Trainer's Meeting - Held November 10th at NEPPA's Training Center

On November 10, 2014, the NEPPA Safety Trainers assembled in Littleton, Massachusetts at the NEPPA Training Center for their annual meeting. Each year the trainers meet to discuss important issues they all face and any regulation updates that need to be shared to help ensure that all NEPPA training sessions are current with all related regulations. Techniques that make training sessions both interesting and relevant are also shared.

As in past years, the group discussed many important topics. One subject this year was an effort to incorporate the new OSHA updates into all the NEPPA safety offerings. The programs are continuously being worked on, updated, and saved to the NEPPA server. Each trainer will be able to download each of the programs for 2015 to their respective computers to ensure that all the latest requirements will be covered in their sessions. Videos that are pertinent to the subject material are also being added to make each program fresh and interesting.

The group welcomed a new full-time trainer added since last year’s meeting: Jason Lavallee was in attendance for the first time. Jason has primarily been covering the new Hoisting License requirements but will be visiting many of the NEPPA members in 2015 and teaching many of NEPPA’s classes.

All of NEPPA’s trainers once again recommitted themselves to conduct the highest quality training possible recognizing the importance of training line workers to work in the safest manner possible. One aspect of a good safety meeting is to have all participants involved and to eliminate any type of distractions, such as side discussions that may not be related to the topic at hand. It is not only recommended but extremely desirable to have managers and supervisors attend our meetings!

As an organization, NEPPA is truly fortunate to have such a dedicated team of people who take their job seriously. It is truly a privilege for me to work with this group who care so deeply for the people they are trying to assist to "Go home at the end of the day...safe!"