Benefits of eLearning to COVID-19 Transmission Rates

eLearning Trends

eLearning was already on the rise pre-COVID-19. For some time there has been a phenomenal growth of eLearning use among the corporate sector. 90% of corporations now use e-learning compared to just 4% in 1995. And the reason for this is obvious; with employees delivering increased productivity for every euro/dollar invested in e-learning.

Though it was trending that way anyway, the onset of COVID-19 has meant that the growth of eLearning has spread well beyond the corporate sector, to now encompass the education, healthcare, computer & info tech, retail and eCommerce and construction sectors, among others.

People working remotely, businesses moving online and people choosing to learn online rather than in the classroom – the necessary restrictions caused by Covid-19, have seen technology take centre stage in so many aspects of business and life.

There has been a two-fold benefit when it comes to reducing the rate of transfer of COVID-19.

Reducing the Transmission Rate

As well as the positive environmental impact of an increased uptake in eLearning, there has been a two-fold benefit when it comes to reducing the rate of transfer of COVID-19. The first, and most obvious of these benefits, is the reduction in face-to-face contact. The second benefit is the opportunity to increase employee awareness, training and general education regarding COVID-19, with COVID-19 specific courses such as COVID-19 Infection Prevention & Control, COVID-19 Compliance Officer, and COVID-19 Lead Worker Representative courses.

Looking at COVID-19 Infection Prevention & Control courses as an example, this type course provides a better understanding of the basic principles of infection control and the ability to apply standard precautions while understanding the chain of infection and an employees’ own role in the prevention of the spread of infection. All going towards reducing the transmission rate of COVID-19.

 

“Students acquire knowledge and skills through online and offline eLearning as well as or better than they do through traditional teaching”

 

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) itself has taken a proactive approach to providing eLearning courses aimed at controlling and preventing the spread of infection of viruses such as the novel coronavirus. This is not surprising, as the findings from a review commissioned by the WHO showed that students acquire knowledge and skills through online and offline eLearning as well as or better than they do through traditional teaching.

 

 

 

If you are interested in taking precautions to minimise the spread of COVID-19 either now, or upon return to work, speak to Cormac at: +353 1 2781938 or cormac@elearn.ie

5 Ways Mindfulness Practice Positively Changes Your Brain

In recent years mindfulness has become a buzzword in neuroscience, and mental health fields. Over thirty years of research has found that mindfulness practice, mindfulness meditation and mindfulness based stress reduction shares a symmetry  with mental, physical and emotional health. Some of the benefits of mindfulness practice include the following: 

 

• Great control over your attention
• Better  social relationships
• Lowered risk of physical illness
• Better immune system
• Better sleep quality

 

There are essentially five ways in which mindfulness practice positively changes your brain. 

 

Frontal  Cortex

 

Mindful states achieve through meditation, meditation training, mindfulness based stress reduction training and mindfulness practice boost frontal brain activity. Over time this increased cortical strengthening bolsters our capacity for rational  thought and intentional planning which promotes great emotional awareness and control and executive functioning. 

 

Amygdala

Mindfulness practice and mindfulness training helps reduce grey matter and activity in the amygdala (a roughly almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions). This helps reduce feelings of fear and anxiety and promotes physiological well-being and calmness. 

 

Social Neural Circuitry

There’s a strong correlation between relationship practice and mindfulness practice. Mindfulness has been found to play a vital role in establishing and maintaining emotionally nourishing relationships. 

 

Mindfulness practice also impacts the hippocampus positively, helping us to better remember and lead to greater cognitive functioning. 

 

Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Mindfulness practice increases one’s attention levels and  enhances emotional control. With the online world constantly vying for our attention this can have a great benefit to us. 

 

Insula 

The insula controls the internal sense of the body, “gut” feelings and responses. This region is associated with how we perceive ourselves physically. The ability 

 

In his article,  Linder concludes that the ability of (mindfulness practice) to increase the thickness of your brain and protect against normal age-related brain thinning linked to dementia, in itself, is an especially compelling reason to practice (Linder, 2019). 

 

Why not put this into practice yourself and experience the fantastic benefits of mindfulness practice at https://myelearnsafety.com/product/mindfulness-practice/

 

Safety Representatives – Why do you need them and what do they do?

Why do you need a Safety Representatives?

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005

It applies to all employers, employees (including fixed-term and temporary employees) and self-employed people in their workplaces. The Act sets out the rights and obligations of both employers and employees and provides for substantial fines and penalties for breaches of the health and safety legislation.

Section 25

Under Section 25 of the 2005 Act, all employees are entitled to select a safety representative to represent them on safety and health matters with their employer.

Section 26

Section 26 of this Act requires the employer to consult with employees to ensure cooperation with preventing accidents and ill health and in turn the workers can consult with their employer. Section 26 sets out the arrangements for this consultation on a range of safety and health issues.

Where a safety committee is already in existence, it can be used for this consultation process.

Regulation 23

Under Regulation 23 of the Construction Regulations where more than 20 persons are employed at any one time on a construction site, the project supervisor for the construction stage must facilitate the appointment of a safety representative.

