Outreach Training Program

Outreach Training Program Overview.

• The OSHA Outreach Training Program teaches workers about their rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint as well as how to identify, abate, avoid and prevent job related hazards. 
• OSHA authorizes safety and health professionals who complete an Outreach trainer course to conduct occupational safety and health classes for workers.
•  After training is completed, trainers document their training to their Authorizing Training Organization (see section IV.A), and receive student course completion cards to distribute to the workers they have trained. 
• OSHA has promoted workplace safety and health by authorizing trainers since 1971. The Outreach Training Program is voluntary. 
• It does not meet the training requirements contained in any OSHA standard. However, some states and local jurisdictions have enacted laws mandating Outreach training. Some employers, unions, and various other jurisdictions also require workers to have this training to work on job sites and to fulfill their own safety training goals. 
• For a complete list of OSHA’s training-related requirements, see OSHA Publication #2254, Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines (www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2254.pdf.) The growth in the Outreach Training Program is a result of industry-wide acceptance and additional training opportunities available through OSHA’s Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. Many employers use the OSHA Outreach Training Program to provide training for their employees. Groups who have integrated the program into their overall safety and health training plans include the building trades, general contractors, employer associations, insurance companies, and manufacturing firms. III. Authorized Outreach Trainer (Outreach Trainer) Designation A. Becoming an Outreach Trainer. To become an Outreach trainer, an individual must meet the applicable prerequisites and complete the applicable industry trainer course. See the specific industry program procedures for detailed information. Trainer course prerequisites include components for both industry experience and training in OSHA standards for that industry. These are separate components. Industry experience cannot be used to fulfill the training pre