car door into a bike lane. Often called “dooring,” an estimated 600 cyclists per year are struck by an opening car door in the U.S. The Dutch Reach, a practice of using your far hand to open a car door when exiting, naturally turns your body and allows the spotting of cyclists before a car door is fully opened. To read more about the Dutch Reach, click here.

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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Upskilling in 2025

It’s July and Drone Safety is the upskilling topic of the month! Drones are a relatively new tool in the safety professional’s toolbox. The safe use of drones in workplace safety programs requires regulatory compliance with FAA rules, certified operator training, thorough pre-flight safety planning, regular drone maintenance, strict data privacy protocols, and clear operational procedures to address risks such as weather, battery limits, and legal challenges. The infographic below provides a summary.

With respect to safety training, drones can enhance safety training classes by making the learning more visual, engaging, and realistic—especially for topics involving hazard identification, inspections, emergency response, and confined space entry. Drones can provide:

• Live Demonstrations (for real-time hazard and control identification)

• Pre-Recorded Footage (drone-captured video can simulate site walks)

• Scenario-Based Learning (incorporate into tabletop exercises for use with emergency response planning, evacuation route analysis, and mapping risk zones)

The possibilities are endless but drones can be especially effective for classes on fall protection and working at heights, confined space awareness, hazard recognition, emergency preparedness and response, and site safety inspections.

Drones can bring the “real-world” into a safety training class. Search “drone footage of construction sites” on YouTube to see a few examples. It’s hard to imagine a trainee participating in a safety training class involving drones who is not fully engaged. Having attendees’ full attention, along with interactive, realistic experiences will also increase retention.

Question for you: Do you know how to operate a drone? If so, have you used it in safety training? I’m thinking of doing this in 2025. Want to join me?

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Communication Corner

Have you heard of the Johari Window? The Johari Window is a tool that helps individuals understand their self-awareness and interpersonal relationships by categorizing knowledge about themselves into four areas: open (arena), hidden (facade), blind (blindspot), and unknown. It can be effectively adapted to EHS settings to promote a culture of openness, psychological safety, and continuous improvement.

To benefit from the ideas behind the Johari Window in your safety training classes, facilitate an activity where participants complete a simple self-assessment where they choose adjectives or short statements that describe themselves, while their peers do the same for that person. The results are then compared and plotted into the four quadrants of the Johari Window. The following is an example of a Johari Window Worksheet, for a fictional character, Carlos, a Shift Supervisor.

Carlos and his team could use this completed Johari Window to start a discussion on communication gaps, blind spots in leadership, and the importance of speaking up. It can encourage Carlos to open up more (reducing his Hidden area) and to seek feedback regularly to shrink his Blind area—ultimately creating a more psychologically safe and transparent safety culture. A Johari Window Activity worksheet can be downloaded here.

Check Out A New Podcast!

Heather McDougall, Esq. and CSP, Ex-VP at Amazon and former Chair of the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission, has kicked off a new podcast. In the first episode of Safe-Tea, Heather talks with Tom West, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, COSS, Vice President and Global Practice Leader at MākuSafe, where he leads efforts to integrate wearable safety technology into workplace environments. You can watch on YouTube and listen on Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts. Check it out today!

Safety Training Calendar

If you check out the month of July in the 2025 Safety Training Calendar (download link available to VIP subscribers below), you can see that it’s a relatively slow month for safety observances. Many people vacation in July and August and often that involves spending additional time outdoors. Skin protection is not only important while at work but is also something that should be given special attention at home as well. Free subscribers have access to a Mini-Skin Protection Activity as well as an infographic activity related to Sun Safety at Work.

The infographic activity can be found here and the Mini-Skin Protection activity can be found here. In case you aren’t familiar with how to use infographics as a training activity, download the Safety Training Infographics eBook (free to all subscribers for a limited time).

VIP Subscribers also have access to a new online game called Sun and Shade, where two teams race to stay cool by answering heat-stress related questions correctly. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

ChatGPT for Studying, Learning, and Individual Training Sessions

ChatGPT is currently testing a new feature called “Study Together,” which is appearing in the tool dropdown menu for a select number of users (unfortunately I am not part of this group). Unlike typical ChatGPT interactions, this mode prompts users with questions and encourages active participation—teaching rather than simply responding. OpenAI has not officially announced a full public rollout or whether access will be limited to paid subscribers but the possibilities for professional development, personal upskilling, certification exam prep, and trainees’ learning efforts, are exciting! Read more on TechCrunch.

Positive Reviews Only

While I usually only include positive AI news, this story made me stop and think. It seems that some researchers are leading some LLMs to return only positive reviews when users are asking about specific research papers by hiding prompts written in white text within the paper. This is one more reason why we all need to be extra careful when using and evaluating the results returned by programs such as ChatGPT. You can read more here.

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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This is also a great time of year to review and update your refresher training. Refresher training is required by OSHA for a number of topics including occupational noise exposure, HAZWOPER, respiratory protection, LOTO, fire extinguisher use, machine guarding, and many more.

Refresher training is a great match for safety training activities and in fact, starting off a refresher safety training class with an activity is a great way to bring back key concepts and ideas to trainees who may have forgotten what they learned originally as well as give you, the Trainer, an idea of what trainees remember and what needs to be covered in more detail.

A few easy activities (shown above) to adapt for refresher activities include:

A-Z Race Consider starting off a refresher class by introducing the A-Z Race activity. Without any refresher content presented first, this activity will be challenging but will cause trainees to attempt to pull previously stored information from their memories.

