5 Reasons Why You Need OSHA Outreach Training in Construction

Posted On: April 27, 2017

Whenever construction workers need some form of safety training, 10-hour and 30-hour OSHA outreach programs often come to mind. Ever wonder why these voluntary courses have become a staple for the construction sector? Our latest blog takes a quick look at the many reasons why OSHA outreach training is fundamental in the construction industry:

To Know Your Rights

One of the main components of OSHA’s outreach training program emphasizes workers’ rights. To enhance your voice in the workplace, it is imperative to have an understanding of your rights as a construction personnel. Learning more about the laws that protect you at work can make all the difference in preventing related accidents and injuries.

To Know Your Employer’s Responsibilities

Being aware of your rights as a worker is crucial, but knowing the responsibilities of your employer is just as important in achieving a safe and healthy workplace. The OSHA construction outreach training program can help you to figure out which aspects of construction safety fall under the responsibility of the employer.

To Learn How to File a Complaint

Aside from introducing you to the associated laws and regulations, OSHA’s outreach training program tackles how to file a complaint in the event that there are unsafe conditions at work. The 10-hour and 30-hour courses also include helpful resources and other related documents:

Safety data sheets
Weekly fatality/catastrophe report
OSHA log of occupational injuries and illnesses

To Understand Construction Hazards

More than anything, the voluntary safety courses are designed to help construction workers in identifying, addressing, preventing, and avoiding workplace hazards. In an effort to protect employees from the leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry, it is required to have Focus Four lessons in an OSHA outreach training program:

Falls – minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes
Electrocution – minimum of 30 minutes
Struck-by – minimum of 30 minutes
Caught-in-between – minimum of 30 minutes

To Get an Official Course Completion Card

Let’s get this out of the way: The 10-hour and 30-hour outreach training programs are not considered as an OSHA certification. While such outreach training opportunities cannot get you “OSHA certified,” finishing the course can bring you closer to an official completion card from the Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL card is a widely recognized documentation of training in the construction industry. In fact, several jurisdictions even require OSHA-authorized outreach training in construction work: