Online safety training has grown rapidly in the post-COVID world because it is a streamlined and efficient way for your organization to manage, train, and track compliance. In the US and Canada, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), state specific OSHA, and provincial authorities have mandatory training requirements for employers. eLearning is accepted in many cases, and it provides a simple way for companies to meet OHS regulations, in addition to also being a prevention measure against COVID-19, where group training in a classroom may expose employees.

In general, online learning is accepted as a replacement for classroom courses, while practical training must be provided in-person. Because the Internet has become necessary for doing business, and the use of video conferencing software is on the rise, which makes online safety training a viable option for almost all organizations.

From determining which training you need, to figuring out timelines, resource allocations, and a change in processes – several obstacles from a change management perspective make it difficult to transition to online safety training for most safety professionals. It isn’t that the technology doesn’t afford instant access; it’s more a matter of internal politics and management priorities that are the main hurdle for most safety professionals adopting online safety training. Getting a ‘YES’ from your executives is the final step of the process, and that means negotiations and “SELLING” the real value of change.

Short answer, it’s important consider the ways safety eLearning lowers accident & incident rates while also boosting safety confidence and culture, but it can and does also reduce liability risks, costs, and improves overall organizational efficiencies from the top-down.

In case you didn’t already know, workplace hazard and incident statistics are on the rise across industries, insurance premiums are also trending upwards – exposure and inflation can be key “selling” features when asking for an investment in safety training, but there is more you can do to frame your argument for online safety training specifically.

Here are some of the best reasons you should be transitioning from in-person to online safety training, and how you can get to a “YES” from your executive team.