Safety Tidbit 4.25 - Fake OSHA Cards

Safety Tidbit 4.25 – Fake OSHA Cards

Reference:        OSHA News Release – 2/15//2019

                        OSHA Outreach Training Program

Many of you have attended (or taught) OSHA 10 or 30-hour classes. We use the class as a means to increase our workers’ knowledge of safety and enable them to assist with the company’s safety and health program.

"OSHA's outreach training serves to educate workers about safety issues they will encounter on the jobsite," said OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson. "Falsifying documents not only undermines the program, it fails to protect workers on the job. OSHA will refer fraudulent activity to the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, and trainers caught falsifying information will be subject to criminal prosecution."

The OSHA Outreach Training Program was initiated in 1971, and has grown significantly in recent years. The train-the-trainer format expands the reach of the program to increase training availability. Between FY 2012 and FY 2016, more than 3.94 million workers were trained in job hazard recognition and avoidance through the program.

OSHA authorized outreach trainers are not OSHA personnel. Trainers are authorized (not certified) through this program to deliver Outreach training classes. Trainers are independent service providers and their schedules and fees may vary. OSHA recommends contacting multiple trainers to find one that best meets the student's needs. Students may verify the status of an authorized outreach trainer. All authorized trainers must possess a trainer card which includes an expiration date along with the name of the authorizing OTI Education Center.

A Trainer Card shows authority to teach 10- and 30-hour outreach courses and receive OSHA student completion cards. Individuals become authorized by meeting training and industry safety experience requirements. In order to provide flexibility, trainers are allowed to tailor the 10- and 30-hour training topics to meet the needs of their audience. OSHA specifies mandatory topics along with flexible topic requirements for each industry. Trainer courses are offered by the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. Trainers must update their training every 4 years.

Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan

P.S. If you have a new safety or health question, please let me know.