OSHA Training Basics

OSHA considers safety training part of your general duty to provide a safe workplace, but individual OSHA rules also impose more specific training requirements, depending on what your business does and what hazards might be present in your workplace. These rules are too extensive to summarize here, but following some commonsense guidelines will help you get started. For example, make sure that all employees know about the materials and equipment with which they’ll be working, the known hazards in your business, and how you’re controlling those hazards. Pay special attention to the use of chemicals, making sure to train employees in:

methods of detecting the release of a hazardous chemical in the work area—for example, monitoring devices or appearance or odor of chemicals when being released
physical and health hazards of the chemicals
measures employees can take to protect themselves from the hazards—safe work practices, emergency procedures, and protective equipment, and
details of your labeling system and worksite locations where employees can find chemical safety data.

Don’t let employees start a job until they have received instructions in how to do it safely. The exact training you offer will, of course, vary according to the nature of the business. It may be helpful to call in an OSHA consultant to recommend specific training for your workplace.

Don’t overlook the need to train existing employees who are moving into new jobs or are starting to use new equipment. And all employees need refresher instruction from time to time, since it’s human nature to become complacent and forget the safety rules.

You must maintain records of your safety training efforts and be prepared to show these records to OSHA inspectors.

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