When you induct new or returning employees, contractors and visitors’ do you always run the

induction on-site? or do you give them the option to do their learning off-site? At Mosaic, we appreciate that the way you deliver your inductions will depend on a number of factors, like the number of people being inducted, the size of your project and the complexity of the health and safety matters to be discussed.

Induction training can also be delivered through on the job training; toolbox talks, pre-start meetings, step by step checklists, induction videos or booklet, emails or a phone conversation. In this article, we debate whether it’s best to run your inductions on-site or off-site (through our online portal).

Merits of off-site inductions

It is certainly true that it is simpler and inexpensive to set-up induction modules online so that contractors, employees, and visitors can complete them before they access your site. By deciding to running your inductions online and off-site means when they expire or need refreshing, new versions easily be resent to inductees. It should be noted that we can assist to enhance your presentations by making them interactive, to include film and even quizzes to test learning.

General inductions

General inductions usually provide basic information relating to the construction industry and cover important; organisational Health, and Safety, security, and environmental aspects.

For employees:

Gives new employees the chance to do general inductions off-site is a good way for them to get to know general company culture and procedures before they starting employment.

For contractors:

If contractors have the chance to do their inductions off-site they can complete them at a time that suits them. This puts the onus upon the contractor to ensure that all their staff have completed the induction and necessary paperwork is up to date, prior to coming on site.

For visitors:

Running general inductions off-site can help make an improved visitor experience. Briefing visitors on your site/project prior to turning up, can make them feel welcome and help speed up the sign-in process.

Site inductions

Site-specific inductions are generally designed to convey information to do with the site itself, particularly risks and hazards in a clear and concise manner. Site inductions are very important also, to set the tone of health and safety on a project from the outset.

For employees:

You can include a site-specific induction module with your employee’s general induction if that is made available off-site.

For contractors:

Contractors should always undertake a site-specific induction, regardless of how many sites that they are likely to be working on.

For visitors:

Whether to give visitors site inductions online depends greatly on the type and purpose of visit. It might be an idea to share some site-specific information (for example emergency exits etc.) with visitors at the same time as they receive their general induction if they are doing one.

Task-specific inductions

Task specific training gives information about hazards, risks, and control measures to people carrying out a certain task at your site. You also have the option of using inductions to highlight any relevant legal responsibilities, codes of practice or technical standards that must be followed while they’re carrying out the task as well. This is something akin to a tool box talk, but might be delivered either on-site or online and off-site, depending upon what you want to achieve.

For employees:

These are usually best done on-site and close to the place where the task will be undertaken. If the task-specific inductions are long or detailed it might be an option to have employees do their initial induction off-site at a time that’s convenient for them, and then offer further training when they are on-site.

For contractors:

It is a good idea to run these task-specific inductions online if contractors are visiting more than one site and particularly if they’re doing the same task at more than one site. Contractors can access their online learning to reference any task-specific inductions as needed.

For visitors:

It’s unlikely a visitor will need a task-specific induction. If they do it’s best to have them complete it when they are on-site and under supervision.

There are many advantages to offering online induction modules for employees, contractors, and visitors to do off-site at a pace and time that suits them best. Whether you choose to induct online off-site or on-site, or offline on-site or on-site, the reasons for inducting stay the same.

Inductions ensure people at your site are safe and secure, that they know about your organisation, what to do on-site, and who to talk to if they have any questions or concerns. Having a competent induction program means having compliance with Health and Safety and employment legislation.