Today, the mobile equipment operator safety training marketplace offers two programs from which to choose, open enrolment or onsite operator training.

Deciding which program is right for your mobile equipment training requirements can be a dilemma. The following information will help you make the right decision for your operators and your company.

Open enrolment operator programs

The open enrolment program is primarily geared towards smaller companies with one, two or three operators on staff or to individuals looking to gain credentials for job searching who do not have access to equipment or a worksite.

Held at a neutral site, using equipment one may or may not see/operate again, the programs cover general operation, techniques, and regulatory requirements and focus on equipment at the site at that time. The downfall is the programs cannot cover the unique site and equipment specific issues encountered at your worksite.

These programs serve a purpose. However, open enrolment programs will not technically meet site and equipment specific requirements outlined in current regulations and industry standards. This could leave the door open for the possibility of liability, if no additional onsite training or evaluation is conducted and documented by a qualified individual.

Mobile equipment operators trained at open enrolment programs still require site and equipment specific training at their own workplaces to be compliant with applicable regulations and industry standards.

This can be daunting if a company does not have a qualified individual on staff who can conduct appropriate training and provide the necessary documentation, proving that company operators are qualified according to applicable regulations and industry standards. Lacking such a qualified staff person, a company must bring in an outside company to conduct the training and evaluation. The expense can more than double your initial training costs.

Open enrolment programs therefore are a quick fix solution because they are only the beginning of a mobile equipment operator's training program, not a complete operator program that focuses on the unique characteristics of your specific worksite and equipment.

Onsite training

This program is delivered at your work site, using your equipment and focusing on your unique needs and situations. This option will meet or exceed applicable regulations and industry standards, providing it is delivered by a qualified individual who has the knowledge, training and experience to deliver a regulatory compliant operator program and attest to an individual's competency.

Here are a few examples of the benefits of site and equipment specific training:

• Meet site and equipment specific requirements outlined in regulations and industry standards.
• Documentation created from the site and equipment specific training will help limit your liability risks.
• Allow individuals taking the training to focus their questions and concerns directly on their equipment and their site, which will present a clearer picture of what their responsibilities are.
• Less costly in the long run.
• A giant step toward ensuring the health and safety of all staff in the working environment.

If onsite training is not conducted, the things that make each site unique will be missed. That could cause an accident/incident or, worse, a fatality. Protect your operators, and your company.

When deciding which training route to take, weigh your options carefully. Try to visualise all possible scenarios and, if one option meets your needs over another, invest in that option. But never take unnecessary risks for the want of spending a bit more money upfront. It could substantially reduce the return on that investment.

Don't roll the dice when deciding which program to take. A professional decision is a safety first decision.

Kent O'Sullivan is a Certified Master Instructor Trainer with The Columbia Compliance Group. Columbia Compliance Group is a safety consulting firm that specialises in offering professional mobile equipment safety training programs & publications throughout North America.