So, safety training.
Work safety laws dictate the minimum amount of hours (and topics) for a given course, say six hours for working at heights, four hours for hot work, a full day for first aid etc.
The problem? There's never enough time.
Employers make agreements with the trainers so that a 10-hours course is completed in four, including the time to read, take and correct a proficiency test with four token questions that cover less than 5% of the topics. The paperwork, of course, does not reflect that.
Fast forward four years, and it's due time for the refresher course.
Confused by their own deception the employers moan and groan. Another safety course, so soon and so expensive? The boys are trained, they don't deserve to spend so many hours sitting in a classroom, being bored and unproductive!
The first course condensed 10 hours into four, the refresher course condensed 4 into one. Your chair has barely had the time to warm up and you're out again, all passed, see you next time!
When accidents happen, workers cannot claim that they didn't know the risks or could not operate the machinery: there's a certificate stating that they received appropriate training! It's a Potemkin village of evidence, all facades with nothing to support them.
Take measures to prevent this. Employers cutting short the time of your training aren't doing you any favour and might scapegoat you at the drop of a hat.
- Take note of any training you receive: date, duration, topic, name of teacher. Check if the duration matches the law requirements. If a certificate turns out that is not on your personal list, something's amiss.
- Mark the time when you're out of the classroom: take a smoke break and snap a picture with your phone, for example.
- “Easy” trainers hinting at the right answers aren't your friends either. Mark your answers clearly, with a pen. Consider failing the test altogether if the training left you no wiser than you were – if they still want you to drive a forklift after that, you know where they stand.
- Practice a scrawly signature that's hard to counterfeit. Even when writing your name in all caps, make sure your handwriting is distinctive.
- Educate yourself about the safety and legal side of your work. If you're reading this, you have a phone and the power of the internet at your service.
TLDR don't let your employer forge or pad your training history. If they won't spend for your safety training, search online for free material.