Safety Bingo is a great activity for any training class but can be an effective way to kick-off a refresher class. When using BINGO, the clues read by the trainer can serve as a partial refresher and will remind the trainees of the previously covered content. The answers to the questions asked in the clues will be in front of trainees when provided in the squares of the BINGO cards and this can further help them remember key points. The Safety BINGO link in this paragraph leads to a BINGO activity for heat stress that you can download and use.

Hazard Hunt scenes are a great way to let trainees demonstrate what knowledge they have retained from previous years as well as a way to help trainers identify which areas might need extra review within the class. Give each trainee a copy of a HazardHunt scene (or photo of the workplace that includes many items for trainees to identify) and ask them to identify the hazards and be able to explain why the identified items are hazards. After trainees have provided their explanations, trainers can fill in the holes and provide the additional information needed to make training complete. It is important to use a hazard hunt activity that is directly related to the refresher class. If several topics are combined together in a refresher class, hazard hunt activities can be even more valuable. The Hazard Hunt activity link provided in this paragraph leads to a Hazard Hunt scene for a chromeplating shop but many groups will be able to relate and learn from the hazards included.

As you will see on the 2025 Safety Training Calendar above, the birthday of the American Industrial Hygiene Association occurs in June. Awhile ago, I created a fairly difficult crossword puzzle that was based on CIH exam prep study materials. Games like this can be a challenging way to review and learn content. If you’d like to give it a try, you can download it here.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Related to Industrial Hygiene is the topic of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). When I set out to create an activity related to IAQ, I didn’t realize I would end up creating 4 different activities! (an IAQ crossword puzzle and IAQ BINGO Packet for all subscribers plus an IAQ Clue board game and an online IAQ Memory Match game for VIP Subscribers). Click on the links below to access the first two activities.

Download the IAQ Crossword Puzzle here.

Download the IAQ BINGO Packet here.

The IAQ CLUE game packet is inspired by the CLUE board game that many people are already familiar with. In this version, which includes a printable game board and all necessary materials, teams must work to identify the contaminant, source, and location involved in a mysterious workplace incident.

The IAQ Memory Match online game is similar to Concentration, another game familiar to many, but in this online version, cards are matched by their connection to each other with respect to IAQ. For example, “a card that says “What powder from plants can make people sneeze indoors” only matches with “pollen.”

The links to download IAQ CLUE and the site for the IAQ Memory game can be found in the VIP Section below.

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Communication Corner - Radical Candor

Most popular non-fiction bestsellers do not mention or set out to connect to workplace safety but in many cases, there are lessons that can crossover. This is the case with Radical Candor by Kim Scott, a business book that appeared on multiple bestseller lists for several years. The book focuses on the management strategy of “Caring Personally while Challenging Directly,” which aims to create an environment where people feel safe being honest with themselves, their team, and leadership. As you can imagine from this description, these ideas can be directly applied to workplace safety. A few key points are highlighted below. You can also read more about radical candor in safety in the this SafetyFUNdamentals blog post.

Upskilling in 2025

It’s June and Large Language Models is the upskilling topic of the month!

AI is everywhere these days so it’s exciting to talk about Large Language Models (LLMs) this month. To be clear, LLMs are AI systems designed specifically for understanding and generating human language. About half of U.S. adults now use large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Copilot for personal or informal learning according to a March 2025 survey by Elon University.

To share a few ideas for how you can use LLMs in your safety training efforts, I used ChatGpT, as well as an online platform I sometimes use for diagrams called SketchWow. To be clear, although I really like SketchWow, it’s AI capabilities still have a way to go and I often spend a lot of time editing to get what I want but you can check it out here if you like.

In previous newsletters, I shared two custom chatbots I created in ChatGpT, a LLM. One for everyone called Your AI Safety Training Friend and the other, a private chatbot for VIP subscribers that was created based on the contents of several of my books. VIP Subscribers can find details on accessing that in the VIP section below. Creating your own chatbot is much easier than you would think. I’ve broken down the steps for doing it in ChatGpT if you are interested in giving it a go. You can find that here. (Note: this option is only available in ChatGpT for Plus subscribers).

Still Recruiting Campers!

Summer Camp is not just for kids!

If you have been reading this newsletter for awhile, you know that I am passionate about professional development. If you are looking to do a deep dive into safety training and communication topics, while having fun, consider registering for Safety Training Summer Camp!

The Safety Trainers’ Summer Camp is a 4-week virtual program that provides education and resources on a variety of safety and communication topics. Camp sessions will be offered once a week for 4 weeks in August.

To learn more and receive registration information as it becomes available, complete a short form here.

Need a Gift Idea?

If you are passionate about safety, and I bet you are if you subscribe to this newsletter, check out this new book by safety pro Martika Shanel, The Adventures of Suzy the Safety Bee: In the Bustling Town of Builder's Ravine! Martika is on a mission to educate children on the field, exposing them to different industries and what it takes to keep employees safe at each jobsite. You can get your copy on Amazon here.

ASSP’s Safety 2025

Many of the subscribers of this newsletter are also members of the American Society of Safety Professionals and attend the Society’s biggest learning event of the year, the annual professional development conference. Safety 2025 will be held in Orlando, July 22- 24, and I’d love to see you there. I will be speaking on Wednesday, the 23rd, at 3 PM, and my presentation title is Outdated to Outstanding: Upgrading Safety Training with Better Content, Design, and Delivery. Will you be there? Let me know.

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VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

Read more

In just a few short weeks, summer will be officially here in the U.S. and this means there is an increased risk of heat stress - both in the workplace and at home. The heat stress infographic shown below can be a good start to communicating this important topic to all workers. It’s currently available in English and Spanish but if you need another language, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. This infographic has also been modified for you to use as a training activity.

