New Online Construction Safety Programs Help Contractors Fit Training into Busy Schedules

Source: U.S. Newswire

HILLSIDE, Ill., Sept. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The educational requirements for OSHA's excavation and lead safety standards can be daunting for contractors. Two new online programs, Excavation Competent Person Training Program and Lead in Construction Program, offer state-of-the-art tools to help contactors fit training into their busy work schedules.

The Construction Safety Council (CSC) recently rolled out the new online programs at http://www.buildsafe.org. These two state-of- the-art programs, Excavation Competent Person Training Program and Lead in Construction Program, are offered free of charge for the next two years. Created with funding from OSHA's Susan Harwood Training Grant Program and authored by the Construction Safety Council, the excavation and lead programs present a unique opportunity to take advantage of top-of-the-line training available at the learner's convenience, location, and learning pace.

OSHA's Excavation Safety Standard requires that contractors designate "competent persons" to supervise all trenching and excavation work. The Excavation Competent Person Training Program is an interactive course designed to cover the most important knowledge requirements that must be met by the competent person. The designation of "competent person" can only be made by the employer responsible for performing the excavation work. Participants will go through a sequence of learning modules: Introduction to Competency, Specific Excavation Requirements, Protective Systems and Soil Analysis, Emergency Response, and a Post-Test. Upon successful completion of the program and post- test, the participant will receive a course completion certificate from the Construction Safety Council. Paul Satti, CSC's director of program development, says, "When a contractor only has one or two people needing competent person level training, CSC's on-line excavation safety course is efficient and cost effective. It also provides supervisory and management personnel with an excellent avenue for professional development."

The Lead in Construction Program is a downloadable program that informs participants about the hazards of lead in the workplace and the measures that can eliminate or reduce exposure. Participants completing the program will learn about the history of lead-related disease and various sources of exposure to lead in construction and demolition work. They will also learn about health effects of lead, exposure monitoring and medical surveillance, engineering work practice controls and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.

"We're very excited about the Construction Safety Council's ability to offer the new computer-based training developed with funding received from OSHA's Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. These programs have been two years in the making and we think they represent the best online training available in excavation and lead safety for the construction industry," says Tom Broderick, executive director and a construction safety professional for over 25 years. "CSC was also selected by OSHA to assist with safety training for response and recovery workers after hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita decimated portions of the Gulf States Region."

For over 15 years, the Construction Safety Council has been a 501(c)(3) charitable organization specializing in the development and delivery of construction safety training nationally. For more information on how to access these training programs and instructional materials visit CSC's website at http://www.buildsafe.org. To learn more about CSC's capability to deliver interesting, high quality and fun construction safety training at your site, call Beverlee Carrick at 800-544-2082, ext 202 for details. The materials for both programs were produced under grant numbers 46E4-HT03 and 46E4-HT22 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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The educational requirements for OSHA's excavation and lead safety standards can be daunting for contractors. Two new online programs, Excavation Competent Person Training Program and Lead in Construction Program, offer state-of-the-art tools to help contactors fit training into their busy work schedules.