Why a 3-Hour Tape Certification Falls Short
Peter Waugh brings 44 years of experience in fields of maintenance and human resources management. Peter graduated in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. He started his career with Westinghouse Industrial Field Service servicing power distribution equipment. He then moved to the Pulp & Paper industry where he worked ...
Why a "3-Hour Tape" Certification Falls Short
Electrical safety is no place for shortcuts. After over four decades in this field, I’ve learned that hard lesson: when lives are on the line, there is no “good enough” training. Yet, I was taken aback recently to hear that some companies and contractors are “certifying” their workers in Arc Flash and High Voltage Electrical Safety by simply having them do a three-hour online course. Let me be clear – that approach is dangerously inadequate. Arc flash and shock incidents are not rare “freak accidents”; they happen with alarming regularity. An estimated five to ten electrical incidents occur every single day injuring or burning upwards of 2,000 workers a year. Given stakes that high, we owe it to our teams to do far better than a quick online class.
Interestingly, many people don’t realize what they don’t know until they undergo proper training. During a recent course I taught, a few attendees admitted something eye-opening: initially, when they heard our Arc Flash/High Voltage Safety course would last two days, their first thought was “that’s too much”. After all, they had seen others get “certified” in a few hours via online training – so why were we insisting on a minimum of 16 hours? But by the end of our course, every single participant had changed their tune. In fact, they told us those two days flew by, and they wished we had even more time to cover additional scenarios and questions that came up. Suddenly, that three-hour online training they once thought was sufficient looked very inadequate.
Their reactions speak volumes. These were experienced workers and front-line supervisors – the very people who had once trusted that three-hour certification – now openly acknowledging how much it had left out. It wasn’t until they engaged in quality training that they understood the gap. This kind of perspective shift is common. I’ve seen skeptical faces on Day 1 (“Do I really need two whole days of this?”) turn into grateful smiles on Day 2 (“I honestly could have used even more; this was an eye-opener.”) When you don’t know what you don’t know, a short course can feel fine – but once you truly grasp the magnitude and potential deadly consequences of electrical hazards, you appreciate why thorough training is not overkill at all.
So, what exactly is a “three-hour Online self-learning” certification? Essentially, it’s a one-time, passive training session – often a recorded video or online module – that runs for about three to four+ hours. When it is over, workers get an electronic certificate proclaiming them to be trained in Arc Flash and High-Voltage safety. These online courses are often described as entirely online, virtual classroom available 24 hours, self-paced, cost effective, comprehensive, tailored and with live chat support. For proof of completion, they usually have a final exam, and possibly with unlimited exam attempts allowed. For some companies, the appeal is obvious: minimal work downtime, an inexpensive training cost, and a checked box for compliance. But checking a box is not the same as truly preparing a worker for the deadly realities of electrical work.
Arc flashes and shock hazards while working on or near energized electrical equipment are complex subjects. Can we honestly expect someone to absorb all the necessary knowledge and practical skills in a single afternoon just by watching? In those three hours, there’s no hands-on practice, no live discussion, limited opportunity to ask questions or clarify understanding. There’s certainly no assessment of whether the person can actually perform the safe work practices in the field. At best, a short course or video might cover basic theory – at worst, it lulls workers and employers into a false sense of security. It’s the equivalent of learning to drive by watching a YouTube documentary on cars; would you trust that driver on a busy highway the next day? I suspect not.
That’s not to say all online training is inadequate. However, not everyone does well with computer-based training. Adult learners learn by listening, asking questions, debating, collaborating with others (peer-to-peer interactions) and by getting engaged in solving problems that are practical and relevant to their work. Computer-based training has limited ability to deliver these essentials.
In contrast to the “quick and inexpensive” approach, the training we deliver at Canada Training Group is interactive and led by experts. Our Arc Flash & High Voltage Safety course runs two full days – and there’s a good reason it’s that long. It’s taught by instructors with decades of field experience (40+ years each, in many cases) who have seen and handled the kinds of situations most people only read about. We dig deep into the material: not just the safety procedures, but the why behind them. We use real case studies of accidents and close calls, and interactive discussion to ensure every participant can connect the dots between theory and practice.
Canada Training Group can also provide practical “hands-on” training to complement knowledge-based training. We have a range of options which allow students to improve skills and their problem-solving approaches. Our mobile training labs are outfitted with electrical equipment, PPE, and testing equipment. We have built customized exercises with workplace scenarios designed to engage students in analytical thinking.
This kind of rich, in-person (or live two-way teleconference) training demands more time and effort, but it pays off. Participants work through hazard assessments under the guidance of an experienced instructor, and they witness firsthand what an arc flash incident can do – often through controlled videos far more engaging than any self-paced slideshow. The difference is night and day. Questions are encouraged at every step; if something isn’t clear, we address it on the spot. If a participant has a real example from their workplace, we dissect it and extract lessons. This level of engagement simply cannot be matched by a static three-hour online course. As one description of our program notes, our two-day course is led by senior electrical professionals with over 40 years of experience and combines in-depth exploration of the application of standards with extensive practical discussions of hazard mitigation. That depth and real-world context give workers the tools and confidence to actually apply safety practices on the job – not just recall a few slides and a video.
So, let’s do it right. Reject the “three-hour online course” mentality and commit to quality safety training for you and your team. In the long run, nothing will protect our lives, our equipment, and our reputation better than a well-trained crew that refuses to take shortcuts when it comes to safety. It’s time to raise the bar – because when it comes to arc flash and high voltage safety, anything less than the best training is simply not enough.
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Peter Waugh
Instructor, Canada Training Group