The modified version of the original infographic asks trainees to fill in the missing information. The act of trying to remember increases retention, so this is a great way to help trainees remember this important information. Download here.

Communication Corner

Great safety trainers need great communication skills. The following infographic created by Lauren Murrell provides some great advice for improving your communication by email.

Upskilling in 2025

It’s May and Collaborative Learning is the upskilling topic of the month!

Collaborative Learning

If you have ever participated in a learning activity, you know that collaboration can be a very effective learning method. Collaborative learning can be a powerful alternative to traditional methods and can result in a more engaged, skilled, and connected community of learners.

Collaborative learning refers to approaches involving joint intellectual effort toward shared goals. It typically features structured activities where participants work together to solve problems, create products, or develop understanding through direct interaction, such as most of the activities shared in this newsletter and on the SafetyFUNdamentals website.

The advantages of collaborative learning include:

Enhanced Retention and Understanding:Active dialogue between peers helps knowledge "stick" in long-term memory.

Heightened Engagement: The interactive nature of collaborative activities creates a stimulating learning environment that naturally increases participant motivation.

Organizational Knowledge Preservation: In workplace settings, collaborative approaches ensure critical expertise remains within organizations even when individual employees depart, creating resilient institutional knowledge bases.

A few examples of collaborative learning activities that you can add to your safety trainer’s toolbox include: Study Discussions, Role-Plays & Simulations, Puzzle Solving Challenges, Jigsaw Learning, Scenario-Based Decision Trees, Gamified Competitions, Peer Teaching Sessions, Collaborative Risk Assessment, Think–Pair–Share, and Build-a-Policy Activities. You can also access seven different examples by scanning the QR codes in the infographic above.

A new collaborative learning activity, Safe By Design, has been created for VIP subscribers. It is a great example of how trainees can work together to come up with new solutions to safety issues in their workplace. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

Safety Training Calendar

In the 2025 Safety Training Calendar, May focuses on heat stress and I am happy to share the Heat Stress Infographic Training Activity (found above) with all subscribers of The Safety Training Net. There are also other themes included in the May calendar as seen below.

VIP Subscribers can download the following activities related to these topics including the Electrical Safety Crossword Puzzle Packet, The Eye Knows Activity, Mental Health Conversations Infographic, Mental Health Jeopardy for VIPs, Which is Louder PPT Game, and a Fall Harness Safety Sequence.

Download links for each can be found in the VIP section below.

If you are not yet a VIP Subscriber, you can upgrade today and get all of these activities and more - still only $50/year!

Upgrade to VIP

Ready to Make the Most of Your Summer?

Summer Camp is not just for kids!

If you have been reading this newsletter for awhile, you know that I am passionate about professional development. If you are looking to do a deep dive into safety training and communication topics, while having fun, consider registering for Safety Training Summer Camp!

The Safety Trainers’ Summer Camp is a 4-week virtual program that provides education and resources on a variety of safety and communication topics. Camp sessions will be offered once a week for 4 weeks in August.

To learn more and receive registration information as it becomes available, complete a short form here.

ASSP’s Safety 2025

Many of the subscribers of this newsletter are also members of the American Society of Safety Professionals and attend the Society’s biggest learning event of the year, the annual professional development conference. Safety 2025 will be held in Orlando, July 22- 24, and I’d love to see you there. I will be speaking on Wednesday, the 23rd, at 3 PM, and my presentation title is Outdated to Outstanding: Upgrading Safety Training with Better Content, Design, and Delivery. Will you be there? Let me know.

Leave a comment

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

Read more

Hi everyone - I know you usually only hear from me once a month but I wanted to be sure that you knew about a free webinar being offered next week by ASSP’s WISE Common Interest Group titled Using Canva. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at 12:00PM CT. I will be joining Abby Holovach and Abby Ferri and we will each be sharing some unique wa…

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Note: I hear from so many people across the world that their responsibilities have grown immensely and they are busier than ever. While this newsletter only comes out once a month, it may be easier for some to listen to the content. If that’s you, you can find the AI-created podcast version of this issue here: 🎧

Upskilling in 2025

It’s April and Gamification is the upskilling topic of the month!

Gamification

Gamification can be an effective way of increasing participation in safety initiatives and in training retention. It’s important to first talk about the difference between games and gamification. Games are "structured forms of play involving rules, goals, challenges and interaction," while gamification is "the careful application of game thinking to solve problems and encourage learning using appropriate game elements." Many people play all kinds of games – from baseball to board games to online video games. Most games are played purely for fun and often, these games are built on the principles of gamification. Learning games, or the kind you may use in a training class, can also benefit from gamification principles.

Gamification works well in safety training for several reasons:

1. Engagement through enjoyment. Einstein once said that effective learning happens when it's so much fun you don't realize you're learning! Gamification captures attention and reduces resistance to learning. When trainees are having fun, they're more receptive to information and more likely to remember it.

2. Practical application visualization. Well-designed games help trainees see how safety principles apply in real-world scenarios. Games can simulate workplace situations without the actual risks, allowing trainees to practice decision-making in a safe environment.

3. Leveraging social interaction. Small team-based games tap into existing knowledge and promote collaboration. Trainees often learn more from each other than they do from an instructor.

4. Embracing productive failure. Good games include an element of challenge – they're neither too easy (boring) nor too difficult (discouraging). When trainees "fail" within a game, it becomes a learning opportunity rather than a stressful experience.

Incorporating gamification can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your safety training. Remember that proper facilitation and debriefing are essential – without them, even the best game becomes just an activity without lasting impact.

