How to Start a Home Based Safety Training Business

CPR class in session

Prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to safety in the workplace. OSHA is the watchdog for the corporate world, creating mandates and standards that, if adhered to, will make for a safer work environment. The nature of the job indicates the levels of safety precautions that must be taken and who and how many are certified as being trained to carry out those levels of safety. Staff turnover, corporate growth and expiration of these certifications over time means a home-based safety training business can do more than supplement your income.

Instructions

1. Consider the industry you want to serve. The basics such as CPR and first aid serve the widest audience for safety training needs. However, the safety requirements and training of an electrical contractor are not the all the same as those needed for the staff of a childcare facility. As you consider your primary industry to market your services, the safety training needs of that industry will dictate the extent of your target market, how many certifications you equip yourself to teach and how much equipment to buy.

2. Identify the safety training requirements of the industries you are interested in. Use an Internet search by zip code for these industries, then pick up the phone and call. In the initial phone call, indicate this is not a sales call; you are simply doing a market survey of the safety training needs of that company or industry. Create a list of all the safety certifications they need, and get certified to teach those skill sets. There are many boards with curriculum for CPR and first aid, but fewer offer hazardous materials, oxygen, blood-borne pathogens, HIV, domestic violence, pet first aid or electrical safety, to name a few.

3. 

   Get certified to teach most, if not all, the certifications needed by your target market. While customer loyalty is not an easy thing to achieve with clients, the more of a resource your company provides, the more likely you are to build up that customer loyalty. There may be many CPR instructor options for your client, but not all CPR instructors also teach forklift safety. If your target market is the construction industry, then being able to teach many of their safety requirements means they have more than one reason to call you rather than develop multiple relationships with competing services.

4. Establish a website with a retail option. Websites can be created for free these days with just a little effort, so there should be no excuse for not having one. Go the extra mile and add a PayPal link so your clients can pay for your services by credit card and purchase safety supplies from you. Many wholesalers will be happy to allow you to place a link to their products and offer direct shipping to your clients, or you could choose to keep an inventory of items and sell them directly.

5. Use a data management system. Microsoft Outlook is fine, but QuickBooks offers the option to keep your invoices and contact information in the same place. The limitation of using QuickBooks is that it only keeps the corporate contacts, while your safety-training list will have all your class participants. Keeping a directory system of all your students allows you to keep in touch even if they move to another workplace. Safety certifications have a shelf life of no more than 3 years, which means you will have repeat business if you have a way of keeping in touch with everyone in your class.

6. Market and cross-market to expand your income. Tell everyone what you do. Ensure your website is maximized for search ability and findability." Keep business cards on you at all times. Call outside your industry expertise. Just because all the veterinarians know to call you for safety updates does not mean you could not also offer your services to daycare centers and adult care facilities.

Tips & Warnings

• Safety training is an "on appointment" operation, so it is very easy to keep your day job and effectively generate a second income stream. Very often, clients schedule safety trainings during nonoperational hours, so scheduling your appointments in late evening or on weekends is very likely. Once you have made the initial investment of your instructor credentials and training equipment, there is very little cash outlay, so the cash earned is pretty much the cash pocketed.

• With any new business, find a competitive edge. Evaluate the local competitive options and see how you can offer improved service, pricing and add-ons.

• Safety training can be very boring from the student perspective. Opt for maximum student interaction to reduce boredom. Some instructors like the presentation aspect of training so much because they love the sound of their own voice. Ask more questions before you offer more unasked-for answers. Find out if students needs credit hours from this class, and ensure your curriculum allows for this.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• OSHA, MSHA and DOT compliance training