The Small Business Guide to Choosing Safety Training Consultants
If you’re a small business owner, you know that you have to comply with OSHA standards for training of employees in safety and in the handling of environmental hazards. That’s where safety training and environmental consultants are particularly helpful. Choosing the right safety training and environmental consultants can be confusing, especially if you’re trying to make the choice during an already stressful time. After all, trying to find a restoration contractor, dealing with water damage and mold remediation after a fire or flood, or undertaking a cleanup following an accidental release of hazardous materials can be overwhelming. These guidelines and suggestions, adapted from the New York Small Business Assistance Program, can help you make the right decision when hiring an environmental or safety training consultant.
The process can be broken down into a few simple, basic steps.
Assess Your Needs
Before you bring in a team of consultants, assess the problem that needs to be addressed and your company’s ability to deal with it effectively. If your staff includes personnel with HAZWOPER training, for example, you may be able to handle a cleanup in house. Sometimes, though, it’s tempting to be penny wise and pound foolish. In other words, trying to save money in the short run can add up to considerable costs in the long term. Your best option may be to bring in environmental consultants to assess your situation and make recommendations for addressing the problem.
Develop Goals and Objectives
Environmental incidents and safety training should be treated like any other business plan. Before you contact any safety training and environmental consultants, define the scope of the project. The more specific your objectives, the easier it will be for consulting companies to draw up proposals and give you quotes on the work you need done. You’ll also ensure that you’ll receive consistent quotes, and won’t be forced to compare proverbial apples and oranges. Undertake these important steps:
* Determine your regulatory compliance requirements
* Determine the types of changes your organization needs to make in order to achieve compliance
* Determine what types of training your employees need in order to handle the current situation and to prevent future occurrences. Consider whether your people need HAZWOPER training, SafeLand training or basic safety training
* Determine your cleanup or training budget, as well as an implementation timeline
Services Provided
The precise services that consultants offer will vary depending on expertise and area, but most environmental consultants offer these general services:
* Assess your situation and needs
* Assist with interpretation of federal and state guidelines and how they apply to your business
* Help you prepare reports and technical papers
* Conduct laboratory tests and analyses relevant to your project
* Design a plan to address your objectives and help you meet your goals
* Assist with implementing the plans and choosing appropriate training
* Make recommendations for equipment purchases
* Perform facility reviews and follow-up to assess compliance and follow-through
Know What’s Beyond the Project Scope
In general, consultants do not or should not do the following:
* Make final decisions regarding the project
* Purchase specific products, especially if the consultant receives outside compensation for your purchase
Once you understand the scope of your project and the scope of work that safety training and environmental consultants generally undertake, you’ll be well-positioned to solicit requests for proposals and choose the company that provides the services that best meet your needs.
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the world’s MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
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