Training-Training-Training

I have been pontificating for years about the critical need for training of workers. In my opinion, the lack of adequate training is the single biggest cause of jobsite injuries and fatalities. Well, if you didn't "get it" before, you had better start paying attention because OSHA has finally caught up.

Last week, during a speech to the National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis addressed worker training. She stressed the need for training in a form that can be understood by our Hispanic workforce - nothing new there. But she also stated that, effective on Workers Memorial Day (April 28th), "OSHA will also assure that its Compliance Officers check and verify not only that the training has been provided, but that it was provided in a format that the workers being trained can understand."

WARNING: you subcontractors that think that you are not responsible for the training of those "independent contractors" to which you "subcontract" the work (you know - piece workers), you had better rethink that idea. It is up to you to assure that every one of the workers in your workforce has adequate safety training. You might even want to review you subcontracts - you may find language in there that says you will assure that the workers for whom you are responsible, will be adequately trained in jobsite safety.

Don't know what training is required, Click here for assistance.