OSHA Safety Training Keeps Pace

OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has a mammoth task, considering there are millions of employers and businesses in the United States. Since OSHA’s mandate is to govern the safety and protection of every worker in the U.S. from workplace accidents, it must find effective ways of communicating with employers and employees alike and making its resources readily available and easily accessible. With new technologies emerging every year, OHSA must constantly evaluate the market and identify what it takes to keep America’s workers safe.

Both OSHA and its counterpart NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) were created as a result of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This act guarantees safety in the workplace for every citizen in the United States. NIOSH’s mandate involves research into creating safer workplaces, while OSHA’s mandate involves writing policies which govern workplace safety, as well as providing training and education to employers/managers and employees, and ensuring compliance with federal safety regulations in every workplace in America.

OSHA’s safety training programs cover every topic imaginable, from how to properly operate a forklift, to learning how to spot electrical hazards in the workplace, to preparing health care facilities for disease outbreaks, to safely serving guests in a restaurant. OSHA provides support to employers and workers through a number of different means, including:

• Educational resources: OSHA’s safety training resources come in just about any form imaginable, from video/DVD, to informational brochures, posters, flash cards and more. You can choose the resources that will best communicate the safety message that your workers need to know. Many of OSHA’s resources are published in multiple languages, including Spanish.

• OSHA Outreach Training Program: This safety training course is OSHA’s “primary way to train workers in the basics of occupational safety and health.” Workers who meet the requirements of this course and the criteria for qualification may choose to take a trainers course. Once completed, the worker is qualified to be an authorized OSHA trainer and conduct training programs for his/her own company or other interested companies.

• Online training: Can’t make it to one of OSHA’s schools? You can take the Outreach Training via computer.

• Certification accreditation: OSHA accredits agencies in various industries to provide certification for equipment used in the workplace. This ensures that employers are in compliance with OSHA standards regarding the safe function of equipment and gear.

• Industry-specific courses: OSHA periodically offers courses directly related to specific industries (construction, maritime, hospitality, etc.) in various venues and/or special events around the U.S., or at its training institute. Employers may also request specific courses to be taught on-site to its employees.

With the support of NIOSH, OSHA regularly reviews the content of its training materials, informational resources, website, and policies in order to ensure that it is keeping pace with industry trends and technology in America in order to provide the best possible support to the American worker and ensure safety and security in the workplace.
To find an OSHA office near you, visit their website at www.OSHA.gov . Look for the “OSHA offices” link, and click on the state that you live in (i.e. Houston residents can click Texas on the map to find the nearest branch in Texas).

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