Convergence Training | Blog

Convergence LMS Provides Needed Flexibility for Management of Change and Document Management

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:23:00 +0000

One of the first things companies want to know about a learning management system (LMS) is: Can I use it for management of change and document management, and how will it work with my existing management of change and document management systems?

First, let’s define our terms.

Management of Change (MOC) is a process in which key company documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), are created by some people, reviewed and edited by others, and then saved in a final format.

A Document Management System is a system that stores documents and gives some people the right to edit them and others the right only to view and read them. Microsoft SharePoint is a commonly used document management system.

Got that? Now that our terms are straight, let’s see how the Convergence Server Enterprise LMS works with these systems.

The good news is we designed our LMS to give you unlimited flexibility for working alongside existing MOC processes and document management systems. Or, if you’d prefer, you can use the LMS itself for management of change and document management.

Let’s look at each scenario in more detail.

Management of Change

First, let’s take a look at management of change processes. You can always continue to use your MOC process, and then store your final version of key documents on your network, in a document management system, or within the Convergence LMS. That’s easy enough. (We’ll explain how to have key documents saved on your network or in a document management system and in your LMS shortly).

On the other hand, you can use our LMS to implement a MOC process too. When training content is created in our LMS, you must first save a file and then publish the activity. The file includes all the content that will eventually be assigned, but it cannot be assigned until it is published to create an activity. By assigning some employees to security roles that allow them to create files but not publish activities, and assigning other employees to security roles that allow them to take a saved file and publish it as an activity, you can effectively create an MOC process incorporating content creation and content review phases all inside your LMS.

Document Management

Now, let’s consider document management systems. In their simplest form, they are used to store key documents in a final form, give a small number of people the ability to edit a document, and give a larger number of people the ability to read the document. More robust systems can include multiple versions of a document, allowing a company to complete the management of change process within the document management system.

If your company current uses a document management system, there’s no need to stop. Your final version of key documents can be stored in your document management system and then imported into the Convergence LMS by creating a link between the LMS and the file in the document management system. When you assign the activity to an employee, and he or she launches the activity, the linked document opens within the LMS just as if the employee had opened the document directly from the document management system, and when the employee completes the document, he or she is given a completion record. Employees always see only the most recent version of the linked document, ensuring that only the most up-to-date information is presented. There’s even a way to notify employees if a document they have already completed has been updated so they can review the changed material.

On the other hand, maybe you don’t have a document management system at your work. That’s OK, too—you can use the Convergence LMS for your document management needs.

In the most basic sense, you can store your key documents inside the LMS and assign only certain personnel the ability to edit different documents (while allowing any assigned employee the right to view the document, of course).

But, you can use the Convergence LMS as a more robust document management system as well. Over time, you’ll probably revised and update your key documents and training materials. Our LMS always presents only the most recent version of an activity to employees, but it keeps a copy of every historical version of every activity. This way you can always see the materials you were using to train 5 years ago; you can even open an earlier version of an activity, edit it, and make it the most recent version.

At Convergence, we know that management of change and document management are key needs at many companies. And we also know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t cut it. That’s why we’ve created a system that will work in so many different ways for you: you just choose the one that’s right for you and let us help you get your training program working optimally.

Updates to Bloodborne Pathogens Training Course In Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:29:00 +0000

As part of our process of updating our existing training materials, we’ve turned our attention to our Bloodborne Pathogens training course.

Our Bloodborne Pathogens course is popular with our customers—it’s our best-selling health and safety course, and has been for years. Still, we found some things we could add, and wanted to make sure our training didn’t just meet expectations, but exceeded them.

Here are some of the new things to look for:

Materials on hepatitis C virus (HCV) to accompany existing materials on hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV/AIDS
Information about the hepatitis B vaccination sequence and an employer’s responsibility to offer the vaccination to employees
New assessments
3D animations that match our current production capabilities (even though we’ve been creating 3D animated safety training for more than 10 years, we get better every year)

We’ll post updates here during the revision process and again when the revised module is complete.

What Makes Convergence Courses Awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:46:00 +0000

Welcome to our first official Blog-Swap! Below, is a guest post by Kelly Meeker, Community Manager at OpenSesame.com, one of our reseller partners. Among other services, OpenSesame sells our eLearning courses directly into client learning management systems.