Want to learn more about gamification in safety training? Check out Chapter 16 of my book. Make Your Safety Training Stick for detailed strategies and examples to implement in your next training session.

⭐️ Don’t forget - VIP subscribers get a 20% discount off of all products, including Make Your Safety Training Stick, in the SafetyFUNdamentals bookstore! The VIP code can be found in the VIP section below.

Safety Training Calendar

In the 2025 Safety Training Calendar, April focuses on safe driving and work zone safety. To show you how gamification can be an effective way to enhance training related to work zone safety, I am providing the download link to the Connect Five and Stay Alive PowerPoint game. This activity was shared with VIP subscribers last year but is now available for free to all subscribers of The Safety Training Net. In this learning game, teams of trainees try to answer questions strategically about work zone safety. It’s based on teamwork and includes added competition that causes trainees to be fully involved while learning. The download packet, available here, provides instructions and everything you need to play.

VIP Subscribers can also download…

Using the principles of gamification, Hazard Hunt, the safety training activity where players try to identify and correct workplace hazards, has been converted into a board game. The Hazard Hunter Board Game can easily be printed out on regular paper and played in your safety training classes. Everything you need is provided in the downloadable packet, including 3 different Hazard Hunt illustrations.

The Hazard Hunter game uses a custom dice which you can print out and make yourself, or get from me! I am happy to send you one (see below) if you send me your mailing address. Simply reply to this newsletter and I’ll get it right out. (Note: If you are not a VIP Subscriber and would like this game, you can find it for purchase on the SafetyFUNdamentals website.)

Where in the World Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in last month’s Where in the World Contest in honor of The Safety Training Net’s 4th Anniversary! The winners are:

Doug C., William M., Nelly A., Samantha Z., and Kristen J.

The winners each received a certificate for a free product in the SafetyFUNdamentals bookstore!

PS - In case you are wondering how you did, the locations shown were: Vatican City, Barcelona, Athens, Vancouver, Jamaica, Dubai, Taj Mahal, Amsterdam, and Wellington. The winners above got all (or most:) correct.

Summer Camp is not just for kids!

If you have been reading this newsletter for a while, you know that I am passionate about professional development. If you are looking to dive deep into safety training and communication topics while having fun, consider registering for the Safety Trainers’ Summer Camp!

The Safety Trainers’ Summer Camp is a four-week virtual program that provides education and resources on a variety of safety and communication topics (and badges that you can earn!) Camp sessions will be offered once a week for four weeks in August.

To learn more and receive registration information as it becomes available, complete a short interest form here.

Earth Day and Training

Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, created Earth Day in 1970 - 55 years ago! Earth Day was celebrated earlier this month on April 22nd. You may wonder what Earth Day has to do with safety training. One of the goals of Earth Day is to reduce waste, and this is not only good for the environment but good for business as well. The infographic above shows ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle when scheduling and delivering in-person classes. There is a lot of information shown in the infographic above so if you’d like to download it to get a closer look, you can do that here.

AI Action Figures

You’ve likely seen them all over social media. If you’d like to create your own, details are below but first, here are three ways you can use them in safety training and communication.

1 - Create one for new employees and add it to the onboarding training materials. Be sure to create the action figure so that all required PPE is included.

2 - Instead of using generic clip art or stock photos, use an AI action figure you create that shows exactly the message you want to convey.

3 - Take the AI Action Figure idea one step further and make a physical action figure based on your creation. It’s easier than you think! For details check out the related post on the SafetyFUNdamentals blog.

Ready to get started? Go to ChatGpT and enter the following prompt, and add a related photo.

“Draw an action figure toy of the person in this photo. She/He should be wearing (fill in the info). The figure should be displayed in its original blister pack. Include the following accessories: (list a few here). Add any other relevant information such as work environment or hobbies. Add the name, (add name), (title) at the top of the box.”

It may take several tries for you to get a “figure” you like but the final result can be worth it.

PS - I made a really quick demo if you’d like to see the prompt in action.

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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The Safety Training Net is 4 years old this month! That’s 48 separate issues (actually …more than 100 because for the first few years, I created and sent out two different versions each month - one for VIPs and one for free subscribers, and several issues in Spanish). In total, I have shared dozens of original safety training games, infographics, links, ebooks, videos, webinars, and featured a number of different experts both in and outside of safety and health. All of this content is available to VIP Subscribers on the Safety Training Net website.

If you are not yet a VIP, upgrade today with a special Anniversary offer: one free month with an annual subscription!

Get 30 day free trial

The Safety Training Net has thousands of subscribers from 91 different countries! To celebrate, I am resharing a contest from a few years ago called “Where in the World?” In this contest, individuals from around the world are holding a SafetyFUNdamentals sign. To enter, take a guess at the location where each photo was taken. To submit your answers and enter the competition, click here. Prizes include a variety of SafetyFUNdamentals books!

Upskilling in 2025

So far this year, we’ve covered, Emotional Intelligence and Data Visualization. This month, we introduce immersive training.

Immersive Training in Safety Training

One of the trends in training that keeps emerging, regardless of industry, is the use of immersive technologies. These technologies include VR, AR, and computer simulations that place workers in realistic, interactive learning environments. Instead of passively watching videos or reading manuals, employees actively practice safety procedures in lifelike scenarios - all without real-world risk.

Five key benefits that make immersive training so effective for workplace safety include:

1.Engages Employees Actively

Traditional classroom training often leads to wandering attention and low retention. Immersive experiences force trainees to focus. When you're virtually standing on a high-rise scaffold or operating dangerous machinery, your brain treats the experience as real. This engagement is why studies show VR learners can recall up to 80% of what they learned even a year later, compared to just 20% retention after one week with traditional methods. (Traditional refers to lecture-only training in the classroom).

