Danny Maron, owner/trainer of Ideal Forklift Training in Canada's national capital, is an independent consultant, providing the education lift truck operators require, to businesses and government, to minimise the chance of incidents in the workplace. Before founding Ideal in 2000, Danny was a trainer at Canada's largest forklift dealer.
I recently commenced a refresher training session with a client for sit-down propane-powered forklifts. I was about to proceed with my third refresher program which reviews the engineering principles and liabilities, but stresses proper driving and load handling techniques and operational rules. One of the participants was new to me, but he did have a permit from his previous two training sessions.
I am familiar with both training companies, one being a large forklift dealership and the other was an in-house trainer at another company.
I began testing his knowledge and found it lacking, so I asked how much time was spent at the course at the dealership. His answer was four hours, beginning to end, including breaks. This shocked me, especially since this dealer is a reputable establishment, and certainly respected for its products and service. Four hours to learn and be tested on the sit-down counterbalance propane-powered forklift, narrow-aisle reach and battery! A mere four hours? And for initial training? What was taught, or not taught?
To cut a long story short, I called in his supervisor, explained the situation, and the supervisor agreed with me that this person needed to attend the 'new' operator's training the following week.
This situation is not uncommon. I recently held a session at a new client's facility for 10 people, three or four of whom had current permits and had been previously trained by various training companies. Since there were individuals with no prior training, I reverted back to my initial training program. These previously trained individuals were blown away, realising the amount of information that had not been presented to them the first time. And all were extremely nervous when it came time to write the tests. They all did fine - not perfect, but fine.
I lose contracts because I refuse to do a refresher course for companies that have had their staff trained elsewhere. They get frustrated with me because I require the participants for a full day. It's not a pricing issue as I don't charge more for it, but they simply don't want to have their staff 'off' for the entire day, nor do they want to put their staff through the stress of repeating the course, even though what they will learn is streets ahead of what they have done to date.
I am expected to sign off on documentation that could possible render me liable, should something go wrong. And I have to sign off based upon some other trainer's teachings. Even though I provide the refresher, content that is explained in exhaustive detail the first time may be skimmed over during the second or even third-time refreshers. I do not trust what other trainers teach, nor am I impressed with their "in-out, collect the cheque" policy.
If one takes the responsibility to educate others on a particular subject, especially regarding safety, then take the time to do it properly. People and companies are putting their trust in the trainer to hopefully minimise incidents in the workplace. If a trainer is more concerned about getting the cheque, cutting out early, and doing their own thing for the balance of the day, my suggestion is to get out of the business - and just work somewhere in an eight-to-four office position. A trainer has a certain amount of responsibility and liability, and therefore must have the dedication to the profession. Anyone not up to delivering a session in detail, completely, should not even bother educating others, especially when lives may depend on their so-called teachings.
The problem stems from governments. They make laws, put fancy numbers for each of the hundred or so paragraphs, throw in a lot of grey-area lingo and call it law. If very loose guidelines are put into place, specifying what is expected of a trainer, then what accreditation exists out there? And since safety trainers are not licensed or observed, at least here in Canada, everybody does their own thing. Training standards do not exist. So why should I sign off on someone else's shoddy initial training when my refresher is more in-depth, and longer, for that matter?
I shall continue to turn down inquiries where the manager requests refresher training for staff already trained by other individuals or companies. My philosophy is that if I trained you the first, second, or even third time, you are more than welcome to attend my refresher courses. If you have been trained by anyone else (with the exception of a couple other training organisations in Canada), I will not do your refresher training. I am happy, however, to conduct the initial training.
Employees or prospective employees do what they are told, and simply seek out the cheapest, closest training. Companies tend to like "nice guy" trainers, especially when they're quick and cheap, but few have any idea of the type of training that is being delivered to them or their staff.
For my part, I'm stickin' to my guns and refusin' to refresher train any staff who have not been trained by my company initially. Take it, or leave it!