Do Employers Need to Pay Employees for Required OSHA Training?

OSHA training helps to prevent workplace injuries.
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The Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted by Congress in 1970 to reduce workplace injuries, death and illness from work conditions. Employers should provide employees with training before an accident occurs to protect against potential problems. Some employers can implement their own training and safety programs that are not required by OSHA. If your job requires you to have OSHA training before you can start work, you may be wondering who will have to pay.

    Step 1

    Determine what type of OSHA training you will need before you begin work. Some occupations like roadwork construction require you to have certifications before you begin work. If you choose to work in this type of work environment, your employer is not required to pay for your training. It is best to receive the training and get your certification before you start work. Forklift drivers generally must get their certification before they hire you to work as an operator.

    Step 2

    Ask your employer what types of personal protective equipment you need to do your job. According to OSHA, employers must pay for any personal protective equipment required to comply with OSHA standards. Even if you have your own personal protective equipment, your employer cannot make you use it. If you do decide to use your own equipment, it is your employer's responsibility to make sure it is up to code and provides you with the maximum protection.

    Step 3

    Adhere to the OSHA training guidelines. Your employer should check with the training manual yearly to see if any changes have been made. Every program requires both initial training and incremental training requirements. The more dangerous the job, the more frequent you will have to receive training. According to OSHA, employers must provide training and training materials available at no cost to the employee.

    Step 4

    File a complaint with OSHA if you think your workplace is unsafe and training requirements were not met. OSHA will inspect the workplace to determine if there are any hazards not being addressed. If OSHA finds any violations, they may issue citations and fines and ask the company to correct the problems. If you report a problem, you have the right to request a review if OSHA does not issue citations.

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