2. Risk-Free Practice of Dangerous Scenarios

Perhaps the most powerful advantage is the ability to experience hazardous situations without actual danger. Workers can practice responding to fires, chemical spills, or equipment malfunctions virtually. For example, VR can simulate working at heights to teach proper fall protection - giving trainees the emotional sensation of being elevated without any real risk. This safe practice environment turns mistakes into valuable learning experiences rather than potential tragedies.

3. Hands-On Skill Development

Immersive training builds practical skills through repetitive practice in realistic scenarios. This develops the muscle memory needed for safety procedures. Research has shown that employees trained with VR learn up to four times faster than those in classroom settings and report significantly higher confidence in applying their skills on the job. Whether it's operating a forklift or performing a medical procedure, the interactive simulation allows workers to refine their techniques until they become second nature.

4. Emotional Realism That Changes Behavior

Immersive simulations can trigger the same stress responses workers would face in actual emergencies. VR can put employees "at risk" virtually, engaging people's instincts so that real behavioral change takes place. The result is workers who are conditioned to respond correctly under pressure.

5. Standardized Training With Practical Applications

Immersive training ensures everyone receives the same high-quality instruction regardless of location. It also allows companies to train remotely and reduce equipment downtime.

While high-tech immersive technologies offer exciting possibilities, many organizations do not have the resources available to add them to their training toolbox. Luckily, there are several no or low-tech options for immersive training experiences you can try to incorporate into your training programs. These include drills, job shadowing, role-playing, on-the-job training, and tabletop exercises. Chapter 10, “Making it Real”, in my book, Make Your Safety Training Stick: Improve Retention and Get Better Results, covers all of these topics and more. Subscribers can purchase this book for 10% off on the SafetyFUNdamentals website using code STNSub.

Safety Training Calendar

In the 2025 Safety Training Calendar, you can see that March is a month dedicated to various health and safety initiatives, including Brain Injury Awareness Month by the Brain Injury Association of America, National Nutrition Month by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Workplace Eye Wellness Month by Prevent Blindness America, National Ladder Safety Month by the American Ladder Institute, and National Poison Prevention Month by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

In honor of ladder safety month, I am happy to share a Ladder Safety BINGO packet for all subscribers to download for free!

If you are unfamiliar with Safety BINGO, it's just like regular BINGO except that instead of calling out random numbers and letters, a clue (in this case related to ladder safety) is read to a class of trainees. If a trainee knows the correct answer, and they have that answer on their Safety BINGO page, they can cross it off. This continues until someone has crossed off all boxes across, down, or on a diagonal. When they do, they should yell BINGO and be declared the winner.

The complete ladder BINGO packet and instructions can be downloaded here.

🌟 VIP subscribers have access to several other activities related to the above themes plus and a brand new activity on Healthy Eating called Fill Your Plate. All VIP downloads can be found below in the VIP section.

Allergy Season and Workplace Safety

The first day of Spring was just a few days ago and for many, that also means suffering from seasonal allergies. What do allergies have to so with workplace safety? If you have ever suffered from allergies or even a head cold, you know some of the side effects. These can make it hard to concentrate and in the workplace, this can lead to hazards. To read more about it, check out this post on the SafetyFUNdamentals blog.

Thank you to everyone who answered the two-question survey as part of the entry for the “potato” giveaway!

The winner of the Tater Toss is….Elisabeth M. from Connecticut!

The winner of the second “potato” (a potato stress ball), is Faith F.!

Congratulations to both winners and thanks to all survey takers for participating!

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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Upskilling in 2025

Last month, I shared the 2025 Upskilling Wheel (if you missed that, you can read more here), and we covered the first topic, Emotional Intelligence. This month, we are addressing the next in line and one of my favorite communication topics - Data Visualization.

Why should you care about Data Visualization?

I have always loved image-based communication. Visual aids not only get and keep attention but can help complex (and sometimes boring) data be more clearly understood. If you are trying to get others’ attention in order to get them to do something, data presented as images are better than data presented alone. Florence Nightingale and her Coxcomb Diagram is the perfect example of how this can work. Through her data visualization efforts, she was able to finally convince the British government to implement sanitary reforms, which ultimately saved lives. You can read more about Florence Nightingale and her use of data visualization in a recent SafetyFUNdamentals blog post.

What would you rather look at?

While using graphs and charts is a start in better communication of data, creative representation of data (my favorite) is something I encourage all safety professionals to experiment with. While creating detailed charts and graphs that go beyond basic bar and pie charts might be something few safety and health professionals are able to easily do, anyone can create ways of sharing data so that it is more easily understood. I have discussed ways to do this in various presentations on more effective communication of safety information. Since there is limited room in this newsletter to share all of this information, I created an introductory video on these methods for anyone who wants to learn more. You can view that here.

Interested in trying it out yourself? First watch the video, then take a dataset related to occupational health and safety and craft a compelling narrative that simplifies complex data for a general audience. Use metaphors or relatable scenarios to make the numbers meaningful. Share what you come up with using the comment button below for more ideas and feedback from subscribers.

I have created a Data Visualization Study Guide with challenge questions for VIPs that can be downloaded using the link in the VIP section below.

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Data Visualization Resources

There are many resources available to learn more about Data Visualization, including the following:

Data Visualization and Information Design: Create a Visual Model Domestika Course -($20)

Flowing Data website - lots of resources and tutorials

Safety Communication With Data Visualization Infographic

2013-2023 Data Visualization This is more of an example than a resource but it can provide an idea for your own projects.

