How to Get a Workplace Safety Training Program

Name: OSHA Education Center Courses
Brand: OSHA Education Center
Rating: 4.7 (72272 reviews)

Construction workers being taught by an instructor

Building a workplace safety culture is crucial for protecting your workers, limiting your liability and complying with the applicable standards. If you're looking for information about how to conduct safety training in the workplace, we have answers to the questions you're asking.

What Is Safety Training?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandates employee education tailored to the specific hazards they may encounter and the roles they fulfill on the jobsite. The goal of these safety and health training programs is to ensure that employees can recognize, avoid and prevent hazards on the job. A safe work environment is imperative.

If you are a manager or supervisor, you are responsible for ensuring that your employees have access to high-quality training material. You may also be responsible for keeping records, including dates, attendee names and successful completion. Your company can comply by developing and implementing a written program and conducting annual audits to evaluate effectiveness.

The list of jobs, tools and situations that require specialized preparation is extensive, so you will want to check with the official federal requirements. But here are some areas of focus:

Emergency Action Plans: How to respond to emergencies and execute action plans.
Hazardous Materials: Handling and storage of flammable liquids, gases and other hazardous chemicals.
Personal Protective Equipment: Proper use and maintenance of protective gear.
Occupational Noise Exposure: Awareness of the risks and prevention of hearing loss due to noise.
Machine Guarding: Safe operation and maintenance of machinery to prevent accidents.
Hazard Communication: Understanding chemical hazards and the right to know about substances.
Bloodborne Pathogens: Procedures to handle bodily fluids and protect against exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Fire Prevention and Protection: Implementing fire prevention plans and the use of fire extinguishers.

The Benefits of a Well-Informed Workforce

In addition to complying with regulations and requirements, you have an ethical obligation to keep your workers safe on the job. Every injury or death at work is preventable. Education and awareness efforts help prevent accidents and injuries.

By identifying potential hazards, ensuring employees use equipment properly and implementing preventative measures, you can promote a culture of safety at your place of business and reduce your potential liability if accidents happen.

General Awareness

Generalized instruction is available through the OSHA Outreach Training Program. These general programs are no substitute for specific instructional requirements. But they can help build a safer working environment.

For example, OSHA 10 is a 10-hour course that teaches basic information for entry-level personnel in construction or general industry. Enrolling is voluntary at the federal level, but many employers require staff to earn OSHA 10 cards before starting work. It is mandatory in some states and cities.

OSHA 30 provides more in-depth information, especially for managers or supervisors. Lessons cover a broader range of topics. Upon completion of either program, participants will get an official card from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Per regulatory guidelines, some job functions also require annual supplemental or refresher courses.

Supplemental and Refresher Requirements

Team members sometimes need additional guidance or a reminder. One of the most common occasions is when employees take on additional duties or have a change in role that requires additional knowledge. Other reasons could include:

Site Changes: If there are changes in the work environment or the type of equipment that render previous systems obsolete.
Skill Retention: If there are inadequacies in the employee’s knowledge or use of equipment that indicate the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skills.
Certification Expiration: If the certification or qualification of an operator has expired.
New Regulations: When new standards and regulations are introduced or existing ones are updated.
New Equipment: Introduction of new equipment or technologies that employees need to operate.

What Can I Teach My Employees?

OSHA Education Center is an industry leader in online instruction for workers and supervisors, offering a wide variety of high-quality online choices to fulfill your requirements. Besides the 10- and 30-hour options mentioned above, here is a small sampling of our course catalog:

Competent Person

Many worksites are required to designate a competent person for certain site hazards. Our online competent person courses teach individuals to identify, control and correct hazards. Classes include:

HAZWOPER

This program is designed for specific groups who respond to the uncontrolled release of hazardous substances. Competency in HAZMAT handling procedures can prevent serious individual and environmental harm. Options include:

40-Hour Course for cleanup and emergency response personnel
24-Hour Course for those who are infrequently or indirectly exposed to uncontrolled hazardous waste operations
8-Hour Course to satisfy annual retraining requirements

First Aid Basics Online

This course provides instruction for providing first aid in a variety of emergencies. This awareness course is 100% online but does not provide an official first aid certification. Hands-on practice is typically required for certification. However, students receive a certificate of completion indicating their familiarity with basic medical aid protocols.

MSHA Part 46

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) details regulatory standards for miners. Part 46 deals with 17 types of surface mining operations. Our catalog includes:

Online Perks

Our classes are available 100% online from any internet-connected device. Progress is saved automatically as employees work their way through lessons. Students can log in, study and log out at any time without having to repeat lesson material.

Programs for Businesses

While you can purchase courses individually, you may benefit from institutional education programs if you need to train staff on a regular basis. We offer bulk discounts along with a variety of business and enterprise solutions like an integrated Learning Management System (LMS) with automatic reporting options for easier tracking and documentation.

Find the Online Training You Need

Thousands of businesses use our workplace safety training programs annually to meet federal educational requirements and keep employees safe. You can search our full course catalog or contact us for a demo of our business tools today.