Many jobsites are now safer workplaces, thanks to a popular training course sponsored by the Occupation Safety and Health Administration. Twenty locations across the country are offering a four-day course that is designed for those in the private sector who want to teach a 10-hour construction safety and health outreach program to their employees.
“Of the 15 courses offered by the centers, the most popular courses by far are the two ‘train the trainer” courses, one for general industry and another for construction,” OSHA chief of division of training Ernest Thompson told Occupational Hazards. “The construction industry course is the more popular of the two.”
Since December, eight additional Training Institute Education Centers were added to meet high demand. According to Thompson, the courses were developed because of a need from the private sector. Larger companies send staff members to complete the course so that he or she can teach and certify employees. Smaller companies often hire a consultant.
“Many contractors are saying, ‘You can’t work on my site unless you have a 10-hour OSHA card’ proving the worker took the training,” Thompson said.
More than 250,000 students took the 10-hour courses in construction in 2002. Numbers of students are expected to increase in 2003.
What is unique about the training program is that the courses cost the OSHA nothing, and no profit is made. OSHA provides the curriculum to the training centers, and the training centers charge the students, or their companies, tuition. The course offered is essentially the same one given to OSHA inspectors at the agency’s training institute in Illinois. In addition to the construction safety course, four other occupational safety courses are available.
For more information about OSHA’s training courses and the location of the training centers, click on the link to the right.
