Free training being offered at NIC's Safety Fest Feb. 22-24
North Idaho College’s Safety Fest offers more than 50 classes to choose from for workers in construction, general industry, mining, agriculture and logging.
North Idaho College’s Safety Fest offers more than 50 classes to choose from for workers in construction, general industry, mining, agriculture and logging.
It could cost nothing to save a life in the workplace.
North Idaho College will offer free safety training at Safety Fest of the Great Northwest Feb. 22-24 at the Workforce Training Center in Post Falls. This three-day, free event is a chance for companies to receive free safety training for their employees from some of the area’s best safety instructors.
There will also be a vendor show Feb. 22 and 23. The general public is welcome to attend.
“It’s a great opportunity for smaller companies to get in and get the safety training they need,” said Greg Rodriguez, owner of Ginno Construction Company. “We’re really trying to encourage companies to take advantage of the training.” Safety Fest offers over 50 classes to choose from for workers in construction, general industry, mining, agriculture and logging.
Classes offered include OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid, MSHA refresher, Hazwoper, work-zone flagging, respiratory protection, work-place violence, among others. Participants can receive industry credentials from some classes, and every participant receives a certificate of completion for every class they take.
“We want to show why businesses, industry professionals and the community should be concerned about deaths that can be prevented by safety education,” said Colleen Hoffman, NIC Customized Training coordinator.
Workplace accidents can impact a company’s experience modification rate, or EMR, a number used by insurance companies to gauge both past cost of injuries and future changes of risk. The lower a company’s EMR, the lower their worker compensation insurance premiums will be.
An EMR higher than 1.0 (the industry average) can be an indicator of an unsafe workplace, which leads to higher insurance costs, and can make it harder for a company to bid on jobs. Additional safety training for employees can help keep a company’s EMR down.
“Just having the knowledge of what to do will save lives, and we’re offering that for free,” said Becky Colotti, a training specialist with Hecla Mining Lucky Friday. Colotti has been with Safety Fest from the beginning. “There’s a lot of gratification to do something like this for the community. If we can safe one life, we’re all for it.”
There were 148 workplace fatalities in Idaho between 2010 and 2014, some of which may have been prevented by safety training. Because training will be offered for free at Safety Fest, Rodriguez says that companies have every reason to register their employees.
“Safety is important, not only in our jobs, but in our everyday life,” Rodriguez said. “It’s important for us to be safe at work and to come home the same way we left … Too many deaths happen that affect not just the family, but the community, everyone who knew that individual.”
To register for Safety Fest, visit www.nic.edu/safetyfest.