Recently, we received the following question from a subscriber:
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Who can provide safety training? Does someone need to have a certification or something in order to provide safety training? How is someone determined qualified?
This was our answer:
With a few exceptions, most OSHA standards that include a training requirement do not have specific requirements for trainer qualifications. For the most part, OSHA’s training standards are performance-based, meaning that the training must be effective in its goal of educating workers about safety and health hazards, but employers can go about providing this training in any way that accomplishes that goal.
Therefore, for most subject areas, anyone can provide workplace safety training. Training can come from safety manager, a supervisor, a hired outside trainer, or many other sources. The important thing is that training is effective, covers all necessary information, and is provided to all workers in a language and vocabulary they understand.
Standards that do specify trainer qualifications include the bloodborne pathogens standard at 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2), the HAZWOPER standard at 29 CFR 1910.120(e) and 1910.120 Appendix C, and the fire brigades standard at 29 CFR 1910.156(c). Safety.BLR.com’s training regulatory analysis contains a chart that shows OSHA’s training requirements and any associated requirements for trainer qualifications.
For individuals who wish to become authorized to teach an OSHA 10- or 30-hour class, there are requirements for experience and training that are outlined at https://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/authorized.html. However, the OSHA 10- and 30-hour classes do not fulfill the training requirements for any OSHA standards; they are voluntary classes intended to educate workers about common workplace hazards and their rights to a safe workplace.