OSHA announced the selection of new training centers throughout the United States on Wednesday, December 11, increasing the number of centers that offer OSHA training courses on health and safety issues, including ergonomics, from 12 to 20. The centers will operate in 35 locations throughout OSHA’s 10 regions.
The announcement was made by Assistant Secretary of Labor John Henshaw during his keynote presentation at the National Ergonomics Conference and Exhibition held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Centers were chosen through a national competition in which applicants were evaluated based on occupational safety and health experience, non-academic training background, classroom and laboratory availability, and the ability to provide training throughout their region. According to OSHA, the new centers were added to provide greater outreach in areas including ergonomics, Spanish language courses and youth initiatives.
In a press statement, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao stated that the centers were chosen, “because they can best support our national training and education mission.” Chao noted that over 14,500 students were trained at OSHA’s education centers in 2002. She said she expects that number to double in the next few years.
The training centers, listed below, receive no funding from OSHA and rely on tuition and fees to support their programs. OSHA’s primary training center is in Illinois.
Region I
Keene State College, Keene, N.H.
Region II
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y.
A consortium comprised of the following.
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, N.J. (lead organization)
- State University of New York at Buffalo, Toxicology Research Center, Buffalo, N.Y.
- Universidad Metropolitana, San Juan, P.R.
- The New York City District Council of Carpenters, Labor Technical College, New York, N.Y.
Region III
National Resource Center, Washington, DC, a consortium comprised of the following.
- The George Meany Center for Labor Studies, Silver Spring, Md. (lead organization)
- Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Washington, DC
- Center to Protect Workers’ Rights, Washington, DC
- West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension, Morgantown, W.Va.
A consortium comprised of the following.
- Training Division of the University City Science Center, Philadelphia, Pa. (lead organization)
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pa.
Region IV
Georgia Technical Research Institute, Atlanta, Ga.
University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Ky.
Region V
Great Lakes OSHA Training Consortium, a consortium comprised of the following.
- University of Cincinnati Continuing Medical Education, Cincinnati, Ohio (lead organization)
- Eastern Michigan University Center for Organization Risk Reduction, Ypsilanti, Mich.
- United Auto Workers Health & Safety Department, Detroit, Mich.
- University of Minnesota Midwest Center of Occupational safety and Health, Minneapolis, Minn.
National Safety Education Center, a consortium comprised of the following.
- Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill. (lead organization)
- Construction Safety Council, Hillside, Ill.
- National Safety Council, Itasca, Ill.
A consortium comprised of the following.
- Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation, Springboro, Ohio (lead organization)
- Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio
Region VI
Texas Engineering Extension Service, Mesquite, Tex.
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.
Region VII
Metropolitan Community Colleges Business & Technology Center, Kansas City, Mo.
A consortium comprised of the following.
- St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. (lead organization)
- Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Safety and Health Council of Greater Omaha, Omaha, Neb.
Region VIII
Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood Colo.
Rocky Mountain Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, a consortium of the following.
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (lead organization)
- Salt Lake City Community College System
Region IX
University of California, San Diego
Westside Energy Services Training & Education Center, Bakersfield, Calif.
Region X
University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
Source: OSHA