👩🏻‍🎓👨🏾‍🎓 How to Learn Yourself

There was a great post recently on LinkedIn by Will Thalheimer on how to learn yourself when creating and delivering training. I am sure you do this all the time without even realizing it. If you’d like to check out the post, you can find it here.

Note: Will Thalheimer was featured in the February ‘22 issue of The Safety Training Net Ask the Expert column. You can find that here if you’d like to read more of the advice Will graciously shared.

🌫️👁️ Blur Your Eyes Test

The Blur Your Eyes test is the idea of Stanford design Professor Larry Leifer. It is an easy, low-tech, way to quickly check for clarity, as it relates to design and presentation of written communication. All you need to do is squint! To read more about it, check out this “Sketchplanation” about it here.

Safety Training Calendar

In the 2025 Safety Training Calendar I shared last month, you can see that February is a great month to focus on burn prevention, and wellness, as February includes the American Burn Association’s National Burn Awareness Week and is the American Heart Association’s American Heart Month. The featured activity included with the calendar is Health Homerun, a training activity that can be used to review health-related training information. You can download that here.

As a child, you may have played some version of “hot potato,” a game where an actual potato or other small object is tossed quickly from player to player, standing in a circle, as if it was too hot to hold. Historically, it is believed that this game was originally played with a burning coal! When playing hot potato, there is usually music playing or a timer which will go off unexpectedly. When this happens, the person holding the “hot potato” at this time is eliminated from the game.

The topic of burn prevention aligns itself to the hot potato game (but please don’t use an actual hot object!) It can be used as a review in the beginning of class, or at the end. The “potato” in this case can be a ball, a real potato, or even a crumpled piece of paper.

To convert traditional “hot potato” to a valuable training activity, it is necessary to build in the need for trainees to use their new knowledge or skills when playing. When using training games such as these, you want to make sure you have a combination of chance and skill. If there is too much chance, it’s just a fun game. If there is too much skill, it is nothing more than a test.

To play Burn Prevention Hot Potato, ask trainees to stand in a circle and provide one with a “potato.” The facilitator should ask this first trainee a question about burn prevention (after they have heard this information in a training class, past or present.) After they answer, they should be told to toss the “potato” to anyone else in the circle. The facilitator then asks this person a different question on the topic being reviewed. This continues until the pre-determined number of questions have been answered.

To add a bit of fun, set a 30-second timer and tell trainees that if they are holding the “potato” when the timer goes off, they are eliminated from the game. Reset the timer after every elimination. This extra step should increase the speed and urgency with which trainees try to answer questions. If possible, award the last person standing with a small prize.

I have created a Burn Prevention Hot Potato Activity Packet for VIPs which includes burn prevention review questions and suggested rules of the game. The download link can be found in the VIP Section below.

Also…If you want to upgrade your “potato” you can actually buy one (non-edible) on Amazon. I have one of these to give away! If you’d like to be entered into the drawing, please complete a short two-question survey here. (Even if you do not want to be entered into the drawing, I’d love to have your participation in the survey:)

If you’d like to try a more traditional learning activity, you can download a Burn Prevention Crossword here.

As stated above, February is also the American Heart Association’s American Heart Month. Heart health programs can be part of a Total Worker Health program and there are ways to use games and activities in support of these programs. Check out the Training Activities for Total Worker Health blog post on the SafetyFUNdamentals website for more information.

VIP Subscribers can go deeper by reviewing the Gamification of Total Worker Health ebook, which includes five different training activities. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

Speaking of TWH, my latest book, The Wiley Guide to Strategies, Ideas, and Applications for Implementing a Total Worker Health Program, is another great resource and is available here and on Amazon.

Game On!

Welcome to a new section of The Safety Training Net where subscribers share their favorite safety training activity. This month, subscriber Kristen Johnson has graciously shared her favorite game, Answer Battle, and provided the website information. Kristen has used many of the templates from this resource, YouthDownloads.com, with great success. Thanks for sharing Kristen!

Kristen received a free year of VIP membership as a thank-you for sharing her activity. If you would like to share your favorite activity and help other safety trainers, please reply to this email and let me know. Thanks!

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

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Upskilling in 2025

In 2024, I introduced the idea of an Upskilling Wheel to help guide your professional development efforts. We all know we need to keep learning but figuring out what areas to consider can be challenging. I have been researching hot topics, trend reports, industry forecasts and more and have narrowed down recommended topics for 2025. You will see the 12 topics for this year in the chart below. I include a brief summary of each topic in the monthly issues as well as a related training activity and/or additional resources. If you are interested in 2024’s topics, click here. In December, VIP subscribers received an ebook of all 2024 Upskilling topics and activities combined so if you are a new VIP, you can find that download link in the VIP Section below. The 2025 Upskilling Chart is shown below.

The first upskilling topic of the year is Emotional Intelligence (EI). While the connection between EI and safety is not a new idea, many sources report an increased focus on the importance of soft skills. Many also say that the need for soft skills increases as the reliance on technology also increases.

We know that EI can help create safer work environments.

• Leaders with good EI can read situations and anticipate dangers before they become incidents.

• Safety pros and trainers with good EI are better communicators.

• Those with good EI may be better able to de-escalate tense situations and better manage emergencies.

With respect to safety training, having good EI can help when facilitating a training class. Trainers with a high level of EI can recognize and read trainees’ feelings better and modify their delivery and possibly the content when signals show it would provide a better learning experience.

