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OSHA News Release: [12/11/2002] Contact Name: Frank
Meilinger Phone Number: (202) 693-1999
OSHA Increases Number of
Training Centers
New Centers Will Help Hispanic Outreach,
Ergonomics, Youth Initiatives
WASHINGTON, D.C.The U.S. Department of Labor today
announced the selection of 20 Training Institute Education Centers, almost
doubling the number of centers that currently offer training courses on
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and occupational
safety and health issues. OSHA's previous training program included 12 centers.
The new program has been expanded to include 20 centers at 35 locations
throughout the country.
"These education centers were selected because they can best support our
national training and education mission," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine
L. Chao. "More than 14,500 students were trained at education centers in 2002
alone. We expect the number of students trained by these centers to double over
the next two years and to continue to increase substantially each year after
that. The additional centers will help us meet an increasing demand for OSHA
training and provide added value to our outreach efforts in a variety of areas,
including ergonomics, Spanish language courses and youth initiatives."
The 20 centers will complement the OSHA Training Institute, the agency's
primary training center in Illinois. The centers are primarily responsible for
training private sector personnel and federal personnel from agencies outside
OSHA.
"Training is key to safety and health," said OSHA Administrator John
Henshaw. "The more employers and employees know about hazards and protection,
the more injuries, illnesses and fatalities can be prevented. Expanding our
education centers allows us to reach more people with information that can
protect their safety and save their lives."
The centers were selected through a national competition that was
announced in February. Evaluation criteria included occupational safety and
health experience, non-academic training background, classroom and laboratory
availability, and the ability to provide training throughout the region. OSHA
provides no funding to the education centers. They support their OSHA training
through their normal tuition and fee structures.
The educational centers will also assist the agency in administering the
OSHA Outreach Training Program-- the agency's primary way to train workers in
the basics of occupational safety and health. Through the program, individuals
who complete a one-week OSHA trainer course are authorized to teach 10-hour or
30-hour courses in construction or general industry safety and health
standards. These individuals go on to train thousands more students each year.
In FY 2002, 254,000 people received training from the train-the-trainer
program.
OSHA's Training Institute Education Center program was created in
1992.
A complete list of the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers follows
in the accompanying fact sheet.
* * *
FACT SHEET New OSHA Training Institute Education
Centers
Note: (*) Indicates current OTI Education Center, which
was reselected.
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, D.C., 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,
D.C.
- Center to Protect Workers' Rights, Washington, D.C.
- 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.
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