Introducing mandatory training systems? Investigating the introduction of compulsory pre-site construction training Sue Bahn and Llandis Barratt-Pugh ECU SoM FB&L AVETRA Melbourne

Cutting corners: how pre-site Construction Induction Training improves work safety but illuminates the issues of online certification. Dr Susanne Bahn Dr Llandis Barratt-Pugh AVETRA Canberra

Where we are going…. Where we are going…. What is it about? – Mandatory Pre Site training What is it about? – Mandatory Pre Site training Setting the scene of the study Setting the scene of the study What we did and how we did it What we did and how we did it What the statistics said What the statistics said What the people said – on paper and in person What the people said – on paper and in person Conclusion - what value has it been for the industry Conclusion - what value has it been for the industry - what voices have been amplified or silenced? - what voices have been amplified or silenced? AVETRA 11

What it is about ….  Construction 11% WA - One of the highest accident rates Incidents on site –– truck reversing – unsecured walls Incidents on site –– truck reversing – unsecured walls Learning as a voluntary activity? Learning as a voluntary activity? How do we change behaviour? How do we change behaviour? Embed instinctive reactions Embed instinctive reactions – for saving lives – for saving lives AVETRA 11

Setting the scene….  Green Card Blue Card White Card  Unit of competency – AQTF  Mandatory induction - before entering a construction site  Delivered face-to-face or online  1, 2, 4, or 8 hour delivery times  Multiple choice assessment  Funded up to 80% by Construction Training Fund

What we focused on….  Pilot commercial – Now Civil&Housing  The study collected industry perceptions of the: .…value and effectiveness of the training  ….the associated relevance of the training activity  ….and the subsequent workplace impact.  Recommendations that can improve the effectiveness of the training.

3 key research questions  How effective has the Construction Induction Training certification system been for the industry?  How effective have the Construction Induction Training practices been for the industry?  How has the Construction Induction Training system impacted upon organisations and safety in the industry?

What we did – mixed mode  Literature review  Accident/incident statistics segregated for the commercial sector by Worksafe WA  Online Questionnaire – distributed twice to 821 managers (5.5%)  Telephone and face to face interviews – 82 managers/supervisors/employees; 17 key stakeholders - focus group with certificators

The Statistics….days lost WA Civil and Housing Const.  2004/5 – 318  2005/6 – 352  2006/7 – 461  2007/8 – 414  2008/9 – 410 Lost time in days (Injuries and disease)

Incident and fatality statistics  Workers in the construction industry are becoming injured more frequently and are sustaining injuries that require longer recovery time than in previous years. But the Perth sky line indicates…..

Worksafe WA interpretation….  Western Australia is in a construction boom  Significant increase in construction projects  With new workers - large and complex projects – high & remote sites projects – high & remote sites  Worksafe expected a greater increase

The Statistics….days lost  2004/5 – ,000  2005/6 – ,000  2006/7 – ,000  2007/8 – ,000  2008/9 – ,000 Lost time in days Employee Growth WA commercial ALL WA construction industry construction

Questionnaire findings

Survey findings….  Nearly all employees perceive the CIT to be of value to the safety awareness of their staff  Half report a measurable benefit to their business  Half believe the CIT assisted their business by reducing accident/incident rates  But – a low response rate

Interview findings….  Face-to-face is better because at least you can ask questions (TRADESMAN).  I thought it was something that we could all do together. I think safety is very important and I just wanted us in a group to do the course together in case somebody had questions or something like that just to sort of add to it a bit because I think it’s okay to go online and complete some questions on the safety but I think it’s a lot better if we can sit around in a room. You get a lot more from it and talk about it (HOUSING MANAGER).  I have to admit when I personally sat my Blue Card and that was through a face- to-face um course it was probably the most painful and boring four hours of my life (CIVIL MANAGER).  We choose face-to-face as a preference but can be time consuming (HOUSING MANAGER).

Interview findings….  Most people can get it without too much effort and they would rather them sitting at the computer from anything from half an hour to an hour and a half in not on their own time (PEAK).  I think they welcome it given that they don’t have a training culture it’s easier, quicker and doesn’t require time off their job (PEAK).  It was convenient because it was at home. I couldn’t get to the place where they were holding it (TRADESMAN).  I have seen some people do the online training now and it definitely streamlines and fast-tracks the program because so many of the questions are so common sense that without having to sit through a tutorial first you can answer a lot of the questions (CIVIL MANAGER).

Interview findings….  I think they prefer the way it’s delivered but they don’t necessarily have respect or appreciate the final outcome as much as if they’d had to sit in a classroom for a whole day, as they would previously (PEAK).  I quite often say hey you’ve got your White Card you should know what you’re doing. They actually probably don’t know what you’re talking about because they’ve done it on the Internet (HOUSING MANAGER).  They don’t really have to demonstrate that they fully understand what they’re been taught when you do it online (HOUSING MANAGER).

Conclusions…. For the industry  Does mandatory pre-site training work?  Participants believed the mandatory CIT had made a positive effect on workplace safety – universal acceptance.  Participants agreed that their workplace had increased safety awareness. Refresher training was essential for maintaining safer workplaces.  The commercial/civil and housing construction sectors values the CIT.  Shift in safety culture since 2006 PHD study.  Some companies will not use or accept online certification.

Conclusions…. For VET researchers  Instruments need to be chosen for specific groups.  Saturation and redundancy may curtail interviews  Be prepared to meet on their territory  Work with industry reference groups

Conclusion…. Research instigates a Policy change  Incidents have been reduced per worker  The industry has institutionalised pre-site training.  It is one component of cultural change in the industry.  Subsidies have been withdrawn from online training courses.

ECU SoM FB&L ECU SoM FB&L AVETRA Canberra