SafetyWorks! Offers Businesses Free Workplace Safety Training Courses in February Bookmark and Share

February 7, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2014
Contact: Julie Rabinowitz, 207-621-5009

Courses include HazCom, general industry, video display terminal, health and wellness and driver safety

AUGUSTA?The Maine Department of Labor?s SafetyWorks! training and safety consultation program announces free training courses for February.

?I encourage employers to use the non-cost training programs SafetyWorks! provides,? said Governor Paul R. LePage. ?Educating workers about safety helps reduce workplace accidents?keeping people on the job, avoiding injury and lost productivity and reducing workers? compensation costs.?

All courses take place in Augusta and are held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. To register, call (207) 623-7900 or register online at http://www.safetyworksmaine.com . Businesses with several employees requiring the same training course should contact SafetyWorks! to ask about the free onsite training program.

Feb. 11: Hazard Communication/Global Harmonization?GHS stands for the ?Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.? GHS defines and classifies the hazards of chemical product and communicates health and safety information on labels and material safety data sheets. Learn what you need to do to prepare for the GHDS and how it affects you and your workers.

Feb. 12: Health and Wellness?This is a 4-hour, hands-on, interactive program offering basic information on ergonomics for the office?addressing workstation design, visual terminal display hazards recognition and elimination and general wellness. Participants will leave understanding proper work area design, the warning signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, techniques to protect themselves from injury through proper stretching and conditioning programs, activity breaks, stress management and hygiene.

Feb. 13 and 14: 10-Hour General Industry Standards?This one-and-a-half-day course offers basic information on a variety of general industry safety and health standards (29 CFR 1910). Attendees who complete the course will receive an OSHA 10-hour course completion card for general industry. Class runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on day one and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on day two. Note: OTI charges $5 per card.

Feb. 20: Fire Extinguisher/Emergency Action Plan?This hands-on class covers Emergency Action Plans as well as various types of fire extinguishers and how to maintain them. Attendees should come prepared to discharge a fire extinguisher.

Feb. 21: Video Display Terminal Train-the-Trainer?Maine?s Video Display Terminal (VDT) law requires employers to train VDT operators how to work safely at the computer. This class will prepare trainers, supervisors and safety team members to recognize and eliminate the hazards to which VDT operators are exposed.

Feb. 25: Bloodborne Pathogens Train-the-Trainer?This course is for those whose job responsibilities involve occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This class will instruct you on how the OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies to non-healthcare employers. This training is designed to provide an understanding of bloodborne pathogens, common modes of transmission, methods of prevention, developing an exposure control plan and required training for employees. Training materials will be provided.

Feb. 26: Vehicle Ergonomics?This 4-hour program offers basic information on ergonomics for those who spend much of their day in a vehicle. Drivers face a variety of problems related to ergonomics, stress, job injuries, fatigue and exposures. Program participants will have an improved understanding of the importance of proper driving posture, varying work activities, stretching and activity breaks, how to limit some exposures and how to make regular correct adjustments to driving positions. Participants will also explore wellness and self-care strategies to reduce stress and back/neck pain and improve energy levels.

Feb. 27: Driver Awareness (Bangor CareerCenter)?Transportation-related crashes are the leading cause of workplace death in Maine. Driver awareness training can help your organization reduce crashes that cause property damage, injury and death. Learn about Maine motor vehicle laws, defensive driving techniques and resources for tracking traffic safety awareness.

Feb. 28: Establishing an Effective Safety and Health Committee?One of the greatest steps to success in injury reduction and prevention is the collaborative involvement of workers, supervisors and managers in the workplace. This class teaches how to put a dynamic committee together or strengthen the work of existing teams and provides models for hazard assessment, accident review and ?near-miss? reporting. It will help you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your program and give you a game plan for greater success.

SafetyWorks! is not OSHA and cannot issue fines or citations to private businesses. While SafetyWorks! helps businesses of any size, priority is given to small businesses. The program trains about 8,000 people and consults at nearly 1,000 worksites in Maine each year. Employers interested in learning more about the consulting and training services offered by SafetyWorks! should call 1-877-SAFE 345 (1-877-723-3345) or visit http://www.safetyworksmaine.com .

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