osha safety training

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration provides a number of training resources appropriate for varying worker levels. OSHA safety training is a valuable resource if your goal is a safer workplace. Read on for an overview of how these seminars work and how they can benefit you and your workers.

What is OSHA Safety Training?

OSHA safety training is a government outreach program designed to provide workers and supervisors with the basic information they need to operate safely in their work environment. The training courses for employees are referred to as OSHA 10 because they take ten hours to complete. Training for managers is more in-depth and takes 30 hours to complete, so those courses are referred to as OSHA 30.

Targeted Industrial Groups

OSHA safety training courses are broken down into four targeted groups. This allows instructors to focus in on safety factors most relevant to specific work environments. The four industrial groups available are:

Construction
General Industry
Maritime
Disaster Site

There is overlap among the topics covered in these four training classes, so everyone coming out of this training receives a complete overview of how to identify, avoid, and prevent safety violations in their workplace. However, by attending a training seminar specifically designed for their industry, students become better aware of the issues they are most likely to face in their daily environment.

Choosing the Right Training Seminar

Finding the right seminar for you or your employees depends on the student’s industry and level of responsibility. Knowing which industry to you’re a part of is simple, but knowing whether the 10 or 30 hour course is most appropriate is a little less clear. Generally speaking, the 10 hour seminar is most appropriate for entry level workers who may not have received in-depth safety training before. The 30 level course adds more depth and variety to the topics covered in OSHA 10, as well as focuses more closely on procedures relevant to each industry. This depth makes OSHA 30 ideal for supervisors or others who bear responsibility for workplace safety.

Are OSHA Training Seminars Mandatory?

OSHA training seminars are not federally mandated. However, some states, employers, and unions require this type of training. Research the laws for your jurisdiction to determine if this type of training is mandatory for you.

Whether or not OSHA training is mandatory, it is a reliable way to ensure your employees and supervisors have the knowledge they need to ensure a safe work environment. The information provided helps to reduce accidents and improve productivity, creating a safer workplace for everyone involved.