There are many resources available to go deeper in Emotional Intelligence, including the following three articles*:

• What is emotional intelligence and how does it apply to the workplace? by Mental Health America

• Emotional Intelligence: Assessing It’s Importance in Safety Leadership by Richard Olawoyin

• Emotional Intelligence: A Crucial Human Dynamic for OSH by E. Scott Geller

Note: In the Oct. ‘24 issue of The Safety Training Net, I mentioned NotebookLM, an AI-powered research and note-taking tool developed by Google Labs. One of my favorite offerings at NotebookLM is the ability to create a podcast from uploaded sources. If you are like me and have more time to listen than read articles, you might want to check this out. I have created a NotebookLM podcast using the above three sources. If you want to check it out, you can listen 🎧 here on The Safety Training Net site. I’ve also created a study guide for VIPs (link below) who want to go deeper.

Finally, I have created a new activity, Disruptors and Fixers, for VIP subscribers to help train others on EI and why it’s important. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

VIPs also have access to a sample EI PowerPoint file that can be edited as needed. You can find the access link below.

Safety Training Calendar

Each year, I share a Safety Training Calendar that highlights significant events in safety and health, as well as suggested training topics for each month. This year, I’ve also included a download link with each month that leads to a related activity. You can download the 2025 Calendar here.

In the past, several major explosions occurred in the month of January, including the Methane Explosion in the Sago Mine (2006), the Boston Molasses Explosion (1919), and the Burns Lake Fire and Explosion (2012). The related activity for January is a Dust Explosion Crossword Puzzle that provides a way to educate trainees on the hazards associated with combustible dusts. You can download the puzzle using the QR code on the calendar or here.

Note: If you aren’t familiar with why crossword puzzles can be great learning activities, you can read why in a post on the SafetyFUNdamentals blog.

Game On!

Welcome to a new section of The Safety Training Net where subscribers share their favorite safety training activity. This month, subscriber Brandy Zadoorian has graciously shared her Safety Jenga game and provided the file for download. Brandy’s example was created for a suicide prevention awareness class but you can easily adapt it for any topic. Thanks for sharing Brandy!

Brandy received a free year of VIP membership as a thank-you for sharing her activity. If you would like to share your favorite activity and help other safety trainers, please reply to this email and let me know. Thanks!

VIP Section

Hi VIP! Thank you so much for being a paid subscriber and supporting this newsletter. Many of the resources in this newsletter are only available to you and these download links are provided in the section below. The Safety Training Net is still only $50/year so if you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please use the button below to refer them to this site. Thank you!

Refer a friend

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If you read the December 2023 VIP issue, you will be familiar with Upskilling in 2024. This chart includes suggested areas for professional development and each month, I include content on one of the topics as it relates to safety training. This month, we are upskilling in the area of Extreme Weather.

Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes, heat waves, and blizzards, present significant challenges to workplace safety and health. Natural disasters not only disrupt business operations but also endanger employees, equipment, and facilities. Being proactive and prepared is crucial for minimizing risks and ensuring worker well-being during these events. Safety trainers can help organizations and individuals to be prepared.

Extreme weather poses three primary categories of risks:

• Physical Hazards: These hazards involve direct threats to the physical safety of workers. For example, hurricanes and tornadoes can cause structural damage, falling debris, and flooding, increasing risks of injury. Earthquakes may collapse buildings and create hazardous conditions like gas leaks and fires. Blizzards can lead to icy surfaces, increasing the likelihood of slips, trips, and falls.

• Health Risks: Extreme weather can lead to various health issues for workers. Heat waves can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke, especially for those working outdoors. Forest fires introduce poor air quality and respiratory issues due to smoke inhalation. Prolonged cold exposure during blizzards can lead to frostbite or hypothermia.

• Mental and Emotional Hazards: The stress and trauma associated with extreme weather events can also impact workers' mental and emotional well-being. Witnessing destruction, experiencing loss, and facing uncertainty can lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Real-World Examples

Several historical events illustrate the devastating impact of extreme weather on workplaces:

• Hurricane Katrina (2005): This hurricane devastated the Gulf Coast, destroying infrastructure and workplaces. Many employees in essential services, including healthcare and emergency response, faced hazardous conditions, including exposure to floodwaters contaminated with sewage and chemicals. This disaster highlighted the importance of robust evacuation plans and training for high-risk industries.

• Joplin, Missouri Tornado (2011): This EF-5 tornado leveled much of Joplin, including businesses like the local hospital. Employees in retail and manufacturing faced building collapses and injuries from flying debris. Companies with tornado shelters and practiced emergency drills reported fewer injuries and fatalities among employees.

• Camp Fire, California (2018): This fire destroyed the town of Paradise, California, including many workplaces. Workers faced evacuation challenges, smoke inhalation, and loss of livelihoods. Businesses with clear evacuation plans and air filtration systems were better equipped to protect their employees.

Preparedness is Key

The examples above demonstrate that preparedness is crucial for minimizing risks during extreme weather events. Employers should:

• Develop a Comprehensive Emergency Plan: This plan should include evacuation and shelter-in-place protocols tailored to specific weather risks. A designated team should monitor weather updates and communicate timely information to employees. Safety trainers can help facilitate relevant training and drills.

• Provide Training and Resources: Workers should be educated on safety practices for various weather conditions. They should have access to emergency supplies like first aid kits, flashlights, water, and protective gear.

• Maintain Safe Work Environments: Structures, machinery, and hazardous materials should be inspected and secured. Investing in backup systems for power and communication can help maintain operations during outages.

