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 |
