OSHA Certification
 | Author:
Mikayla Kraft, School Correspondent
MT43 News School Correspondent |
OSHA Certification Mikayla Kraft, School Correspondent For a few years now, Mr. Watson (Industrial Arts Teacher) and Mrs. Loughery (Agriculture Education Teacher) have given high school students the opportunity to gain an OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) Certification. Through Broadwater High School, students can gain a certification card for completing 10 hours of their 10-hour certification training.
On Dec. 29, 1970, President Nixon signed the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Hazard Act which gave our government the chance to enforce safety regulations in the workforce. Following the signing of this act, Nixon created the government-run OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) organization on April 28, 1971. The mission is to, “...ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance” (osha.gov). OSHA covers a multitude of sectors such as agriculture, construction, oil and gas, warehousing, etc. Agriculture holds hazards from the environment, chemicals, and equipment that can harm health such as severe injuries, hearing loss, skin disease, and even lung diseases. Construction workers risk getting hit by heavy equipment, electrocutions and so much more. Workers in the oil and gas industry can face fatalities from chemical exposures, explosions/fires, and by getting caught underneath, between, or hit by a piece of equipment. Common injuries in the warehouse department include overexertion injuries, hazardous chemicals, and equipment such as forklifts.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. David Sheldon, who works with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, and has been working with OSHA for about a year and a half. David Sheldon had gotten injured on the job and unfortunately had his leg amputated at the right knee. He believes that communication is a vital part of ensuring safety in the workplace. His goal is to make sure that each student that he teaches understands that communication is important and will be able to refrain from getting injured on the job.
As Montanan’s, we are always working relentlessly hard when a job needs to get done and we intend to do it with quality. However, as agriculturalists, warehouse workers, construction workers, etc. it can be easy to obtain an injury while working, which is why OSHA is important for this community and especially the high schoolers and young adults who are already hard at work in the workforce or are near that stage in life. BHS hopes to continue this for years to come and they cannot wait to continue to bring opportunities such as OSHA training and more to the high school students.
If you have any questions or curiosities about the OSHA organization, contact David Sheldon at david.sheldon@mt.gov or (406) 697-8478.
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