At OpenSesame, the world’s elearning marketplace, we work with customers daily to select off-the-shelf elearning courses to meet their organization’s learning needs. The OpenSesame course catalog currently features more than 10,000 courses from more than 100 different sellers. Day after day, customers love safety and compliance training courses because they are:

Chunky.
Convergence has a wide selection of courses on safety and compliance topics, including everything from slips, trips and falls to using lasers safely. (Who could ask for anything more?) To make sure their content is easily understandable, Convergence has ensured each course is a short, digestible chunk that covers a specific topic. This means learners don’t waste time wading through hours of content to find the one nugget they need because each course is targeted and to the point. Customers can mix and match different Convergence courses to build a safety curriculum that meets their organization’s specific needs.

3D.
Convergence uses excellent, realistic 3D animations that bring safety topics to life. With realistic demonstrations of workplace challenges, as well as the safe practices that promote a healthy workplace, Convergence makes it easy to understand the information and apply it in your own workplace.

Fast-paced.
Finally, Convergence doesn’t beat around the bush, repeat themselves or hem and haw. Each course covers essential topics directly, with clear examples that move at the speed of life.

Convergence courses are an excellent way to fill your safety and compliance learning needs - and you can buy them (whether you need 10 seats or 10,000!) on the world’s elearning marketplace at www.OpenSesame.com.

Kelly Meeker is the Community Manager at www.OpenSesame.com, a marketplace for buying and selling elearning courses. Connect with her at @OpenSesame.

New Pump Training Modules Entering Production; Customer Suggestions Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Recently we began work on a series of 3D animated training modules covering the industrial uses of valves. If you’ve been reading our blog closely, you know posted on our blog asking for input from our customers and blog readers.

We’re happy to report that we did get feedback during that phase of production and that lead to the inclusion of several topics that we might not have included otherwise. So, thanks to a certain training manager at a large paper mill located in the Pacific Northwest for the help!

We mention this all now for two reasons:

1. To let you know we value our customer feedback.
2. Because we’re beginning the research phase of new training materials on the industrial uses of pumps and are looking for feedback again.

So, if you’ve always wanted quality training materials on pumps that’s well researched, well-written, and presented in multimedia with 3D animations, audio, and assessments, this is good news for you. Feel free to drop us a line or comment here on the blog to let us know what topics you think we should cover.

The Convergence Celebrity Minute

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:49:00 +0000

Welcome to our 2nd edition of the Convergence Training Celebrity Minute. Today we ask “why.”

Why did Alec Baldwin fail to respond to flight attendant requests? Simple. He hasn’t taken our Hearing Conservation course, which suggests wearing hearing protection only in high noise areas, not all the time. And by his continued comments and his apparent deafness to the high-volume feedback from the plain old regular people, looks like he’s still got his ear buds in.

Why is Kris Humphries a prime candidate for our Pedestrian Safety video? Simple. Since Kim Kardashian kicked him to the curb abruptly ending their celebrity nuptials, we want to ensure that in the event that happens to him again, his walk home is as safe as possible.

Why is Tom Cruise more awesome than all the rest of us? Simple. Because the self-professed “expert of the mind” performs his own stunts, dangling (possibly hovering) effortlessly from the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. An unconfirmed report indicates that when asked if he had taken our Fall Prevention and Protection training, his response was, “No, but I held the DVD in my hands and absorbed all the necessary information… with my mind.”

Convergence Training is Hiring - Sales & Account Manager Position OPEN

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:41:00 +0000

If you’re familiar with Convergence or have visited our blog before, you know we’re a different kind of company. And over the past few years, we’ve grown significantly, branching into new markets with new products and developing a reputation for superior quality in custom 3D-animated training and learning management software. So, with a focus on continued growth, we’re hiring!

We have an immediate opening for a Sales & Account Manager who will also help us grow our Sales Team over the next few months.

For our new Sales & Account Manager, we’re looking for an experienced, team-focused, B2B Sales Manager with a history of success in building, developing, and leading a highly profitable sales team.

You are...

