For OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainers: OSHA periodically updates the requirements that authorized Outreach trainers must follow in conducting and reporting OSHA Outreach Training Program classes.
Key changes in the revised January, 2017, OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements are noted below. Effective Date of April 1, 2017
General Program Updates
- Student contact hours. Clarifies that student contact hours do not include time spent on tests and administrative matters.
- Student contact hour limit and 8-hour break requirement. Clarifies that training is limited to 7.5 student contact hours per calendar day with a minimum 8-hour break between training sessions.
- Class segment length. Reduces the minimum required length of a class segment from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.
- Record retention requirements. Clarifies that trainers must retain all training records for five years, with records subject for verification upon request, and may face corrective action for noncompliance.
- Specifies that daily sign-in sheets and topic outlines must include certain components.
Trainer Code of Conduct
- Trainers may not cancel, or in certain cases reschedule, classes without reimbursing student tuition and fees.
- Trainers may not schedule multiple classes to occur concurrently or at the same time (“Double Scheduling”).
Prohibition on combining industry class content
- Reiterates that Outreach Training Program courses are considered stand-alone courses.
- Overlapping content from separate industries may not be combined to result in student course completion cards for multiple industry classes.
Requirement to retain Outreach Training Program Report
- Outreach trainers must document each class using the official Outreach Training Program Report.
- Trainers must retain these forms for five years even if an electronic portal report is used to request cards from the ATO.
- Revised forms are included in the updated industry procedures.
Trainer Card
- Trainers must maintain physical possession of their Outreach Training Program trainer card, and
- Must display their trainer card upon student request and at the beginning of each Outreach class they conduct.
Student Cards
- Increases the time period that students may request a replacement card, from 3 to 5 years from course completion date.
Exception Requests
- Processing of most exception requests moved from DTE to the trainer’s Authorizing Training Organization
- Expanded ability to request Alternative Training Method (Webinar/videoconferencing) exception; may be granted after initial review/approval for a term of up to 12 months.
- Online training is limited to authorized online providers.
Industry Sector-Specific Emphasis Programs
- This section permits organizations, with OSHA review and approval, to establish Industry Sector-Specific Emphasis programs.
Outreach Training Program Monitoring Activities
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Addition of Section IX—Outreach Training Program Monitoring to the Outreach Training Program Requirements:
- Trainers who do not provide required advance notice of training or respond to a records audit request by their Authorizing Training Organization will not be issued student course completion cards and the trainer may be subject to corrective action.
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Addition of Section X—OSHA Outreach Training Program Trainer Watch List to the Outreach Training Program Requirements.
- Primary Outreach Training Program trainers may not use as an Assistant Outreach Training Program trainer, a trainer whose name appears on the Watch List.
Revisions to Specific Industry Procedures
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All Industries:
- Change in Prerequisites. To substitute education for experience and meet prerequisite purposes, education must be part of an education program that represents a bachelor’s degree or higher.
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Construction Industry Procedures
- Changes the Focus Four Hazards presentation from 4 hour to 6 hours when conducting the OSHA 30 Hour.
- Establishes an elective 2.5 hour “Foundations for Safety Leadership” module for the 30-hour Construction course
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Maritime Industry Procedures
- OSHA Course numbers no longer utilized.
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Disaster Site Worker Procedures
- Addition of 7.5-hour Disaster Site Worker course. Shortened version of the 15-hour Disaster Site Worker course to include required topics.