Source – HSA.ie

What does a Safety Representative do?

Representative

Now you have assigned the role of the Safety officer, they are now representations on behalf of their members to their employer on any health and safety matter. The representative also represents their members in consultations with health and safety executive inspectors or other enforcing authorities.

Inspections

Safety representatives, after giving notice to the employer, have the right to inspect the whole or part of a workplace that they represent at a schedule agreed between them and the employer, based on the nature and extent of the hazards. A safety representative also has the right to inspect immediately where an accident or dangerous occurrence has taken place, or where there is an imminent danger or risk to the safety, health and welfare of any person. The frequency of these inspections depends on a number of factors:

• Changes to the building or layout
• The nature of work activities
• The nature of work locations
• Size of the workplace

Safety Representatives should be given learning resources and from that they will be able to ascertain the frequency of these inspections. If you are having difficulty with providing learning resources to your appointed Safety Representatives we have developed an Office Safety Package that can be tailored to your companies needs, we can also provide a bespoke package for you, just get in contact by emailing info@elearn.ie  or calling us on +353 1 693 1421.

Other responsibilities

• Recommendations – Make recommendations to the employer on safety, health and welfare at the place of work
• WorkPlace Accidents – The employer may request the Safety Representative be present when the inspector interviews an employee about an accident or dangerous occurrence that took place.
• Inspector – The Safety Representative may be asked to accompany an inspector carrying out an inspection under Section 64 of the 2005 Act, other than the investigation of an accident or dangerous occurrence, although this may be allowed at the discretion of the inspector.

 

If you have any further questions about Safety Representatives please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.

 

Hidden Health and Safety Costs that are Easily Avoidable

VDU DSE

VDU or Video Display Units  and DSE or Display screen equipment are now widely used in the workplace and have been proven to be a significant factor to workplace injuries such as;

• Repetitive strain
• Eye Strain
• Back Injury
• Neck Injury
• Stress

Along with these injuries, it can also decrease productivity of employees if they are not comfortable in work and are developing injuries. As well as reducing these sometimes hidden and underestimated health and safety costs, carrying out a VDU DSE assessment has also been proven to contribute to business success. As well as general duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, there is a minimum health and safety requirements for work with display screen equipment, specific duties on employers and employees.

Who is affected?

Those who are covered by the VDU DSE regulations include;

• If the employee has no choice but to use the VDU to carry out her/his work
• If the employee normally uses the VDU for continuous periods of more than one hour
• If the VDU is generally used by the employee on a daily basis

Those who are not covered by the DSE and VDU regulations include;

• Drivers’ cabs or control cabs for vehicles or machinery
• Computer systems on board a means of transport
• Computer systems mainly intended for public use
• Portable display screen equipment not in prolonged use at a workstation
• Calculators, cash registers and any equipment having a small data or measurement display required for direct use of the equipment
• Typewriters of traditional design, of the type known as “typewriter with window”

Source – HSA

Solution

Employers are required to evaluate health and safety at work stations with particular references to eyesight, physical difficulties and mental stress. Work station analysis is an important component of ensuring a safe place of work for all employees.

At Elearn we provide a VDU DSE Office course that all employers and staff who use these work stations for any length of time should do to learn how to avoid the range of adverse effects on the arm, hand and shoulder (WRULD’s) and other parts of the body. Click here to find out more information.

Do you know the space requirements in your office?

Are you happy with your office space in work? Do you know your space requirements in order to work in a safe environment both physically and mentally!

Well first of all what is a workspace,  any location where a person’s work is performed, including traditional office spaces and non-traditional office spaces (e.g., home offices, vehicles, and temporary locations), as well as the furniture, accessories, equipment, environmental conditions, and psychosocial workplace factors within these locations.

There is no right and wrong answers to office space requirements but here are some aspects to consider when thinking about office space:

Nature of work – what kind of work do you do? Are you out on the field, doing site visits, consultations or confined to the office all day long. Depending on the kind of job specification the difference in size of office space. Office workers who perform their job at their workstation all of the time may feel that a smaller work space claustrophobic.

Cultural aspects influence out perception of the type of space that we expect and are comfortable working in. For Europeans adequate personal space is a factor.

A corporate climate – our perception of a designated space is a matter of comparison. Employees generally accept the fact that those at more senior levels have a bigger work station or office space. Although this is changing with more open plan offices, sharing work stations and office space.

Individual perception is different for everyone and can have a psychological meaning. It is only natural for people to look for more comfortable space. It might signify importance, authority or power. In the workplace the amount of our personal space is often linked with out status within the organisation.

Anthropometry or body dimensions is a factor that has to be taken into consideration for an employees office space. So it really depends on the size and shape of an employee in order for the company  to accommodate.

It is very important for us at Elearn to make sure that you work in a comfortable working environment. We are always here to train you and your staff to be health and safety aware and get certified. Take the VDU Online Work Stations Analysis course and evaluate your health and safety at your work station.