Experienced in building and managing a sales team from the ground up
A mature, strategic thinker with ties to the industrial safety and training industry
Comfortable in an entrepreneurial environment
Motivated more by goals and achievement than dollars
A professional leader by example
A mentor, focusing on the success of others
An ambassador of quality products and services

You have...

Experience helping a company grow through a collaborative, value-driven approach to sales
A background in selling technical industrial products and services
An intuitive sense for people and relationships
Exceptional communication skills effective at all organizational levels
Successfully implemented a variety of sales team incentive and reward programs
Coached a team outside of work

We are...

A successful and growing company with an entrepreneurial spirit
Producers of advanced 3D safety and operational training media delivered through proprietary learning management software
Becoming known for making bold statements with modern products in an old-school industry
Continuing to build long-term client relationships

We offer...

Significant growth opportunity
3 weeks paid vacation annually
Competitive salary plus commission
Medical/dental insurance, 401(k)

Interested?

Send your resume, cover letter, and professional references to Jobs@ThinkConvergence.com. And it always helps to spend some time on our website (www.ConvergenceTraining.com) for more on who we are and what we do.

Good luck! We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Cold Stress Module Enters Production

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:12:00 +0000

With temperatures plummeting and the mercury dropping, and with the ice, snow, and high winds of winter upon us, it seemed like a great time to expand our training course library to include a new module on Cold Stress.

The training module will cover these chilly topics:

The three types of cold stress—frostbite, trench foot (also called immersion foot), and hypothermia
The cause of cold stress, including the three members of the “cold stress equation” (cold, wind, and wetness)
Factors that affect an individual’s ability to tolerate cold weather
Signs, symptoms, and treatments for all three types of cold stress
Prevention of cold stress

Be sure to check back for the cool low-down on this module. We’ll post updates during production to show some of our fancy 3D sets and again when the course is completed. Also, keep your eyes out for our two new Heat Stress modules, which are also in production.

Until then, maybe you’d like to check out this cool video?

Hard Work Pays Off In Customer Appreciation and Compliments

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:47:00 +0000

Everyone likes it if their hard work is appreciated. That’s true at Convergence Training, too.

We’ve recently created and released the new Convergence Server Enterprise Learning Management System (LMS), and our customers have been very pleased. One customer said our LMS “was the missing link” for great training; others have simply said “Wow!”

In addition, though, we’ve been in the middle of a big production push to create more of our 3D animated EHS safety training videos. And we’re happy to note that our customers are appreciating our new titles, too.

On a recent morning, we came to work to find this comment posted to our sales webpage in response to a newly purchased copy of our Emergency Action Plan training module:

“I used this video for my training business. It covers all the pertinent information about emergency action without being boring. The graphics keep your interest.”

We at Convergence are glad that our customers like this (and our other) safety training modules, and we thank you for the kind words. Know that we’ll keep doing our best to create more great training materials and keep the compliments coming.

Several Module Updates to Hit the Shelves Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:15:00 +0000

You wouldn’t use PPE that hasn’t been properly inspected, maintained, and even repaired when necessary. So why should you use EHS safety training modules that are old, out-of-date, and possibly inaccurate or irrelevant?

At Convergence Training, we periodically review all of our training materials to make sure they’re up to date and the best they can be. This includes all of the titles in the following libraries:

OSHA and EHS Safety Training
MSHA Part 46 Mine Safety Training
Industrial Essentials Training
Safe Driving Training

In short, reviewing and updating our training is a task that we take seriously.

We may update an existing training module for various reasons. Three of the most common are:

To match new or changed regulations from OSHA or other regulatory agencies
To meet a customer request
To update older modules so they match the abilities of today’s 3D multimedia training capabilities

Recently, we’ve begun work to update several of our existing modules. These include:

Fire Extinguisher Safety - In response to a customer suggestion, we’re adding new material on recharging a partially used fire extinguisher. Adding this material wasn’t necessary, but we agreed with our customer that it is would be a valuable and helpful addition.

Hazard Communication - This is one of the older titles in our OSHA-based safety training library. Although the information in the module is still accurate, changes in software allow us to make more impressive 3D animations than we once did, so we thought we’d spruce this one up a bit.

