Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
informational.and.instructional.programs.at.individual.worksites,.thereby.enabling.
employers.to.provide.the.training.that.is.most.needed.and.applicable.to.local.work-
ing.conditions.
Assistance. with. training. programs. or. the. identiication. of. resources. for. train-
ing.is.available.through.such.organizations.as.OSHA.full-service.area.ofices,.state.
agencies. that. have. their. own. OSHA-approved. occupational. safety. and. health. pro-
grams,.OSHA-funded.state.on-site.consultation.programs.for.employers,.local.safety.
councils,. the. OSHA. Ofice. of. Training. and. Education,. and. OSHA-funded. New.
Directions.grants.
legAl AsPect oF trAInIng
The. adequacy. of. employee. training. may. also. become. an. issue. in. contested. cases.
where. the. afirmative. defense. of. unpreventable. employee. misconduct. is. raised..
Under. case. law,. well-established. in. the. Occupational. Safety. and. Health. Review.
Commission. and. the. courts,. an. employer. may. successfully. defend. against. an. oth-
erwise.valid.citation.by.demonstrating.that.all.feasible.steps.were.taken.to.avoid.the.
occurrence.of.a.hazard,.and.that.actions.of.the.employee.involved.in.the.violation.
were.a.departure.from.a.uniformly.and.effectively.enforced.work.rule,.of.which.the.
employee.had.either.actual.or.constructive.knowledge.
In.either.type.of.case,.the.adequacy.of.training.given.to.employees.in.connection.
with.a.speciic.hazard.is.a.factual.matter.that.can.be.decided.only.by.considering.all.
the. facts. and. circumstances. surrounding. the. alleged. violation.. The. guidelines. are.
not. intended,. and. cannot. be. used,. as. evidence. of. the. appropriate. level. of. training.
in.litigation.involving.either.the.training.requirements.of.OSHA.standards.(refer.to.
Appendix.D).or.afirmative.defenses.based.on.employer.training.programs.
oshA trAInIng model
The.OSHA.training.model.is.designed.to.be.one.that.even.the.owner.of.a.business.
with.very.few.employees.can.use.without.having.to.hire.a.professional.trainer.or.pur-
chase.expensive.training.materials..Using.this.model,.employers.or.supervisors.can.
develop.and.administer.safety.and.health.training.programs.that.address.problems.
speciic.to.their.own.business,.fulill.the.learning.needs.of.their.own.employees,.and.
strengthen.the.overall.safety.and.health.program.of.the.workplace.
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EtErmining
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The.irst.step.in.any.training.process.is.a.basic.one:.to.determine.whether.a.prob-
lem.can.be.solved.by.training..Whenever.employees.are.not.performing.their.jobs.
properly,.it.is.often.assumed.that.training.will.bring.them.up.to.standard.procedure..
However,.it.is.possible.that.other.actions.(such.as.hazard.abatement.or.the.implemen-
tation.of.engineering.controls).can.enable.employees.to.perform.their.jobs.properly.
Ideally,. safety. and. health. training. should. be. provided. before. problems. or.
.accidents.occur..This.training.should.cover.both.general.safety.and.health.rules,.and.
