Supervisor Training: A Promising Approach to Addressing Impairment in the Workplace

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Workplace Training and Development
• Human Factors in Safety

Background:

• Supervisors play a critical role in maintaining workplace safety.
• Recognizing and responding to signs of worker impairment is essential for preventing accidents.
• Existing training programs may not adequately address diverse causes of impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot evaluate a novel online training program designed for supervisors.
• To enhance supervisors' ability to identify and manage worker impairment.
• To assess the program's relevance and alignment with organizational safety protocols.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed for the evaluation.
• Two waves of surveys and interviews were conducted post-training.
• Data collection occurred immediately after training and at a 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Participants reported positive reactions and high relevance of the training.
• Statistically significant improvements were observed in perceived knowledge of impairment.
• Early evidence suggested successful transfer of training to the workplace.

Conclusions:

• The online training program shows promise for improving supervisor capabilities in managing worker impairment.
• Results support the refinement of impairment recognition and response training.
• Further research is warranted to investigate the long-term impact and effectiveness.