OSHA Slates Training Event, Seeks Nominations to FACOSH

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are keeping the federal agency staff responsible for keeping federal workers healthy and safe on its toes. The OSHA Training Institute (OTI) and OSHA's Office of Federal Agency Programs have slated a series of training seminars this July that would put safety programs of federal workplaces on a par with those of the private sector.

Fifty-three federal worker deaths in fiscal 2010 and 30,000 federal workers' compensation claims backdrop the event, lending not just relevance to the seminars but also some urgency. The training event is designed to give federal managers a leg up in putting in place and managing their injury-and-illness-prevention programs.

Although online OSHAcampus.com training—for instance, OSHA 10 training and OSHA 30 —is now a pre-employment requirement by many employers, many workers continue to be unnecessarily exposed to avoidable worksite hazards because of employer ignorance, negligence, or plain disregard of basic health and safety standards. The three-day event—to be held from July 31 to August 2, 2012 at the OSHA Training Institute, 2020 South Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, IL.—comprises daily seminars on  hazard communication, ergonomics issues, indoor air quality, and workplace violence, among other topics.

According to OSHA, government-agency personnel who will attend the training courses are exempt from tuition and other fees. Federal government contractors and private sector attendees, however, are required to pay tuition. Registration for the event is open until July 24, 2012. Students can access registration forms, course descriptions and other details at www.osha.gov/dep/fap/fedweek_fy12.html.

OSHA also announced that it is now accepting nominations for six new members to serve on the 16-member Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH), which advises the Secretary of Labor on issues concerning the occupational safety and health of federal employees.

FACOSH also extends help to the Secretary and OSHA with their programs and initiatives to minimize the number and seriousness of injuries and illnesses in the federal workforce, as well as encourages each federal executive branch department and agency to carry out effective occupational safety and health programs. The nominations, according to OSHA, are limited to three labor organization representatives and three federal agency management representatives. Each member will have a term of no more than three years.

OSHA stated that nominations may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail or fax. All nominations must be submitted by September 4, 2012.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates that employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their workers. OSHA ensures that these conditions are met by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance to organizations, employers, and employees.