Construction Technology earns OSHA certification

Columbia Area Career Center has always emphasized safety training in our programs, and beginning in fall 2012 we began to further that emphasis. Construction Technology I & II classes were required to complete the OSHA 10 hour Construction Industry Training course and by doing so received their OSHA wallet cards. All students successfully completed the course.

An agency of the US Department of Labor, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates that all employers provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees. The agency also measures the safety competency of workers.  Consequently, in the last two years many employers have begun to require new hires to obtain OSHA certification before serious consideration for employment.  CACC students who obtained certification have both increased  their competency skills and their employability.

The training develops StartSafe StaySafe® practices that teach students how to make critical choices when faced with potential safety problems in the workplace. It is a visual and interactive learning program that covers safe practices with tools, equipment, chemicals, and construction site hazards. The high value of a safe work environment is recognized by reputable employers who perceive that it pays economically, as in lower insurance rates and increased productivity, and that a safe a workforce works with more efficiency and with more initiative.

Instructor Bill Mitchell says, “the emphasis of the training is how to bridge the gap between knowledge of safe practices and practical application in the field.”

Instructor Bill Mitchell, Guidance Counselor Ellen Buechler, Ryan Chrisman, Jacob Toler, Austin Shiverdecker, Cristian Ocampo, Colby Robb, Cody Bower and Chris Kalogeris. Not pictured  Megan Anderson