In our last blog post we looked at who should take the Chemical Hygiene Plan online assessment. Today’s blog post looks at the wide variety of safety training courses available to you. Training is available both online and in face-to-face sessions.
But which safety training course do you need? Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) at Texas Tech offers online safety training courses required by the university and regulatory agencies to help faculty, staff and students work safely. For your convenience, the EH&S safety training website breaks down what safety training courses are needed for specific employees and occupational areas such as: new employees, administrative or academic personnel, art studio personnel, laboratory personnel, food services personnel, etc. However, it is important to always check with your immediate supervisor to ensure you are taking all of the required safety training courses needed for your specific job.
Safety training is important for both the university and our faculty, staff and students. Not only can proper safety training reduce the number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities, but it can also reduce the amount of property damage, legal liability, workers’ compensation claims and missed time from work. According to the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), since 1970, workplace fatalities have been reduced by more than 65 percent, and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67 percent.
It is important that all new and veteran employees take the appropriate safety training for the areas in which they will be working. The importance of safety training may not always be recognized by those who have been “doing it for years.” According to 2011 data from the Texas Department of Insurance, the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work for those in the fields of education and health services was highest among employees who had been on the job between one and five years. Safety training serves as a reminder to all employees that dangers can exist no matter your experience and that no one is immune to accidents.
Most of the safety training courses offered by EH&S are available online with just one click of the mouse. However, a few courses are only offered during face-to-face sessions. If you are interested in one of these face-to-face sessions, contact EH&S at (806) 742-3876 for more information.
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