5 Ways to Ensure Safety and Compliance in Manufacturing with eLearning

Safety and Compliance though important for every industry, have an extra impact on the manufacturing sector owing to its operational magnitude. According to a National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) report, “Manufacturers pay $19,564 per employee on average to comply with federal regulations, or nearly double the $9,991 per employee costs borne by all firms as a whole.” Quite a huge cost to incur when cost optimization is a priority.

With global business operations, following U.S. regulations becomes crucial for most organizations as it defines global standards. This also requires staying in the loop with the regulations related to various markets, which are influenced by the constant flux, the changing technologies, strategies, and the political environment. The most common Safety and Compliance requirements in manufacturing defined by Occupational Safety and Health Act, or OSHA, are for Protective Equipment, Hazard assessment, Safety training, and Hazardous chemicals. The set guidelines here are to measure, process, and mitigate risks. Compliance, however, isn’t limited to these regulations alone but also demands that the employees and business partners stay abreast with the latest policy changes and keep the risk to the minimum.

Safety and Compliance in manufacturing, while closely associated with costs, also improve quality and efficiency and helps in avoiding severe repercussions. Safety and Compliance hinge on equipment safety, regular checks, and resource allocations to ensure standards are adhered to. While manufacturers spend a lot to comply with the regulatory reforms, it also requires employees to work alongside, which calls for robust training. And with everything going digital, it is more about strategic custom eLearning services for industry over everything else. On that note, here are 5 ways to Ensure Safety and Compliance in Manufacturing with eLearning.

1. Bridge the Skill Gap

A manufacturing unit is chaotic, with machines and automation that are constantly being upgraded, and this poses an enormous challenge for the employees involved. While the need to be tech-savvy is a given, the workers need to be constantly upskilled to reduce risks and to keep the process running with minimum supervision. e-Learning that focuses on the skills required in the manufacturing sector along with critical thinking, decision making, etc., can help in equipping the employees to ensure safety while adhering to the compliance standards. An LMS (Learning Management System) here comes in handy, as uploading and deploying fresh courses becomes easier and faster.

2. Scenarios, Simulations, and Videos that Hit the Mark

The major challenge for compliance training is the subject itself. With the complex concepts and procedures involved, it is imperative that the training method needs to be innovative and interactive. For discussing safety and Compliance, the effectiveness of scenarios, simulation, and videos have been exceptional. We can break complex concepts into simpler chapters that are easy to follow through these e-Learning models. Scenarios and simulations have proven to be more engaging and aid in better retention of the information.

3. Mobility and Microlearning for On-time Assistance

e-Learning provides learning mobility while ensuring the quality of training. The device-agnostic nature of e-Learning supports the ‘on the move’ lifestyle of manufacturing industry employees. Forget the traditional, scheduled learning; e-Learning gives learners the freedom to learn when they want, on a device of their choice. It gives learners the freedom to learn on the go. Small nuggets of learning can provide on-time training and learning reinforcement.

4. Simplified Training and Any-time Access

In a sector as diverse as manufacturing, e-Learning gives employees a choice to access learning at any point in the day, be it during downtime or transit. The location for learning no longer matters. Manufacturing companies often work from various locations or sites and different time zones, and with e-Learning, training is no longer time-bound. Arranging and coordinating multiple training courses can be costly and time-consuming too. e-Learning not only reduces the overhead costs but also simplifies the complex training process by creating a centralized portal from where all learning becomes accessible.

5. Real-time Updates at no added Cost

Organizations often consider non-compliance to be easier in comparison with the exhaustive, time-consuming compliance-based tasks and the bottlenecks. However, E-learning is the right tool that can simplify the process and ensures that it remains the same across the system and departments. Automated updates, reviews, and notifications related to recent changes or policies can help employees stay on the same page and align their tasks and processes with safety and compliance needs. In addition, through an LMS, learning modules can be accessed at any point and time for quick recall.

LMS For Manufacturing Business

While e-Learning on its own is quite effective, a trusted and flexible LMS can help in ensuring safety and Compliance to a greater extent, and take care of the training requirements, too. Having an LMS helps in keeping track of how and when the employees access the training, whether they complete the assigned courses, and in analyzing how well the subject has been relayed. With an LMS in the picture, issuing certificates and reassigning courses, sharing instant updates, etc., becomes easier.

Why Choose Digicode?

Digicode works towards building a trained workforce with better productivity, improved quality that ensures Compliance and Safety. With the rapid development of sophisticated eLearning environments, increasing volumes and varieties of data are being generated, and data analysis has moved on to more complex techniques, such as data engineering services and learning analytics.

The customized LMS and e-Learning created by Digicode can help organizations from various sectors like manufacturing, construction, oil & gas, etc. Digicode provides customized LMSs, creating e-Learning to implement SOPs (Standard operating procedures) and artificial intelligence in education, to ensure compliance (standards like OSHA, EPA), and to adhere to safety best practices in challenging work environments. With proven project management skills and experience in e-Learning development, providing learning management system development services, and manufacturing predictive analytics and training that fits the needs, Digicode is a chosen partner for organizations across the globe.