This January, for the first time, VRSA Safety Specialist Eddie Shelton conducted a virtual OSHA 10-Hour Construction course. In the past, all OSHA training has been held in person. However, the virtual option – first discussed in the wake of COVID-19 – is now available for certified trainers.
Virtual training allows members to save on expenses, including meals and hotels, and to train more staff who may not otherwise be able to attend in-person. This allows one instructor to reach many more participants than ever before.
“This course is about identifying and fixing hazards in the workplace,” said Shelton. “The best way to do that is by training front-line employees and supervisors. They are the ones most likely to be exposed to hazards. By teaching them how to identify and abate hazards, public entities are better poised to reduce accident rates.”
Safety Specialist provides OSHA training to staff in the City of Lexington
The OSHA-10 is a nationally recognized course that provides 10 hours of student outreach to cover a multitude of topics, such as chemical safety, fall protection, confined space, hand and power tools, trenching & excavations, electrical hazards, and a large variety of other topics that our members are exposed to every day.
Conducting this course virtually requires explicit coordination with the Authorized Training Organization – in VRSA’s case, the Mid-Atlantic OSHA Training Institute through the Chesapeake Region Safety Council.
Students participated through the Teams application. Each student must utilize their own dedicated computer with a camera and microphone. The course is presented through group activities, videos, PowerPoint slides, and group discussions. The virtual course is broken into two days, with the course running from 8:15 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the first day, and 8:15 – 11:30 a.m. on the second day.
“Studies show that public entities that take advantage of these courses have higher morale, lower costs associated with accidents, lower accident rates overall, and are better prepared for VOSH inspections,” said Shelton.
VRSA will begin offering the online version of this course on a regular basis, so we highly encourage our members to keep an eye on our training calendar for new classes to be added. The issued OSHA 10-hour card is good for life, but it is encouraged to renew the course every 5-7 years, as laws are changed and added fairly regularly.
Two additional virtual OSHA events have been scheduled:
- July 29 – 30: OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, register here
- Oct. 7 – 8: OSHA 10-Hour Construction, register here
For more information on this or other training opportunities, contact your VRSA safety consultant at: 800-963-6800.