Published March 14, 2024
You probably know already that construction is one of the most hazardous industries. It has accounted for the most workplace fatalities every year since 2012, and for most of that time it’s also been among the top five for nonfatal lost-time injuries, according to the National Safety Council.
The reasons aren’t a mystery. Construction work is physically taxing, jobsites have heavy equipment in constant motion, and workers may be exposed to heights and the elements while using temporary utility setups.
Taken together, these hazards make a strong case for the importance of ongoing safety training.
But whether you’re seeking training for yourself or your employees and contractors, there is only so much time and money.
So, what are the most important training topics?
Best Supply reviewed over a dozen industry media outlets and blogs to develop this consensus of the most important areas of training for workers in the construction industry.
1. Personal Protective Equipment Training
This was cited as a critically important training by every source. An effective training will provide instruction on the selection, fit, use and maintenance of PPE in these categories:
- Eyes and face
- Respiratory
- Head
- Foot
- Hand
- Hearing
- Fall prevention
2. Excavation and Trenching:
Trench and excavation collapses fall under the “Caught In Between” category of OSHA’s Focus Four (more often referred to as the Fatal Four), covering the leading causes of workplace deaths. It was the second-most-frequently mentioned training topic in our informal review of recommendations. Look for a course that addresses the following topics:
- OSHA excavation standards
- Types of hazards at excavation sites
- Shoring methods
- Soil mechanics and methods to test for soil types
- Required protective systems and equipment
- Safety techniques for working in and around trenches and excavations
3. Fall Prevention and Protection:
Falls are another of OSHA’s Fatal Four, and this topic was tied with Excavation and Trenching in its appearance near the top of every list of important safety trainings. Look for courses that address:
- The various types of fall hazards
- Types of fall protection systems
- Correct assembly, inspection and disassembly of static fall-protection systems, such as safety nets, warning lines and guardrails
- Correct use of active fall-prevention, such as harnesses and fall-arrest systems
- Organizational vs. individual roles in fall prevention and protection
4. Hand and Power Tool Handling and Training:
While opinions on the most important safety training topics start to diverge after the top three, safe handling of power tools was consistently mentioned. Look for courses that include:
- Common injuries (amputations, punctures, abrasions, flying debris, etc.) and how to avoid them
- General safety precautions
- Equipment overloading
- Appropriate PPE
5. Basic Rigging:
Rigging affects everyone at a job site, and basic understanding and awareness of techniques and terminologies is an important safety factor – whether a worker is directly involved in rigging and moving loads, or simply working nearby. Look for courses that teach:
- Rigging fundamentals
- OSHA regulations around rigging and hoists
- Lifting/hoisting hazards and pre-lift assessments
- Operating basic rigging equipment
- Maintenance, inspection, testing and storage of equipment
- Selecting the right hitches, ropes, slings, hooks, etc.
- Standard hand-signal communications with crane operators
6. OSHA Outreach Construction Training:
We were surprised that OSHA’s basic 10-hour training didn’t hit the top of every list. Perhaps that’s because it’s a survey level course, designed for entry-level workers, that provides an overview on a number of important topics, including:
- Industry health hazards
- PPE
- OSHA’s Fatal Four (Falls, Struck By, Electrocution and Caught In Between)
- Hand and power tool hazards
- Material handling hazards
- Employer safety responsibilities
- Workers’ rights to safety and how to file complaints
OSHA also has a 30-hour safety training, appropriate for supervisors and workers at all levels of experience, including entry-level.
OSHA doesn’t provide these courses directly. Rather, it licenses select training organization to provide them online and in person. Providers can be located easily through an internet search for “OSHA 10-hour construction training.”
7. Hazard Communication:
This topic tied with OSHA Construction training in the consensus of our review. Hazard communication assures workers receive and understand important information about chemicals in and around the job site. Look for courses that include:
- OSHA’s hazard communication standard
- Types of hazards, such as harmful exposure, inflammability and corrosion, and the chemicals that cause them.
- Understanding label systems and safety data sheets
- Safe handling practices
- First-aid and accident response
- Elements of chemical safety programs
8. Electrical Safety Training:
Most courses in this area are designed for those who work directly with electrical systems, and are often referred to as arc flash safety training. But electrocutions are another of OSHA’s Fatal Four hazards, and construction sites present a variety of potential electrical hazards for all workers. Look for courses that include:
- Effects of shock and electrocution
- Basic electrical concepts and terminology, and which factors affect the severity of the hazard
- Overview of common electrical hazards found at construction sites
- PPE
- Accident prevention techniques
- OSHA electrical safety requirements and electrical hazard controls
9. Crane Safety Training:
This topic addresses the last of OSHA’s Fatal Four – struck by objects. You’ll find different courses for equipment operators and riggers v. general construction personnel. For training all workers about overhead crane hazards, look for programs that include:
- Different types of cranes and accidents most commonly associated with them
- Hazard awareness and maintaining safe distances
- Rules for sheaving and securing loads
- Signaling
10. Harness Training:
While this topic is typically covered in fall-prevention courses, workers who routinely operate at heights with a full body harness may want more intensive training. Look for courses that address:
- Inspecting equipment
- Proper fit and adjustment
- Proper usage
Other trainings that were mentioned by multiple sources but didn’t make the top 10 are:
- Welding safety training
- Scaffold safety
- Industrial truck operator training
- Aerial lift training
Is training required?
While OSHA urges safety training for construction workers, it’s not mandated at the federal level. State governments have their own regulations.
Florida requires OSHA-authorized safety training for construction employees on any contract of more than $1 million in Miami-Dade County. The other states in Best Supply’s service area do not mandate training; these are Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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