Overhead Crane Safety - A customer brought to our attention that one of our depictions of hook usage wasn’t considered “best practice” in the industry. Although it wasn’t a technical regulatory requirement, we always want to show best practices whenever possible, so we made the change.

Keep watching our website for future updates as we create new safety training videos and update our existing safety training course libraries from time to time to keep on the cutting edge of 3D animated safety training videos.

Choosing Training Management Software

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:55:00 +0000

If you’re in charge of instituting an enterprise-wide computer-based training program at your company, you’ll quickly discover there are a lot of potential choices out there. How do you choose the training software that best fits your company? First off, I’m not going to pretend that this is an unbiased article. Our LMS software, Convergence Server Enterprise, is fantastic and quite frankly I think it's the only one you will need. In this post I’m going to tell you why.

So let’s get straight to the point. Why should you choose our training management software?

It’s easy for learners to use – With a simple to navigate training home page, our user interface provides an ease-of-use for all levels of learners, including those who may be novices at using a computer. Your learners will get clear instruction on what training they are assigned, how to access their assigned training, and the ability to track their overall training progress.

It’s easy for administrators to use – With a wide range of reporting and administrative options, you have the ability to track and report on your organization’s training program ranging from qualifications, classroom training, and task based events. Our platform allows you to mirror your organization’s structure (locations, regions, sites, departments, job codes, etc.) and assign, track, and report on training throughout your entire organization. This allows you to easily and efficiently assign, track and report at any level of your organization. In addition, training status reports can be scheduled for automatic email delivery to anyone in your organization.

It tracks ALL training – Our LMS was created for the high demands of industrial safety compliance. That means it is set up to be able to track ALL of your training initiatives—not just computer-based training, like some software. With Convergence Server Enterprise, you can assign and track on-the-job (OJT) training, classroom sessions, third-party trainers and contractors. This flexibility reflects the diverse amount of training that goes on at large companies, especially ones that require safety compliance.

It can deliver high-bandwidth training fast – Do you have large training videos that are difficult to access between facilities? Our training system hosts large files locally, so that learners can access these files immediately, with no delays. Because our system was created primarily for large industrial clients who use a lot of high-bandwidth training videos, and because we develop our own multimedia training content, this is an area where we excel.

It lets you create your own training – Our training management system is technically what is known as a learning content management system, which means you can use it to create your own computer-based content and tests. You can import existing SCORM or AICC-compliant training materials, or use popular content authoring tools to convert your PowerPoint presentations or documents into interactive training. You can create quizzes and tests in multiple formats, and upload documents and images to go with these questions.

It gives you many reporting options – A good training management system should give you efficient management tools. Our system lets you create status reports on your training program, and send out those reports in a variety of formats to the people that need to see them. You can set up automated email delivery of these reports to specific recipients so that administrative time is reduced and accountability can be extended to all levels of your organization.

It’s infinitely scalable for your company’s growth – Convergence Server Enterprise was built to be a solution for all businesses, no matter their size. Its scalability means it can be initially installed at just a few sites and then scaled up over time to include the entire organization. It will be a viable solution for your company to better deliver, track, and report of all of your organization’s training now and into the distant future.

Our training management system was created from working alongside large companies that require efficient and reliable training management for their safety compliance record-keeping. When you choose Convergence Server Enterprise, you get the result of this evolutionary design process and can rest assured you’re using a trusted solution.

Call us or email us now to schedule a no-pressure demonstration where you’ll be able to navigate in the program and see first-hand its strengths.

The Convergence Celebrity Safety Minute

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Welcome to our first installment of The Convergence Celebrity Safety Minute, where we make a few real-world recommendations for some of our safety training that celebrities could really use. Enjoy!

Confined Space Awareness for Herman Cain

With all of the allegations of harassment and media scrutiny closing in on Herman Cain, he may be feeling a bit claustrophobic. Or he may be looking for a nice small place with limited points of entry to hide out. Either way, he could likely make use of our Confined Space Awareness training since it looks like he’ll be in a tight spot for a while.

