I work for a chemical manufacturer. Our plant sites provide OJT technical training for new hires, as well as refresher training for employees who have been with the organization for awhile (often mandated by OSHA and ISO). While I am not involved in the technical training delivered at our sites, I've been asked to research best practices and make recommendations for providing improved manufacturing/technical/OJT training. The impetus for this request comes from the fact that some of our sites have experienced operator errors. Safety managers believe because there's no standard training procedure in place (i.e., no best practice followed)across the organization, that we're falling short in the quality of the training that's being delivered. Typically technical plant training is offered by the person who is most senior on the job. (My guess is that individual is not properly trained in how to teach others, which is contributing to part of the problem.) I'd appreciate any resources you could provide that speak to training best practices in the manufacturing industry. Thanks!

Sher: Root causes for operators errors may come from several sources.(documentation,communication,environment, etc) If that is a big issue, this is an idea, set up a task force gather data, define the root cause and resolve each one in a systemic way. It is important that training procedures and materials to become standarized, but that not doesn't mean the problem will be solved.

Good luck,

Serra
www.comunicasolutions.com

Hi Sher

This is an issue I've come across as training manager in a number of industries - aviation, medical devices manufacture, semiconductor manufacture, security services, port operations and so on.

One common issue across all these, and I suspect for the situation you describe is standards:

1 - Standards of performance and behaviours need to be very clearly and explicitly defined for all activities that either impact on safety, commercial risk or on customer satisfaction. This is a big job to do from scratch, but well worth it. The solution? Develop standards incorporating precise descriptions of each step/action, minimum measures/levels to be achieved and by when, and conditions under which these should be achieved.

2 - Standards of instructor. It's not enough to use the most senior operator - sometimes (too often!) this is the worst thing to do! The solution here is to (a) select trainers with the right attitude - adherence to standards and enthusiasm to instruct others, (b) train them to national standards of instructor delivery, (c) assess standards of each instructor and feedback to instructors on regular basis - at least once every 6 months, and support with coaching etc to ensure they maintain their delivery standards.

3 - Standards of assessment. Train instructors to be assessors too, ensure instructors do not carry out final assessment on their own 'students', and use confidence-based assessment if possible to be sure 'students' are leaving the training system with the appropriate knowledge held with confidence. Have 2 standards - 1st is the standard to be reached at the end of the defined training period, called the Training Performance Standard or TPS. The second standard is the minimum standard to be demonstrated by the workforce and is the Operational Performance Standard or OPS. OPS to be achieved and maintained within for example 3 months of completing training - failure to do so means 'student' isn't signed off as competent and needs extra help - continued failure to achieve OPS may result in redeployment to alternate role or termination.

4 - Assess competence against these standards at least every couple of years or more frequently if very critical, and certainly if operator hasn't performed a particular task in say more than 3 months. In such cases expect to have to give refresher training, but only in areas where assessed as non-competent.

I hope this gives you food for thought. It is a big job to get in place, but once it is there the accident and error rates go way dowm, along with associated costs, and productivity and service levels (and morale) go way up - bonus!!

Best wishes,

Martin

Sher,

Don't let the Safety Managers put the horse in front of the cart here.

quote:

Safety managers believe because there's no standard training procedure in place (i.e., no best practice followed)across the organization, that we're falling short in the quality of the training that's being delivered.

In my experience, training is often the first place in a manufacturing setting that people will start to look at. I'd ask them how they know that training would solve this problem.

As Martin states, there are many issues to consider here. IMO a thorough front-end analysis of the problem is warranted. I'd be happy to help you through this process if you need assistance.

Don

Sher,

I can share best practices with you for OJT in a manufacturing environment. Your situation is common. But you are smarter than most in that you realize that there is a problem - because of error rates. You need written training modules - these can also double as SOPs with a simple cut and paste.

I have a background in engineering, psychology, and training and have spent the past 16 years on the same problems you are having.

I suspect that the OJT training in place now is the degenerating buddy system of OJT - i.e., Joe teaches Sally; Sally teaches Ron; Ron teaches..........and so on. The result is often worse than no training at all. In fact, that's about all it is.

You need a structured OJT system. An OJT system that involves employee teams in its development. It's much, much faster with teams than if an individual or two try to do it. You get much better training and buy-in from the employees.

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