Program Purpose
The Outreach Training Program is a voluntary program. Its purpose is to promote workplace safety
and health and to make workers more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and their rights.
Outreach training does not fulfill the training requirements found in OSHA standards. Employers
are responsible for providing additional training for their workers on specific hazards of their
job as noted in many OSHA standards.
Program Growth
The OSHA Outreach Training Program was initiated in 1971, and has grown significantly in recent
years. The train-the-trainer format expands the reach of the program to increase training
availability. Between FY 2016 and FY 2020, more than 5.21 million workers were trained in job
hazard recognition and avoidance through the program.
Designed For Workers
The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and
prevention of workplace hazards. Outreach classes also provide overview information regarding
OSHA, including workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint.
Program Benefits
- Promotes safety culture through peer training
- Training is intended to be participatory, using hands-on activities
- Trainers are able to tailor the training topics based on specific needs of their audience
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Outreach training content includes hazard recognition and avoidance, workers' rights, employer
responsibilities, and how to file a complaint; it emphasizes the value of safety and health to
workers, including young workers
- Outreach training is available in languages other than English (Spanish, Polish, etc.)
10-hour and 30-hour Programs
The 10-hour training program is primarily intended for entry level workers. The 30-hour training
program is intended to provide workers with some safety responsibility a greater depth and variety
of training. All outreach training is intended to cover an overview of the hazards a worker may
encounter on a job site. Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control and
prevention, not OSHA standards.