Personal Protective Equipment for Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino

Since Abercrombie and Fitch offered to pay Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino NOT to wear their brand, and due to his altercation with fellow Jersey Shore star, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro that left the Sitch bruised and bloody, we offer this video. Our Personal Protective Equipment course might have helped him avoid injury as well as provided some flashy duds for his HiViz lifestyle.

Bloodborne Pathogens for Charlie Sheen

Whether you’re Charlie Sheen with a hankering for tiger’s blood or a shirtless Twilight heart-throb, be prepared to safely clean up after yourself with this video that sheds some daylight on the darker side of a liquid diet.

So there you have it. Our first recommendations for celebrities in dire need of some quality safety training. Be sure to check back with us again soon for another installment of the Convergence Celebrity Safety Minute, when we’ll have plenty more to learn about the hazards of being in the spotlight.

National Safety Council Congress & Expo 2011 – Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:46:00 +0000

Convergence Training would like to thank everyone who came out to visit us in Philadelphia for this year’s NSC Congress and Expo. In spite of the overall light attendee turnout, we had some great conversations with prospective clients looking to improve the quality of their training experience. Now, we’re back in the office and charged up to reconnect and help with everything from our DVDs to our learning management system and custom media.

Our “Bad Training SUCKS” theme continues to hit home with the industry. We handed out hundreds of reflective “Bad Training SUCKS” hardhat stickers to visitors whose most common responses were, “I agree!” and “I need another one of those to put on our trainer’s door.” Our new black and white “Bad Training SUCKS” T-shirt design was a hit too.

While several visitors asked where “Matt Foley” (our extremely popular entertainer from ASSE 2011 Expo in Chicago) was, we had a few other surprises in store for everyone. Instead of live entertainment, we offered complementary espresso in the morning, free beer in the afternoons, and gave people a chance to win some great prizes in our “Booogie for your Beer” challenge.

At times on Halloween day, visitors were lined up to take their chance at getting high score dancing to Thriller in the Michael Jackson – The Experience game on our XBOX 360 Kinect. The winner of our “Booogie for your Beer” dance challenge was Nick Popehn, Senior Operator at Xcel Energy. Nick walked away with our 46” Toshiba flat screen TV. Thanks again, Nick and thanks to all who participated in making this year’s NSC a whole lot of fun!

Three New “Valve” Courses to Enter Production Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:11:00 +0000

With all the excitement about our rapidly growing Environmental Health & Safety course library, which now contains nearly 50 titles with a dozen more slated for release shortly, it’s easy to forget about our Industrial Essentials course library.

We’re excited to announce that three completely new, 3D animated training courses covering fundamental aspects of valves are currently in production. The working titles are: Valve Basics, Valve Types, and Valves: Common Problems.

As with all our courses, these three “valve” training modules are thoroughly researched, present the material in a clear, orderly fashion, and incorporate our excellent 2D and 3D graphics to help explain difficult concepts.

The valve training courses are currently being written and are tentatively slated to include the following topics. We’d welcome any feedback you have—things to include and not include, tips for explaining difficult concepts—anything!

Valve Basics

Classifying valves by purpose, port size, motions and closing methods, and applications
Parts of a valve
Body materials
Face-to-face dimensions
End connections and welded connections
Valve coefficients
Stroke and flow characteristics
Pressure classes
Shutoff classes
Manual- and actuator-controlled valves

Valve Types

Gate valves
Globe valves
Needle valves
Pinch valves
Diaphragm valves
Plug valves
Ball valves
Butterfly valves
Check valves, including swing check valves, tilting disc check valves, lift check valves, piston check valves, and butterfly check valves
Pressure-relief valves
Reducing valves

Valves: Common Problems

Pressure drop
High pressure drops
Cavitation
Flashing
Choked flow
High velocities
Water-hammer effect
Turbulence
Noise

Don’t forget to write with your thoughts or suggestions, and be sure to look back for updates on production and release of this exciting addition to our industrial training/industrial safety training collection.

Zombie Safety Training

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:19:00 +0000

Is your safety training met with incoherent moaning, blank stares, and open-mouthed drooling? You could be inadvertently turning your employees into ZOMBIES!

With guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Zombie World News, Convergence Training has developed courses that not only help stop you from adding to the zombie horde, but also may just save you from the pending Zombie Apocalypse.

