When hiring a safety professional, companies need to ensure they train this person before putting them in the field, regardless of how much experience they have under their belt. Every job or worksite is unique.

Most all of us have been around a boss or supervisor who isn’t very likeable or open to feedback. He or she is often avoided, and people may even fear approaching that boss with a safety-related concern or idea for improvement. Workers who perceive their bosses as open believe their leader really listens to their ideas and acts upon them when appropriate — or at the very least, gives their ideas a fair shake.

Safety training has been around forever. There are also safety orientations, safety coaching, safety mentoring, safety education, safety feedback. These staples of safety programs have one thing in common: showing employees how to recognize risks, know the rules, and avoid injury or illness.

If you’ve ever played a YouTube video, caught up on a television series using Hulu, or enjoyed a movie on Netflix Instant Watch, you’ve already experienced the latest wave in the field of learning and development