For thousand of years, workers on a job were basically expendable, they could be replaced easily if hurt, injured, or killed. Back when the pyramids were being built many hundreds would die only to be replaced by even more. Things got better as civilization took hold but workers were always easy to replace and safety wasn’t a consideration. With more modern laws, however, it became clear that the employers needed to tend to worker safety or they would not only be sued but they wouldn’t be able to get required insurance coverage to stay in business. Unions also began representing the workers and laws were eventually passed to keep, not only workers, but customers safe as well. Now, there is OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who’s job it is to maintain the workplace in a safe manner with various programs from start to finish.
The Fist Part Of The Plan Is To Assess The Hazards
There are thousands of hazards all around us that, for the most part, we don’t recognize or pay attention to. That goes for the workplace, the home, and every business you visit as well. Some common household products are deadly when mixed together, a broken egg on the floor at the supermarket could cause a slip and fall, canned goods shouldn’t be stacked too high. The list goes on, and it covers every business, from construction to manufacturing, to retail and warehousing. Every business needed to be assessed as to what dangers were present and how hazardous those dangers were.
After that, rigorous regulations needed to be implemented and enforced, in order for the world to become safer. Input from owners, managers, and the employees needed to be used to set standards in all industries involving safety equipment, safety clothing, railings, scaffoldings, and millions of other improvements that would keep everyone safe.
The Next Step Had To Involve Education And Training
In wasn’t enough just to make laws, standards, and regulations, there were too many hazards that could still happen as long as people weren’t aware of the various potential problems. So OSHA began training and certification programs to get both the employers and workers aware of the hazards, how to handle them, what to do in case of an emergency, and how to notify the proper people as well. This is where the OSHA 10 hour and OSHA 30 hour training and certification classes came into being.
The 10 hour class was designed to get people aware of the workplace hazards in each industry and reduce the number of accidents, illnesses, and injuries through education. Depending on the industry, that might involve the importance of always wearing a dust mask, and exactly what kind of masks are required. There are now thousands of industries that now require gloves, from dishwashers to hairdressers, that never needed them in the past.
There are also plenty of hours spent on how to properly use a fire extinguisher, and which kinds of fires can be put out by which type of extinguisher. Retail employees and construction employees all benefited by knowing which products they had on hand were hazardous alone, or when improperly mixed. Some products should never be stored in the same area or transported on the same pallet in the warehouse either. At the end of the 10 hour class, the attendees would receive what is called a DOL-10 hour card. Many employers now require certain employees to have this certification in order to work in certain positions in their company. Also, many insurance companies either require the classes or offer discounts on rates to encourage safety in the workplace, plus reduce losses.
The 30 hour class and certification goes into much more depth and detail than the 10 hour class. It was originally designed for the managers and supervisors in a company where they were in charge of employees and therefore had more responsibility for the safety of others. Those graduates would, of course, receive the DOR-30 hour card. Both the 10 hour and 30 hour classes are available for most industries online in order to make the education more convenient for those involved.
Since the beginning of the OSHA standards workplace injuries, illnesses, and accidents have dropped considerably. There are now far fewer workplace accidents than ever and, as more education is implemented, the numbers continue to drop.