As it turns out, workplace safety practices are also effective tools to keep you from becoming one of the undead. So, in our ongoing effort to add value to your safety training program, we offer...

10 Convergence videos that can help protect you from a zombie attack:

Bloodborne Pathogens – Zombies tend to be biters. And we’re all familiar with the effects of a nasty zombie bite. So protect yourself from the Necro-Mortosis virus by avoiding those oozing contagions.
Slips, Trips, and Falls – Zombies are exceptionally messy. As their scattered entrails create serious slip, trip, and fall hazards, prepare yourself with this video that offers instruction on avoiding these dangers.
Flammable and Combustible Liquids – Zombies hate fire. So, it’s best to have a clear understanding of which workplace liquids make the best improvised torches and flamethrowers.
Personal Protective Equipment – Hard hats are generally a good safety precaution. But they can also help tone down the scent of your tasty, tasty brain. Very helpful.
Hand Safety – Most people think zombies are just brain-thirsty, well, zombies. But many people don’t realize they also thrive on an array of exposed necks and appendages. Your hands will be your best friends when defending yourself with that spare golf club, rolling pin, or table leg. So protect them!
Formaldehyde Awareness – Many zombies may have been previously embalmed. So protect yourself with a little knowledge of the effects of formaldehyde exposure. Running in a serpentine fashion may also be a good idea.
First Aid for Emergencies – Fending off zombies can be dangerous work, especially for those prone to twisting ankles, falling down at all the wrong times, and screaming rather than just getting up and running. So expect to tend to a few scrapes and bruises because, let’s face it, anything worse and you’re pretty much zombie food.
Driving Preparation – Tire irons, flares, and jumper cables aren’t just good ideas for when your car breaks down. With a little creativity, these items could be critical in getting you from your disabled vehicle to that abandoned farm house in one piece. And if this video doesn’t recommend always checking your back seat, it really should.
Emergency Action Plans – Safely preparing for a zombie attack is all about planning. This video will help you and your coworkers map out the best escape routes when the zombies come knocking.
Confined Space Awareness – Hiding from zombies may lead you to closets, storm cellars, and other tight spots. This video will help prepare you for safely barricading yourself until the dawn.

For more information, read the federal government's zombie survival guide. Also, check out Zombie World News for updates on zombie activity in your area and be prepared to put your zombie survival skills to use.

Convergence and CAT Collaborating at TRAM 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:43:00 +0000

Convergence Training and Caterpillar Inc. have joined forces at MSHA’s 2011 TRAM event to strengthen ties with the mining community and raise awareness of the value that the two companies bring to the industry. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) hosts the annual Training Resources Applied to Mining (TRAM) event at the National Mine Academy as a venue for sharing the latest safety information and training tools specific to the mining industry.

It was at the 2008 TRAM event that Convergence Training first introduced our groundbreaking Surface Miner Training compliance software, winning First Place for computer-based training products. Since that time, our Surface Miner Training DVDs and software have helped train thousands of miners and mining contractors while virtually eliminating citations related to documentation for our customers.

And now, through our strategic alliance with CAT Safety Services, Convergence Training continues to deliver on our goals of reducing human and monetary costs for our clients by providing superior quality training courses and compliance software.

Visit the MSHA website for more on MSHA Events.

2 New Courses for Your Training Library

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:36:00 +0000

We’re proud to introduce our two newest additions to our growing Health and Safety and Industrial Essentials training libraries, Forklifts – Reducing Product Damage and Flammable and Combustible Liquids.

Forklifts – Reducing Product Damage covers some of the most common ways forklift operators can cause product damage in a typical warehouse environment and this video also recommends practices for avoiding this damage and the associated costs. This DVD is a must for anyone who’s either purchased our Forklift Safety DVD or currently works with a forklift in a warehouse environment.

Flammable and Combustible Liquids helps raise awareness of the potential hazards presented by common workplace liquids while offering practical instruction on labeling, storage, handling, and managing spills and waste. As a perfect companion to our Fire Extinguisher Safety and Hazard Communication DVDs, this course is will be a vital training tool for anyone interested in building an effective Fire Safety training program.

