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WorkSmart: A Warehouse Safety Video and Curriculum for Employees with Developmental Disabilities*
RS2007-IG06
Final Report Date: November 2008
| Principal Applicant: | Kirsti Inglis (Developmental Disabilities Association) |
| Co-Applicant: | Deanne Ziebart (Developmental Disabilities Association) |
For more information about this project, or to obtain a copy of the video, please contact Deanne Ziebart.
*In partnership with the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Issue
As more individuals with developmental disabilities enter the workforce there is a growing need for accessible safety training tools. Persons with developmental disabilities learn best through dynamic training approaches that include plain, jargon free language, visual demonstrations, practical ‘hands on’ learning and repetition. A review of current training materials revealed that there are limited training tools and videos available that meet these unique learning needs. To address this gap, this project developed a safety course for individuals with developmental disabilities working in entry level warehouse positions.
Key findings
- A two hour warehouse safety training program for individuals with developmental disabilities was developed. Training tools include a ten minute video, facilitator’s guide, employee handbook and pictorial participant quiz.
- Pilot testing found that participants enjoyed the course, gained new information and transferred their learning to the workplace.
- The project team is refining the course materials and plans to share them more broadly in the future.
Objectives
- To create a workplace safety training tool and video for workers with developmental disabilities working in entry level warehouse positions
Methods
The project team developed a training curriculum, accompanying video and assessment tools, covering six key learning areas:
- general understanding of warehouse hazards and recognition of signage
- wearing the right clothing
- tripping and slipping hazards
- respecting equipment and receiving training before operating equipment
- using common warehouse tools like box cutters, tape guns and hand trucks
- lifting correctly
The course was pilot tested with 36 individuals with developmental disabilities employed in entry level warehouse positions, in groups of 10-12 participants at a time. The course was evaluated through three assessment tools: a pictorial quiz completed by participants before and after the course, a participant satisfaction survey, and workplace supervisor ratings of employees’ pre- and post- course workplace safety skill levels.
Results
- Participant satisfaction surveys showed that all participants found the workshop and video interesting, helpful and easy to follow, and all but two participants reported gaining new information.
- Ratings of employee safety practices by workplace supervisors increased by an average of 18 percent after the training compared with before the training. Supervisors noted observing specific improvements such as “a heightened awareness of safe practices in the workplace” and workers reminding each other to correctly store the blade of a box cutter while not in use.
- Participant scores on the pictorial quiz were high (about 90%) both before and after the course, and did not show any significant change.
Conclusions
The pilot test results demonstrate that the project was successful in creating an accessible training tool for entry level warehouse employees with developmental disabilities. The participant satisfaction surveys indicate that employees enjoyed the training and found it to be accessible, while ratings by supervisors suggest that workers were transferring learning to the workplace. The results of the participant quiz (high scores both before and after training) suggest the quiz was too easy and needs to be refined, and that many trainees had existing knowledge from working and previous orientations.
Future directions
The project team plans to refine the training tools so they can be shared with a wider audience. Refinements will include adjusting the participant pictorial quiz so that it is a better assessment of learning from the course.
Publications and Presentations
Warehouse Safety (DVD of the video for the course)