I get everyone to do a lift with a chair (although for the purposes of the training we use a paper cup to signify a chair).  The attendees are split into groups of two, one has to pass the "chair" to the other and the other has to lift it on to the table.  This is directly after I tell them that they must plan the lift for themselves, risk assess it and ensure that they are in the right position etc.  Nearly every single person simply passes the "chair" to their partner and the partner puts it on the desk in one fluid movement.

We then go back and go over how every lift is an individual task, that person 1 should have taken the "chair" to person 2 and put it down and then person 2 should have assessed it picked it up and put it on the table - 2 different activities rather than two people doing one fluid activity.

While not the most interesting activity in the world it does push the "individual assessment" issue home and they have fun watching others do it and trying to do things differently without any great success tbh.  Mind you, I have a great crowd of people who love play acting so it always ends up a bit of fun.

Thanks @Hilary and @MrBrightside for sharing. The post is from 2010 but after 9 years can be refreshed. In Poland the subject of manual handling is becoming more and more popular and important. 

I am thinking about buying to this model below for weight lifting demonstration. Do you use this model during your trainings? Thanks for sharing ;)

MrBrightside - I am not saying that learning cannot be fun, we all had a favourite subject at school which was normally the one taught by our favourite teacher. My gripe is the assumption that anyone with a NEBOSH certificate can teach health & safety. Being a practitioner is completely different from being a trainer and this is obvious from the types of questions you get on the forum with regards to training.

A competent trainer would carry out a TNA to establish what the attendees on the course need to learn, they would profile the target audience to identify different learning styles. From this information they would develope their lesson plan, detailing how they would meet the varied learning styles to achieve the learning outcomes. With this they would identify methods of constant confirmation, during, and after the session that the learning needs are being met.

But no that is not what happens on so any occassions, and the reason why so much H&S training is poor in content and delivery, and therefore 'boring'.

Hands up out there, how many of you start your preperation for training with a power point presentation? Not forgetting the cartoons, funny safety pictures and notable qoutes.   

hilary - I agree, but you are a trainer. Too many people out there are delivering in-house training who are not. Think about it, how much of the NEBOSH, NVQ or other H&S training for professionals out there covers how to plan and deliver training?

hilary  , O'Donnell54548, MrBrightside   thanks for your discussion. Me&wife we have safety business which is delivering safety trainings with unconventional methods in trainings. We are using lots of engaging, awareness biuliding, funny methods during Safety Days, gamification and compulsory/obligatory periodic trainings. 

O'Donnell54548 I undesrtand your point of view that traininng should not be funny, should deliver knowledge and meet training objectives. However, ice-breakers, engaging games, funny comparison should be there also. 

I have oredered yestrerday walking stick, 4lb weight, model for demonstrating liftin, herniated intervertebral disc and I will everything include in my safety day which i will be delivering. I will use also a lot of boxes, brush stick and will learn them how to develop a movement pattern, how to bend your knees and hips. Pleas believe me that about 90% my colleagues is not bending knees...

I do not want use only power point. I need a lot of training aids and ideas. So, Thank You for this converstaion and inspiration ;-)

Ps. sorry for my english mistakes.. I'm developing this area ;-)