Find these DVDs at BuyBetterTraining.com or any of our authorized online resellers! And keep checking for more great courses on the way soon.

Convergence Training at NSC 2011 Congress and Expo in Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:14:00 +0000

At Convergence Training, we’re stomping out bad training everywhere we go. And this year’s National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo in Philadelphia is no exception. Come see us at Booth #3404 for a peek at some of our NEWEST 3D animated safety training courses.

And since the show starts on Halloween, we’ll have a bunch of very special treats for our guests. No, we’re not putting out a dish of hard candy. We’ll have some great prizes and super nice stuff you won’t get from anyone else at the show. Plus, you may just leave the show with some of the best training on the market.

Preventing Forklift-Caused Product Damage in the Warehouse

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Working with our industrial and warehousing clients, we know that product damage can be a costly problem. Damaged products result directly in financial losses, and indirectly in consumer unhappiness when the damaged product reaches the customer. Many businesses seem to accept a somewhat high level of product damage as being part of the cost of doing business, but it seemed to us there could be more education on this topic.

We set out to research the common ways products are damaged by forklifts in a warehouse environment. This is obviously a pretty wide topic to tackle, just due to the diversity of product types, forklifts, and warehouses. So we submitted a questionnaire to several warehousing experts and warehouse managers to try to whittle down the list of product-damaging incidents to those that applied to as many locations as possible.

The result, one year later, is Forklifts: Reducing Product Damage, a unique course that addresses the reasons behind most forklift-caused product damage. Some of the major mistakes covered include:

Insufficient fork spread
Insufficient fork depth
Load instability
Momentum-caused tipping
Rack placement damage
Stabbing and raking of product
Operator over-confidence

This course is intended as an introductory course for new warehouse workers, or as a refresher course for experienced drivers. As far as we know, this is the only training course that exists on this subject, and we’re proud to bring such a unique title to the market.

Thanks to the following warehouse/forklift experts who helped us with our research and gave us feedback on our course ideas:

Frederick “Rick” Heath: Material handling expert witness in Louisville, KY
Bill Guiher of Inflection Point in Cincinnati, OH
Don Benson of Warehouse Dashboard, LLC in Portland, OR
Dave Schneider: Logistics and supply chain consultant in Fairfax, VA
Frank Renshaw: Material handling expert in Florida
Daniel Vincent Byrne of ByrneInvent, LLC in Seattle, WA
Robert Footlik of Footlik & Associates, Evanston, Illinois

Check out a clip from the new video:

New Scaffold Training Video the Result of Long Production Process

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:52:00 +0000

As Convergence Training has grown over the years in size and technological capability, our attention to detail has also grown more exacting. One of our recent video courses, Supported Scaffold Safety, is a case in point. This course has been our most challenging retail course thus far, in terms of the amount of research on scaffold regulations, visual scaffold component research, storyboard writing, animation, and review of the finished course.

One of the reasons this project was so complex is that there are so many different types of scaffold set-ups. We had to choose which scaffolds we were going to make, and then we had to figure out exactly how to “assemble” the virtual scaffolding so that we were showing correct procedures. For example, when we decided on a large tube-and-coupler scaffold for our primary scaffold in the course, we had to figure out the best way to set up the cross-braces, what kind of ladder system we should use, and what kind of platforms we should use.

Another reason for the amount of research required is that the OSHA scaffold regulations are quite lengthy. Because we were writing an introductory course for construction workers new to working with scaffolds, and because we never want our courses to just be a boring list of regulations, we spent time figuring out the most important scaffold regulations that our audience needed to know and how to structure that information. Good, engaging training takes time to plan.

We had some valuable external assistance on this project. The following people helped us ensure that our training shows realistic depictions of scaffold set-ups, and that our virtual assemblies reflect common construction practices.

Paul Gogulski, P.E., and construction expert witness, of Gogulski & Associates
Richard Jessup, OSHA Outreach Trainer, Jessup Consulting Group in Houston, TX
Ron Haverkost, Senior Safety Officer, Oregon OSHA
John Ellis, owner of Independent Scaffold Inspection and Training in Nottingham, UK

View a sample clip from our scaffolding video below:

6 New Courses Released in August

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:09:00 +0000

This past August was a big month for us. Our recent focus on expanding the depth and breadth of our health and safety offerings resulted in the release of six new courses, and our production team is continuing to develop even more material for release in the coming months.

