PIGS RISE: applying hierarchies of control

In Elements 5 and 6 of the management unit of NGC we were presented with a bewildering variety of hierarchies for control measures. An opportunity for active learning was missed in that we were not asked to apply these schemes. I was presented with an example during a conversation with one of our local pre-school teachers. She had been told the children were not allowed to collect some beautiful Autumn leaves and do leaf rubbings because of "health & safety". The leaves may have animal excrement on them, which could transfer to the children's hands and into their mouths, and some children may have an asthmatic reaction to leaf mould. So looking at the "PIGS RISE" mnemonic for control measures we have some alternatives:
P for PPE – the children could collect the leaves and make rubbings wearing protective gloves and respiratory protection.
I for Information – provide the parents with information about the intended activity and ask if any children actually have a problem with leaves
G for Good housekeeping – clear up after the work
S for Safe systems of work – make sure the children know not to put their hands in their mouths, show them how to rub leaves safely, and supervise them accordingly
R for Reduce – reduce the risk by the adults collecting the leaves, washing them in hypoallergenic disinfectant and then allowing the children to make leaf rubbings
I for Isolate – provide the children with isolation glove boxes so they can make leaf rubbings safe from any of the hazards entailed.
S for Substitute – print pictures of leaves from the Internet for the children to use instead.
E for Eliminate – Eliminate the original activity.
The pre-school decided on the last two measures. Not sure that's the choice I'd make…

Active learning

Well if I’d been expecting careful planning of lessons and evidence of active learning then I was to be disappointed. The tutor’s strength is his legal knowledge and his full range of anecdotes of accidents and misdemeanours in industry. He tells the stories in an amusing and picturesque manner, which helps to explain the points he is trying to make. The word-only PowerPoint slides act as a back drop to the sessions, with some hand waving towards them. I am grateful that at least he doesn’t stand in front of them and read them to us. However, what is missing is any form of “active” learning. I mentioned this during a break. His response – “I’ll bring some videos next week.” I attempted to explain that wasn’t what active learning meant. I wondered why it was me, the comparative rookie, who needed to explain to this man who I was told had 40 years of training experience, what active learning was. He didn’t get it. He did bring some videos the following week, but even then missed an opportunity for active learning. The introduction to the video explained that at intervals there would be a question, the screen would go blank, and there would be an opportunity for us to discuss what we’d just seen. He ran the video straight through, without pause or discussion.
If you’re not sure what active learning is either, see www.geoffpetty.com/activelearning.html for an explanation. I wish my tutor would take a look.

Days and weeks

In the previous blog I explained why I rejected e-learning in favour of a classroom based course to study for my NEBOSH National General Certificate. The next choice was block or day-release. The residential block release courses did sound appealing. Hotel life with no domestic responsibilities for five whole days – twice! Then I woke up from that dream. Cost, inconvenience to the family – need I go on?

Day-time block release was an option. But how do people learn best? We remember more if we learn step-by-step, have time to revise, and the opportunity to both analyse and synthesise what we have learnt. That is, to pull apart everything you know, and try and put it together again in a different context, preferably in several different contexts. From what I’ve seen of the NEBOSH exam papers, it’s what the questions do well – expect you to apply what you learn in a variety of different ways, not regurgitate what you’ve read or been told. But as well as careful planning of lessons by a knowledgeable and experienced tutor, this requires time for the student to study what they have learnt. There’s a limit to how much time there is in the evening and, once you hit 25+, to the capacity of the human brain to cram any more than a few hours of study a day in. It is also much less disruptive to other work to take one day a week off for ten weeks, than two whole week blocks. Probably because you fit the extra day’s work into the other four by working 20% harder (or 20% longer).

So I came to the conclusion I’d learn more if I had a week between each day long session to revise, analyse and synthesise, than trying to do five days as a block. Day-release seemed the way to go.