Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which started in Wuhan, China, and affected the entire world, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training programs were suspended on March 18, 2020, by an announcement from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services. The Ministry later stated on April 17, 2020, that basic training for employees could be delivered through remote education methods. Following this announcement, the training institutions authorized by the Ministry began to offer simultaneous online training programs for occupational safety specialists, workplace physicians, and other healthcare staff.

With OHS remote training, employees can receive training prepared by experts anywhere with an internet connection, without having to attend crowded classrooms. The training programs are specifically designed for workplaces categorized as low-risk, hazardous, or very hazardous. According to the regulations, training should be repeated at regular intervals: once every three years for low-risk workplaces, once every two years for hazardous workplaces, and once a year for very hazardous workplaces. Additionally, training sessions must be a minimum of eight hours for low-risk workplaces, twelve hours for hazardous workplaces, and sixteen hours for very hazardous workplaces.

How Should OHS Remote Training Be Conducted?

Basic training delivered through the remote education method must comply with certain provisions outlined in the regulations. First and foremost, the remote training management system used must meet international standards. It should be operable across various platforms and systems and be reusable with different training sets. In addition to being manageable and trackable, the system should be accessible to users. The training program, along with the remote training management system, should be interactive to allow user participation during the training.

The participation of employees in OHS remote training, including their log-in and log-out times, duration spent on the system, assessment and evaluation results, completion rates, and other related data, should be recorded and reported through the training management system. The content of the training program should be tailored to the participants’ educational levels and should be customized to the specific job and workplace. The training materials should incorporate familiar elements of the job and working environment that employees already know and recognize.