The new courses are currently available from our BuyBetterTraining.com online storefront and from authorized Convergence resellers. Check the links below to view video samples and details of the new material.

Job Hazard Analysis
Machine Guarding
Supported Scaffold Safety
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Trenching & Excavation Safety
Trenching & Excavation Soil Properties

We'll be launching more new courses in September, so stay tuned. And feel free to contact us with any requests or ideas for courses you'd like to see us build.

The Power of YouTube...

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:02:00 +0000

At this point, there should be no doubt about the reach of videos published to YouTube. To that point, our growing audience includes Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC), whose Senior Manager very politely contacted us for permission to post our Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety clip on their iWSH Portal. Permission granted.

Display it in good health, WSHC, and we wish you great success promoting safety in Singapore.

New School Safety Combo-Pack on Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:29:00 +0000

The start of a new school year is just around the corner and that gives us the perfect opportunity to sharpen our knowledge of a number of important safety topics. Our new School Safety Combo-Pack is designed to provide training in areas especially relevant to those working in public or private schools, universities, or day-care centers.

The six DVD set consists of the following courses:

Asbestos Awareness
Bloodborne Pathogens
Electrical Safety General Awareness
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Ladder Safety
Lead-Based Paint Safety

Be prepared. Train your staff on these important safety concepts, practices, and procedures.

Overhead Crane Training Video Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:18:00 +0000

The newest offering from Convergence Training is called Overhead Industrial Crane Safety. This course introduces industrial workers to how floor-controlled overhead industrial cranes operate and the basic safe operating procedures for working with them or around them. Training includes:

Types of industrial cranes

The role of rigging and slings

Necessary inspections of the crane and the rigging components

Limit switches

Sling angle factors

Factors affecting load capacity

Factors affecting load stability

One of our primary resources has been Frederick “Rick” Heath, of Heath and Associates. Rick is a forensic expert and consultant on industrial machines, specifically lifting equipment like cranes and forklifts. His long-time expertise in manufacturing and engineering has been of great assistance throughout this production. During the writing portion, he helped us with questions about OSHA regulations and ASME standards and how they pertained to overhead cranes. During the multimedia phase, we worked with Mr. Heath to ensure that the 3D crane animations were visually accurate from a “real world” perspective.

Watch a sample of the crane video below, and see what makes Convergence training different.

Convergence Has a New YouTube Address

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:15:00 +0000

We've been posting clips and samples of our training videos to YouTube for years now, and all the while we've been using a page that was never really properly branded as "Convergence Training's YouTube Page."

Well, now that's changed. We've created a brand new Convergence Training YouTube page, and you can now view our videos or subscribe by visiting Convergence3dVideos on YouTube.

We've released 8 new courses already this summer and we've been posting samples of everything, so if you're a subscriber and you want to keep being notified when we upload new videos, you'll want to head to the new page and re-subscribe there. Next week we'll be turning kdellavalle's page back over to kdellavalle, and the Convergence videos will no longer be available there.

Visit http://www.youtube.com/user/Convergence3dVideos to view the new page.

Overhead Industrial Crane Safety, Hot Work Permit, and Emergency Action Plans Videos Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Convergence Training) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Hot on the heels of our 5 courses released last month, the Convergence Training production team continues to deliver. We're proud to announce these 3 NEW Environmental Health and Safety courses now available at BuyBetterTraining.com and soon through our authorized network of resellers:

Overhead Industrial Crane Safety
Hot Work Permit
Emergency Action Plans

Check out this sample video from the Overhead Industrial Crane training below.

These new courses represent our continuing goal of improving the quality of each new course and raise the bar for the entire training industry. So check out all of our newest courses, including Safety & Health Basic, Safety & Health Advanced, Hydraulic Fluid Safety, Hot Work Safety, and Lead-Based Paint Safety at BuyBetterTraining.com.

And we've got even more courses lined up for release later this summer, so stay tuned to find out what's coming next.