• Promote Health & Wellbeing: Offering resources for physical and mental health support, including counseling and stress management programs, can help employees cope with the aftermath of extreme weather events. Employers should also encourage hydration and regular breaks during extreme heat or cold.

VIP Subscribers have access to a new related training activity, Extreme Weather: Don’t Take Your Chances, which educates trainees about different types of extreme weather as well as precautions, and follow-up actions for each type of weather emergency (download link in the VIP section). I created an accompanying YouTube video that can be used with the activity which is available to all on the SafetyFUNdamentals YouTube channel.

Kick Start Your 2025 Learning

I talk a lot about upskilling in this newsletter, and that’s because I am a firm believer in Marshall Goldsmith’s words, “What got you here won’t get you there.” Everyone - regardless of their job title or years of experience, needs to strive to improve continuously.

Thanks to the wealth of free online information, there is always somewhere easy to start in any professional development journey. Once you are diving deeper, it may be worth investing in paid resources. The options below offer a mix of providers that can help you to learn just about anything.

Coursera: Offers various courses from universities and companies worldwide.

Khan Academy: Provides free educational resources covering subjects from math to science and more.

edX: Features courses from top universities and institutions across various disciplines.

Udacity: Focuses on vocational courses for professionals, particularly in tech fields.

MIT OpenCourseWare: Offers free lecture notes, exams, and videos from MIT courses.

IBM SkillsBuild: Provides free digital training in STEM, IT, and other sciences.

For subscribers who are also members of the American Society of Safety Professionals, there are a number of free learning opportunities available on the ASSP website. Even if you are not an ASSP member, there are also some resources available to you.

What are you looking forward to learning next year?

Leave a comment

Holiday Cooking and Food Prep Hazard Hunt

The holiday season is synonymous with festive meals and family gatherings. However, improper food handling can lead to foodborne illnesses. To help ensure your family and workplace celebrations remain safe, consider sharing the following with anyone involved with food preparations.

Safe Grocery Shopping: When shopping, pick up perishable items like turkey and dairy products at the end of your trip to keep them cold longer. Ensure that meat and poultry packaging is intact and free from leaks to prevent cross-contamination.

Proper Food Storage: Store perishable foods in the refrigerator within two hours of purchase or preparation to inhibit bacterial growth. Instead of aluminum foil, use airtight containers to store leftovers, minimizing exposure to oxygen and reducing bacterial growth.

Thawing and Cooking: Thaw frozen meats in the refrigerator, and avoid thawing at room temperature to prevent bacterial proliferation. When cooking, use a food thermometer to ensure meats reach a safe internal temperature of—165°F for poultry.

Serving and Leftovers: Mind the Two-Hour Rule: - Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours. Beyond this, bacteria can multiply to unsafe levels. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F.

I created the above Cooking and Food Prep Hazard Hunt you can use to start these discussions at work, and with home cooks. You can download it, and answer key, here.

Finally, here is a great illustration about food safety from NPR.

Last month, I mentioned my latest book project, The Wiley Guide to Strategies, Ideas, and Applications for Implementing a Total Worker Health Program, and I finally received my copies. It’s amazing to see 2+ years of work compressed into 465 pages. You can see my excitement here.

If you are interested in Total Worker Health or want to learn more, I think you’ll agree that it’s a great new resource for the safety and health community.

Introducing….

I believe all Safety and Health professionals should be published. We each have so much good information to share, and it doesn’t do anyone any good if it only stays in ONE head! Adding “author” to your resume has many benefits. I love helping others to get published, which is why I wanted to try the role of Editor with the TWH book project shown above.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I’d love to help you get published, too! Starting in January, I am kicking off a Safety Writers Accountability Group (SWAG), and you are invited to join. If you are interested, let me know by adding your name and email here, and I will send you the details. For this first cohort, I am limiting the group size to 10, and spots will be allotted based on the order of sign-up. If you have ever thought of writing an article, an eBook, a book chapter, or even a complete book, this group is for you!

In case you missed it, last month I announced a new newsletter created by the authors of the TWH book mentioned above. If you are interested in learning more, click here or scan the code below.

Worker Health and Wellbeing Newsletter

What’s In Your Bag ?

It’s the end of 2024 and the end of the What’s In Your Bag feature. Thank you so much to subscribers Skipper Kendrick, Chris Garza, Pat Karol, Stacey Brooks, Joann Robertson, Joey Shibata, Dan Hopwood, and Sarah Bogner for sharing what you carry so that you are always prepared when delivering training and presentations. You’ve given thousands of subscribers great ideas and resources! Thank you from all of us!

Starting in January, there will be a new twist to What’s In Your Bag and this section will now showcase the favorite training activities of subscribers. Do you have one to share? Simply reply to this email or comment below. Thanks!

PS - to bribe you to share your favorite activity and be featured in a future newsletter, I will give you (or someone you name) a free month of VIP membership in exchange for your participation :)

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What’s Up in January?

Yes - it’s almost the start of a New Year! VIP Subscribers will receive the Safety Training Calendar for 2025 separately, which will highlight important events in health and safety that are celebrated and recognized each month in addition to a related activity. If you are not a paid subscriber, consider upgrading today to get this and all VIP content that has been shared since 2021!

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UpSkilling Year in Review - for VIPs

2024 was the first year I added monthly upskilling topics to this newsletter. We covered a lot of topics - everything from AI to Weather. I have put all of the upskilling information found in the 12 newsletter issues in one document, along with review questions. Hopefully, this will help you access this new information more easily and will provide you with a way to test how much you remember. If you weren’t a VIP subscriber at the beginning of 2024, remember you have access to all issues and content since the newsletter was started in 2021. The download link can be found in the VIP section below.

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