Refresher training courses and toolbox talks

Learn it again, Sam. And again. And again ...

“Wait – what am I supposed to do again if I come across someone who’s unconscious?” That question may one day come up for people who don’t have to attend a first aid class every two years as part of their job. Hopefully, this will happen during refresher training and not in an emergency.

That is the very reason why the law requires regular refresher classes and toolbox talks for a whole range of qualifications and certifications. They are especially important at an environment like Industriepark Höchst : Chemical and pharmaceutical employees are exposed to many different safety-related processes and situations.

There are a few things that all regular refresher training classes have in common: If you don’t think of them in time, you’ll wake up one day and your license will be gone. They never fit in with your schedule. And they can get boring very quickly if you have attended them over and over again. It helps to have a training provider who knows about these challenges and handles them for you.

At Industriepark Höchst, this provider is Infraserv Höchst. We are happy to support you and your employees with company training schedules with reminders. Self-scheduled e-learning modules minimize scheduling conflicts. And to keep things interesting, many refresher courses offer the option of focusing on different things each time.

First things first, though: Who actually needs to attend refresher training and toolbox talks?
Some examples:

• Forklift operators obviously require regular training – but so do any coworkers who might step in front of a moving forklift. Operators are recommended to take an advanced course every two to three years after obtaining their license. Toolbox talks are due annually. The “walkers” in the company also need to attend toolbox talks annually. All training courses and toolbox talks can be completed either as an e-learning module or in a classroom.
• For activities that require a written permit to work, refresher training is recommended every two to three years after the initial training. Anyone who acquired a written permit to work in 2019 needs to take the training this year! Additional training can take the form of a workshop where current issues are discussed. Other possible options are modular training courses on topics such as LOTO (lockout tagout system for technical maintenance) or entering containers and confined spaces.

It is not always possible to clearly define whether the continuing education course is considered full-fledged training or a toolbox talk. In most cases, training refers to a course or educational program on a specifically defined topic: It teaches the knowledge, skills and experience required to perform a task.

Toolbox talks, on the other hand, tend to focus on safe workplace behavior. They cover possible hazards, precautions, rules of conduct and emergency procedures, including drills as appropriate. Toolbox talks must be repeated as often as required, but at least once a year, and must be documented. This is required by DGUV Regulation 1 Principles of Prevention in conjunction with § 12 of the German Occupational Health and Safety Act.

We offer different training formats to maximize the results for you!

In addition to schedules structured as simple lists with reminders, you can also order a planning module within an integrated health and safety software solution for organizing refresher classes and toolbox talks. Customized education planning tools are another option. They assign training or toolbox talk topics to specific roles in the company and define the required intervals. Depending on whether the content is provided live or in the form of e-learning (blended learning), such tools can automatically assign e-learning modules.

Content design requires special attention, not only for classroom training but especially for e-learning . At Infraserv Höchst, we know how quickly students would tire of seeing the same slides and multiple-choice tests every year. That’s why we focus on incorporating variety into our programs. Toolbox talks, for example, offer the opportunity to highlight different focal points each time: practical application, case studies of typical accidents or even current events.

ZEUS is Infraserv’s cutting-edge training system – and is not limited to the companies at Industriepark Höchst. We are happy to look into what we can do for you even if you are located outside our “home port.”