Training That Actually Works

On 10 November 2023, Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower held a briefing on Government Regulation 41 of 2023 on the types and rates of non-tax state revenue (PNBP) at the ministry. The Director General for labour inspection and OHS explained that one reason for charging PNBP on OHS fitness letters and OHS certification services is that demand for OHS personnel, OHS institutions, OHS management system audits and the inspection and testing of OHS equipment rises every year without adequate support from the state budget (Fajrul, 2023).

The regulation was enacted and promulgated on 10 August 2023, took effect 60 days later and revoked Government Regulation 42 of 2018 (Pemerintah Republik Indonesia, 2023). For employers, clarity on state fees raises a more important question: of the money spent on training, which methods actually reduce accidents? This review reads the two meta-analyses most often cited on that question.

What PP 41/2023 Sets

Article 4 sets the PNBP rate for OHS fitness letters and OHS certification at Rp0 for micro and small businesses. The annex lists, among others, Rp150,000 per person for OHS training certification, Rp120,000 per person for evaluating appointment decrees (SKP) for OHS management system auditors, OHS experts (Ahli K3) or occupational health examining physicians, Rp150,000 per document to issue or renew that SKP, and Rp120,000 per person for evaluating licences for OHS operators, technicians, officers or specialised tradespeople (Pemerintah Republik Indonesia, 2023). These are state fees, not the course fees set by training providers.

The Research

Burke et al. (2006) pooled 95 quasi-experimental studies with 20,991 participants and grouped training methods by learner engagement: least engaging (lectures, pamphlets, videos), moderately engaging (programmed instruction, feedback) and most engaging (behavioural modelling and hands-on training). Five years later, Burke et al. (2011) pooled 113 studies covering 24,694 workers to test whether the severity of job hazards changes the link between method and outcome.

Main Findings

In the first meta-analysis, the more actively trainees took part, the greater their knowledge gain and the larger the reduction in accidents, illnesses and injuries. Every method produced meaningful improvements in behaviour, but training built on behavioural modelling, plenty of practice and dialogue was generally more effective (Burke et al., 2006).

The second meta-analysis added a condition. Highly engaging training was considerably more effective than passive training when hazard severity was high, while the two performed comparably when severity was low (Burke et al., 2011). The authors called the mechanism the dread factor: practice and dialogue make trainees realise how real the dangers of their job are, and that realisation motivates learning.

As a point of comparison, Ricci et al. (2016) analysed 28 studies from 2007 to 2014 and found strong support for training effects on attitudes and beliefs, weaker support for knowledge, medium for behaviour and small for health. Classroom training, although the most widely used, was not significant for knowledge outcomes in that review.

Limits of the Evidence

All three reviews rest largely on quasi-experimental studies, so causal claims are weaker than those from randomised trials. The Burke reviews draw on older studies, many from the United States, and Ricci et al. (2016) included only English-language studies. We found no comparable meta-analysis focused on OHS training in Indonesia, so applying these findings locally remains an interpretation.

What It Means

In our view, PP 41/2023 clarifies the state's share of the cost, but training effectiveness still depends on the method an employer chooses. The findings of Burke et al. (2011) justify treating jobs differently: general, low-risk content can use leaner formats, while severe-hazard work such as confined space entry, work at height and lifting equipment operation deserves a large share of practice and simulation. Practical steps:

• Map jobs by hazard severity before drafting the annual training budget, and give the largest share of practice to the severe-hazard group (Burke et al., 2011).
• Build every session around demonstration, trainee practice and feedback, not only lectures and slides (Burke et al., 2006).
• Measure training outcomes through behaviour on the job, for example by observation, not only classroom test scores (Ricci et al., 2016).
• Use the Rp0 rate for micro and small businesses on OHS fitness letters and OHS certification where the rules allow (Pemerintah Republik Indonesia, 2023).

How Nusa Safety Helps

Nusa Safety helps employers design practice-heavy curricula through Custom Training Module Development, and scenario-based exercises can be extended with Digital Safety Simulators. For severe-hazard work there are programmes such as Confined Space Entry and Working at Height. Ministry-certified training is delivered with licensed PJK3 partners; Nusa Safety issues internal training certificates only and is not a PJK3.

This article is general information and not legal or professional advice for any specific case.

References

1. Burke, M. J., Salvador, R. O., Smith-Crowe, K., Chan-Serafin, S., Smith, A., & Sonesh, S. (2011). The dread factor: How hazards and safety training influence learning and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(1), 46-70. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021838
2. Burke, M. J., Sarpy, S. A., Smith-Crowe, K., Chan-Serafin, S., Salvador, R. O., & Islam, G. (2006). Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods. American Journal of Public Health, 96(2), 315-324. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.059840
3. Fajrul. (2023, November 11). Kemnaker sosialisasikan PP 41 Tahun 2023 tentang PNBP guna tingkatkan layanan K3 [Manpower Ministry socialises Government Regulation 41 of 2023 on non-tax revenue to improve OHS services]. Media Asuransi. https://mediaasuransinews.co.id/nasional/kemnaker-sosialisasikan-pp-41-tahun-2023-tentang-pnbp-guna-tingkatkan-layanan-k3/
4. Pemerintah Republik Indonesia. (2023). Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 41 Tahun 2023 tentang Jenis dan Tarif atas Jenis Penerimaan Negara Bukan Pajak yang Berlaku pada Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan [Government Regulation 41 of 2023 on the types and rates of non-tax state revenue at the Ministry of Manpower]. https://jdih.kemnaker.go.id/peraturan/detail/2356/peraturan-pemerintah-nomor-41-tahun-2023
5. Ricci, F., Chiesi, A., Bisio, C., Panari, C., & Pelosi, A. (2016). Effectiveness of occupational health and safety training: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Workplace Learning, 28(6), 355-377. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWL-11-2015-0087