Final Scope

Safety training and knowledge transfer practices are important tools for state DOT employees to identify workplace hazards, increase department-wide risk awareness, and develop strategies to eliminate or mitigate risk. A wide range of occupational and workplace hazards exist for all employees within state DOTs. Safety training programs and knowledge transfer strategies increase hazard recognition to improve employee health and safety. Industry driven safety practices and regulations require specific training for workers and supervisors to address workplace safety.

The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT practices regarding safety training programs and knowledge transfer.

Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to):

• Cycle for evaluating and updating safety training programs;
• Method of safety training delivery, including innovative approaches, such as AI, virtual reality, micro-learning, on-line, hands-on;
• Are written safety training requirements based on job duties, job classes, and supervisory level;
• Are safety training programs agency-wide or district-specific, or a mix;
• Collection and analysis of safety data or metrics (e.g., agency level, district level);
• Does the state DOT require job-specific structured new employee safety training, and if so, which of these job-specific structured new employee safety trainings do you require (see matrix), for example but not limited to:
• -Slips, trips, falls, Accident and injury reporting, Hazard communications, Earthquake/tsunami/hurricane/tornado, etc, Fire extinguishers, Hearing conservation, Respiratory protection;
• Is safety training effectiveness measured; and if so, how is it measured;
• Methods for gathering employee feedback on safety training programs;
• Types of specialized safety training programs used;
• With in-house developed training, are experienced employees involved with training development?
• Is there a plan for safety training knowledge transfer, is it written, if so please share; and
• What percentage of safety training is provided by in-house, consultant, or third-party safety training programs.

Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Information Sources (Partial)

• Ammar, A., and Dadi, G.B. (2023). “Specialized Safety Training and Tracking for Highway Construction and Maintenance Personnel.” International Conference on Transportation & Development, American Society of Civil Engineers, Austin, TX. June 14-17, 2023.
•  Dadi, G.B., Ammar, A., Atkins, S., and Horseman, M. (2022). “Specialized Safety Training and Tracking for KYTC Construction and Maintenance Personnel.” Research Report KTC-22-18/SPR21-608-1F. Kentucky Transportation Center, Lexington, KY.
•  Jazayeri, E., Liu, H., and Dadi, G.B. (2018). “Modeling a Safety Training and Competence Model for Construction Craft Professionals.” 2018 Construction Research Congress (CRC). New Orleans, LA. April 2-5, 2018.
• Mullen, J. (2004). “Investigating factors that influence individual safety behavior at work.” Journal of Safety Research, 35(3), 275-285
• Namian, M., Albert, A., Zuluaga, C. M., and Jaselskis, E. J. (2016). “Improving Hazard-Recognition Performance and Safety Training Outcomes: Integrating Strategies for Training Transfer.” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 142(10):04016048. DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001160
• Wang, Y., Goodrum, P. M., Haas, C. T., and Glover, R. W. (2008). “Craft Training Issues in American Industrial and Commercial Construction.” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 134(10), 795-803.

TRB Staff (Consultant)
Sandra Q. Larson
Phone: 515-971-6329
Email: slarson@nas.edu

Meeting Dates
First Panel Meeting: February 5, 2025
Teleconference with Consultant: Thursday, April 3, 2025, 1-2 pm EST
Second Panel Meeting: Washington D.C., November 5, 2025

Panelists 

Mr. Robin M Barfield, North Carolina Department of Transportation

Ms. Victoria F. Beale, Ohio Department of Transportation

Mr. Shawn Byron, New Hampshire Department of Transportation

Mr. John Clendenin, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Ms. Cookie Leffler, Mississippi Department of Transportation

Mr. Samuel Salazar, Texas Department of Transportation

Dr. Wilfred Hernandez, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)