Safety Training Net - April '25 🎲 🚛🌏🔎⛺️
Gamification, Connect Five & Stay Alive PPT Activity, Earth Day, Hazard Hunter, Summer Camp Announcement, AI Action Figures
Happy Spring! It’s hard to believe we are already well into the 2nd quarter of the year. If you made New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of the year, I hope you are having success. If not, it’s never too late to make shorter-term plans. The Upskilling chart I provide in each issue can help with that. If you are like me, you like to check off things as they are accomplished. If you have been taking a deep dive into the upskilling topics each month, consider keeping track to celebrate your progress. If you are interested, you can find a tracker here.
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!