Training and Education | OSHA

OSHA's area offices are full-service centers offering a variety of informational services such as availability for speaking engagements, publications, audiovisual aids on workplace hazards, and technical advice.

The OSHA Training Institute in Des Plaines, Illinois provides basic and advanced training and education in safety and health for federal and state compliance officers; state consultants; other federal agency personnel; and private sector employers, employees and their representatives. Institute courses cover areas such as electrical hazards, machine guarding, ventilation and ergonomics.

The Institute facility includes classrooms, laboratories, a library and an audio visual unit. The laboratories contain various demonstrations and equipment, such as power presses, woodworking and welding shops, a complete industrial ventilation unit and a sound demonstration laboratory. Courses are available for personnel in the private sector dealing with subjects such as safety and health in the construction industry and methods of voluntary compliance with OSHA standards.

OSHA also provides funds to nonprofit organizations to conduct workplace training and education in subjects where OSHA believes there is a current lack of workplace training. OSHA identifies areas of unmet needs for safety and health education in the workplace annually and invites grant applications to address these needs.

Organizations awarded grants use funds to develop training and educational programs, reach out to workers and employers for whom their program is appropriate, and provide these programs to workers and employers. Grants are awarded annually. Grant recipients are expected to contribute 20 percent of the total grant cost.