Accurate, insightful, and engaging workplace safety training can mean the difference between life and death. In industries where hazards and injuries are common, such as construction and logistics, and where workers put their lives at risk every day, the importance of training that’s not only purposeful but applicable to all workers cannot be understated.
Yet all too often, safety training programmes focus too much on the capabilities and responsibilities of able-bodied workers, fundamentally ignoring gaps that can compromise compliance and worker wellbeing. Many legacy training programmes contain flaws and biases that perpetuate ideals that aren’t inclusive by nature, or they are not delivered in a way that others can easily grasp.
Creating genuinely inclusive safety training programmes isn’t a tick-box exercise to meet diversity and inclusion targets, nor should it be. It’s a process that every organisation must adopt to ensure every worker, regardless of their background, abilities, learning style, or other physical characteristics, can access the vital and potentially life-saving information they need.
Traditional workplace safety training material regularly assumes a one-size-fits-all narrative. This occurs to the point where corporate programmes are often delivered en masse to workers in a range of industries, despite the material lacking nuances and specifics of their role.
However, employers must take note of the diverse needs and requirements that workers bring to the table. For example, individuals may have visual or hearing impairments, be neurodivergent or possess physical conditions that prevent intensive manual labour. Similarly, a wide range of cultural backgrounds may mean some individuals are not proficient in English, limiting their comprehension. If safety training fails to accommodate these differences, it can be not just inconsiderate, but dangerous. Should someone not understand inferred messages or instructions, it can cause accidents, regulatory violations and costly fines, but it could, more significantly, affect human life.
Recent HSE data found that workplace injuries cost UK businesses over £20 billion each year. That comes through a mixture of compensation claims, production delays, and regulatory penalties, further illustrating how detrimental poor health and safety etiquette can be for businesses. When workers cannot fully engage with safety protocols due to accessibility barriers, these risks multiply exponentially.
So, what can employers do to ensure their training material encompasses a broader range of needs to enhance overall understanding?
The content and design of training material must be more inclusive, with materials available to satisfy all learning types. For example, while PowerPoint presentations might work for some, other workers may require screen readers to interpret the material, so these must be converted to readable formats.
When using video content for safety demonstrations or examples, material must be saved in widely supported file formats like MP4, which maintain the desired quality while being compatible with assistive technologies. It’s widely recommended to review video containers and whether they include chapters, bookmarks, thumbnails, subtitles, closed captions, and other metadata to ensure trainees can learn in their preferred style and at a pace that suits them. Captions and transcripts must be integrated from the early stages to ensure that trainees with hearing difficulties can absorb and digest the training material.
Visual elements themselves require particular attention in any safety training programme. Every image, diagram, flowchart, or infographic must contain relevant alt text that describes the intended message and contents of the image, which are essential for visually impaired users. For example, instead of labelling an image as “safety equipment”, describe it as “worker wearing hard hat, safety goggles and high-visibility vest, while operating a crane”. This level of detail ensures that vital safety information isn’t lost in translation.
Safety training must also be linguistically inclusive, especially when being deployed in industries with a diverse workforce. This involves more than simply providing a professionally translated copy, but also ensuring that it accounts for varying levels of technical literacy. Idioms, slang, acronyms and syntax will vary between professionals across cultures, so it’s important to ensure the absence of barriers for employees just starting, or those with different native tongues.
A good general rule of thumb to uphold is to provide the full name after a popular acronym, such as “PPE (Personal Protective Equipment”, or “COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)”. While these acronyms may be second-nature to seasoned workers, this process ensures that non-native speakers and new employees can understand exactly what’s intended.
When developing scenario-based training exercises, where possible, reflect diverse workplace realities while avoiding outdated stereotypes. A safety scenario featuring only male construction workers, for example, fails to account for women in the space.
Everybody processes safety information in their own way; some workers thrive in hands-on learning exercises while others prefer a slower pace with a bit more freedom. To satisfy all worker preferences, it’s important that employers offer diverse learning pathways, ensuring complete coverage across their teams.
Consider implementing a hybrid of face-to-face demonstrations, classroom briefings, and online modules, for example. This ensures that workers can engage with material through their preferred learning style without hindering the intended message. Self-paced options can be particularly valuable for shift workers or those with irregular schedules.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is finding its way in more interactive material nowadays, which further illustrates the need to address technological bias. Even if AI has partially helped create material to expedite the process, it would be naive to overlook the propensity for AI algorithms to perpetuate biases or stereotypes, thus possibly excluding certain groups from safety briefings. It could, also, despite the presence of natural language processing, fail to or misinterpret diverse accents in automated caption or transcript generation.
When using AI for safety training, ensure comprehensive testing across your workforce. Material that works for one demographic may not translate to or be received well by others, so regularly auditing material for inclusivity is good etiquette to uphold.
Contemporary safety training can now incorporate wearable technology that can monitor environmental hazards and provide real-time alerts, improving situational awareness and augmented response procedures. While the benefits are apparent, these systems must, however, be designed with inclusive principles in mind. Employers should consider how physical ailments might affect device operability, and confirm that alerts can be triggered to account for different sensory preferences, just as two examples.
Training on wearable safety technology should itself be inclusive, with hands-on sessions that accommodate different learning styles and abilities. This ensures that the technology serves its intended purpose of protecting all workers, not just those who fit a particular profile.
Inclusive safety training must become part of the very fabric of your enterprise if you are to see its true effectiveness. It’s not shameful to solicit feedback from employees across different backgrounds and abilities to see where pertinent gaps and improvement opportunities exist in your current material. This feedback should be proactively sought and acted upon, demonstrating your ongoing commitment to inclusive training and upholding the highest safety standards.
It cannot be emphasised enough how worker safety, when engaging workers and making them feel valued and accommodated, improves overall workplace safety hygiene. If they engage more positively and enthusiastically with up-to-date material, it creates a cycle that benefits all parties.
Inclusive safety training ensures all employees—regardless of their physical abilities, language proficiency, or learning style—can fully understand and engage with workplace safety protocols.
Many traditional programmes assume a one-size-fits-all approach, neglecting the needs of people with disabilities, non-native English speakers, or neurodivergent individuals. This creates dangerous gaps in understanding and compliance.
Use closed captions, transcripts, alt text for images, screen-reader friendly formats, and avoid jargon or unexplained acronyms. Also, offer content in multiple languages and formats (video, audio, text).
AI-generated content or captions can carry built-in biases and may not accurately interpret diverse accents or learning preferences. Regular auditing ensures the material remains fair, accessible, and effective for all.
Inclusive safety training reduces the risk of accidents, lowers legal and financial liabilities, fosters a culture of respect and inclusion, and ensures all workers feel valued and protected.
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