Training for safety

COEUR d'ALENE - Since October there have been eight deaths in the state of Idaho due to workplace-related safety issues.

According to Marie Price, North Idaho College director for Workforce and Community Education, all these deaths could have been prevented with proper safety training. In an effort to eliminate these needless deaths, NIC once again hosted a three-day "Safety Fest" at its Workforce Training Center in Post Falls.

"We had everything from CPR to defensive driving to workplace violence classes," Price said. "It was a real variety of courses, all focused on safety in the workplace."

From Tuesday to Thursday, the event saw more than 950 registrations for free courses. These courses lasted anywhere from two to 10 hours and drew people from various fields.

"A lot of people in construction and manufacturing attend," Price said. "We try to reach out and get a variety of people to come. We are very pleased that we more than doubled our registrations from last year."

The free training courses, according to Price, were made available thanks to sponsorships from companies such as Hecla Mining, UTC Aerospace and the Association of Builders and Contractors. The course instructors donate their time to teach.

"The goal is to help educate the public on safety not only in the workplace but in our everyday lives," Price said. "It improves the overall health of our community and the event is our way of saying thanks."

Price added that preparations for next year's "Safety Fest," scheduled for February, are already underway.