Maine Department of Labor lists its upcoming August no-cost safety trainings.

Upcoming classes:

• Hazard Communication, Global Harmonization and Chemical Substitution: August 7, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Sanford Adult Education, 668 Main St, Sanford
  • Hazard Communication (HazCom) is one of the top-three most frequently cited OSHA standards. It was updated in 2012 to reflect the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Employers must train employees on GHS and on any new hazards identified based on manufacturer's reevaluation of existing chemicals. Half of this class covers HazCom/GHS and the other half focuses on eliminating and/or substituting chemicals in the workplace. Eliminating a hazardous chemical or substituting it with something less hazardous not only reduces employee health and safety risks but can improve your company’s bottom line.

• Vehicle Ergonomics: August 8, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
  • Program participants will have an improved understanding of the importance of proper driving posture, varying work activities, stretching and activity breaks, limiting exposures, and how to make regular corrective adjustments to driving positions. Participants will also explore wellness and self-care strategies to reduce stress and back/neck pain and to improve energy levels.

• New safeTALK: August 9, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
  • LivingWorks safeTALK is a 4-hour training that equips people to be more alert to persons thinking of suicide and better able to connect them with further help.

• How to Conduct a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Assessment: August 10, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Brewer Community Center
  • This half-day course is designed to assist you in developing a PPE assessment 1910.132(d). Employers must conduct a hazard assessment prior to requiring employees to use PPE. The assessment provides information needed to select the appropriate PPE for the hazards at the workplace. Learn how to conduct a hazard assessment in this hands-on class.

• Fire Service Respiratory Protection: August 21, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

• • This half-day class will cover the OSHA respiratory protection standard, state statutes, and agency rules relating to the fire service's use of SCBAs. Other topics include written programs, medical clearances, fit testing, facial hair, two-in and two-out, annual training requirements, flow and hydrostatic testing requirements, weekly/monthly checks, the OSHA and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) rules for breathing air compressors, licensing, maintenance and recordkeeping.

• Improving Your Safety Training Program: August 22, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

• • An effective safety training program will lead to positive effects on safety knowledge and the adoption of safe work practices and behaviors. This one-day training assists safety professionals and safety committees learn how to analyze their audience, update on new training techniques, and develop top notch training programs.

• Public Sector Compliance: August 23, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m., Virtual
  • This assistance program is for state, county, municipal, and quasi-municipal employers, managers, and employees. The program is an overview of public-sector employer responsibilities including injury/fatality reporting, written programs, training, equipment/facility inspections, and recordkeeping.

• Impairment Detection Training for Employers: August 24, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the Portland CareerCenter, 151 Jetport Blvd, Portland
  • This one-day training session is designed to help owners, managers, and supervisors recognize and respond appropriately to employee-impairment in the workplace in order to reduce worker accidents and injuries. Participants will be taught procedures to detect impairment regardless of the substance or cause. This class is designed to fulfill the federal DOT requirements for reasonable suspicion training of supervisors. In addition, participants will learn how to develop and implement policies that address impairment in the workplace and are in compliance with Maine's Substance Use Testing Law. 

• A Practical Approach to Electrical Safety: August 28, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

• • In this half-day class, you will learn how to protect workers from electrical hazards. NFPA 70E requirements will be discussed in layman's terms.

• Scaffolding and Fall Protection: August 29, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
  • This course covers the OSHA requirements for scaffolding and fall protection, including the definition of "competent person."

• NFPA #1 Fire Code: August 31, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

• • This one-day course provides overview training to fire fighters and emergency response personnel. This multi-part document has 16 sections to safeguard life and protect property from dangerous conditions caused by fire and explosion. Other fire codes including NFPA 101, 57, 58, 30, 13, 25, and 72 are referred to in this code.

SafetyWorks! is also a host site for the Region 1 OSHA Training Institute Education Center. The next class will be:

• August 18: 205 Chainsaw Safety & Tree Felling

To register go to www.oshaedne.com or call 800-449-6742.  Please note, these classes have a registration fee to attend.

Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtml

If you have questions about safety or upcoming classes, reach out to SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE-345 or general.bls-safetyworks@maine.gov.

If you have questions about Wage and Hour compliance, please reach out to the Wage and Hour Division at 207-623-7900 or bls.mdol@maine.gov, or visit www.maine.gov/labor/bls/.