VMRC Slip, Trip, and Fall Safety

VMRC Slip, Trip, and Fall Safety Project Proposal

Amanda Dudley, Kelly Gooch, James Goldberg

For our design project, we will be partnering with Joshua Mathews-Ailsworth and the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC). The VMRC is a faith-based continuing care retirement community founded in 1954.  It offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing for seniors in Harrisonburg, Virginia and surrounding areas.  There are over 750 residents and over 400 employees.   For our project, we are redesigning the slip, trip, and fall safety training for VMRC employees.  Due to a lack of space and resources, VMRC is looking to conduct all of their new employee trainings on computers. Mr. Mathews-Ailsworth asked that we take the current training programs and transform them into computer-based instruction.  The employees at VMRC are not used to receiving computer-based training so making this instruction user-friendly is a crucial component of our project.  To assist with this need VMRC is going to train all of the employees on basic computer skills to ensure that there is a minimum knowledge level to successfully take the computer-based training.

Essentially the problem lies in the lack of training that currently exists. Safety is an important issue, particularly at an institution like this, and training is essential in bringing attention to this issue. Rather than having no training at all, this institution needs training that is clear, concise, and easy to follow. As the employees will have just been trained on computer use in general, the training must be easy for new computer users, which means minimal complex features. It is the hope of our group and of Mr. Matthews-Ailsworth that this training will lead employees to having a better understanding about slip, trip and fall safety

VMRC is in the process of implementing a program that will meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulatory requirements.  Slip, Trip, and Fall Safety is one part of this program and successful completion will be required of all Buildings and Grounds and Housekeeping and Laundry employees.  These employees must renew Slip, Trip, and Fall Safety certification annually.  Efforts will be made to offer meaningful examples to each group during instruction.  This will require two versions of the training.  These versions will contain the same base instruction but will attempt to cater meaningful examples to each group of employees.  The instructional goal of our training will be to provide engaging, informative content to the target employees so that they can meet the OSHA regulatory requirements sought by their employer.