Featured Organization

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)


Kitren VanStrander

Rochester Institute of Technology, one of the top ten largest private universities in the United States, has served as a U.S. Department of Labor OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTIEC) since 2002, serving OSHA Region 2 - New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. RIT was selected from a national competition based on its experience in providing occupational safety and health programs, and its ability to deliver multidisciplinary specialized training.

Founded in 1829, RIT is comprised of nine colleges, and is an internationally recognized leader in professional and career-oriented education enrolling more than 17,000 students from all 50 states and over 100 countries. RIT has long been acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading providers of accredited safety and health degree programs including:

• Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety (Bachelor of Science Degree)
• Environmental Health and Safety Management (Master of Science Degree)

Leading the OTIEC program for RIT is Kitren VanStrander, Director of Outreach Education and Training. "As an OSHA Training Institute Education Center, RIT helps learners achieve or maintain OSHA credentials and provides high quality training programs in the safety and health disciplines. In addition, offer three customizable certificates. Our courses are taught by an outstanding group of instructors who are selected based on the combination of their professional credentials, teaching ability and relevant work experience as safety and health professionals. They bring today’s workplace issues directly into the classroom. We are committed to providing a learning experience of the highest quality."

For more information about RIT OSHA training, including full course descriptions, dates and registration information, please contact Kitren VanStrander at 585-475-7054, or visit the website at RIT website.

Great Lakes Regional OSHA Training Institute
(OTI) Education Center

Great Lakes Regional OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center is a consortium comprised of four organizations. In 1995 the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati, created the Great Lakes OSHA Training Consortium; and Eastern Michigan University, in association with the U.A.W. Health and Safety Department created the Motor City Education Center. In 2002, the Great Lakes and Motor City Education Centers joined to be one Regional Education Center. This consolidation into one comprehensive program has increased the overall efficiency of the operation of the program and allowed for complementary expertise in program management and course content, resulting in exceptional training programs throughout Region V.
 
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine has been offering health and safety short courses for over 50 years and has been home to a NIOSH-supported Education and Research Center (ERC) for slightly under 30 years. The Continuing Education Program, directed by Judy L. Jarrell, Ed.D., serves as the lead institution for these programs, in close collaboration with the University of Minnesota, as well as several other institutions, organizations, and state and federal agencies.

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) participates in collaborative efforts with the United Automobile Workers' Union (UAW) and has a multi-year history of training in the Big Three automotive companies throughout the U.S., Mexico and South America. Through EMU's Center for Organizational Risk Reduction and the Continuing Education program, workers are also provided with opportunities for CEU's and CM points as they complete their health and safety training programs. EMU was the first OTI Education Center to receive authorization from OTI to offer online OSHA courses. At present, EMU offers six online courses servicing students from thirteen countries and thirty-nine states.

United Automobile Workers' Union	Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Staff	EMU Livonia Campus	Dr. Judy Jarrell, Director of Continuing Education, University of Cincinnati

The Midwest Center for Occupational Safety & Health (University of Minnesota) is also a NIOSH-designated Education and Research Center, and has a 25-year history of continuing education and outreach in the areas of occupational safety, industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing and occupational medicine. The Midwest Center has worked collaboratively with the University of Cincinnati in the Great Lakes Regional Lead Training Center (EPA) as well as the Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training (NIEHS).

University of Minnesota	Students enjoy state-of-the-art classroom facilities

Laboratories and equipment enhance
hands-on safety and health training

Courses offered by the Cincinnati and Midwest Centers are designed to meet criteria for CEUs toward Certification maintenance as specified by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as well as Certification Maintenance Points from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene. Other accreditation CEUs such as Board of Nursing CEUs, Sanitarian, Realtor, Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, and the National Environmental Health Association are offered where applicable.

In addition to state-of-the-art classroom facilities, Great Lakes Education Center takes pride in its hands-on training facilities, laboratories and equipment. Student course evaluations consistently rate courses as highly effective and participants often return to the Great Lakes Regional OTI Education Center partners and host training sites to meet their ongoing safety education needs.

A full training schedule is conducted at each partner site. In addition each partner has identified, "Host Training Sites" (HTS), which also offer OSHA programs under the direction of the Great Lakes Education Center. These HTS have established health and safety training programs with close ties to local business and industry. Working closely with these sites assures broad access to training through improved marketing and close course proximity throughout Region V.

Current Host Training Sites include:

• Lake Shore Community College, in Cleveland, Wisconsin
• Northern Illinois University in Naperville, Illinois
• South Central Technical College in Mankato, Minnesota
• Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana
• Kent State University Stark Campus, Kent, Ohio
• Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois
• University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio
• EMU-Traverse City at Traverse City, Michigan
• Jackson Community College at Jackson, Michigan
• Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan

Special Activities:

To begin the 2006 academic year, the University of Cincinnati announced the offering of two OSHA courses as part of the "certificate/non-degreed" offerings of the College of Applied Sciences (CAS). The two courses are:

OSHA #510 Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the Construction Industry
OSHA #511 Occupational Safety & Health Standards for General Industry

These courses will be following all requirements as OTI Education Center courses, including OTI-approved course directors, handouts, and topics. Further OSHA course offerings are being considered for all quarters at the CAS and announcements will be made as to which courses are being offered as they are scheduled.

Eastern Michigan University has been busy with special outreach programs: ergonomics training was provided for MIOSHA consultants; asbestos awareness training was provided to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Upper Peninsula Michigan; and free HAZWOPER training was given to workers traveling to the Gulf Coast to assist with hurricane clean-up.

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health Midwest Center for Occupational Health & Safety held it's 16th Annual Occupational Health Symposium in October 2005. The Symposium is a 3-day event offering concurrent sessions covering a broad range of topics. In addition to the courses offered, the "Center" collaborates with the Minnesota Association of Occupational Health Nursing organization which provides a Vendor Fair, displaying products and services available for Occupational Health Professionals. After June 1, 2006, look for Symposium 2006 courses and events online.

The Great Lakes Regional OTI Education Center partners have 130 years of combined occupational health and safety training experience, and have trained over 200,000 people in occupational health and safety short courses. The institutions represented in the combined consortia have each established a history of leadership and expertise in OSHA and other health and safety training. Each partner has extensive experience in providing occupational health and safety training to workers and safety professionals including programs with a construction and/or general industry focus. For further information about Great Lakes Regional OTI Education Center, including full course descriptions, dates and registration information please visit their website.

Rocky Mountain Education Center (RMEC)


Director Rich Hawkins and RMEC staff,
"We love what we do."

The Rocky Mountain Education Center (RMEC), OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center at Red Rocks Community College is one of the original pilot Education Centers designated by the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA in 1992. The RMEC is located in OSHA Region VIII, encompassing Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah and Montana. Since 1969, Red Rocks Community College has delivered a quality education to an eclectic mix of students of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. For many of their 14,000 annual students, Red Rocks is the convenient community college just down the street. For others, a Red Rocks Community College program or course is worth traveling halfway around the world.

Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Lakewood, Colorado, Red Rocks Community College offers more than 150 programs and 650 courses leading to two-year degrees or professional certificates. The Lakewood campus is the largest community college campus in Colorado. Courses are delivered in formats including traditional classroom as well as online classes. Most of the Red Rocks' faculty hold advanced degrees and many are working professionals, bringing the latest information, experience and techniques to students.

The Rocky Mountain Education Center offers all OTI Education Center courses and numerous other environmental, health and safety programs. The institution has a dedicated following of students from all over world who have had a great training experience and understand the value of high quality training, affordable costs, excellent customer service and the surroundings of beautiful Colorado.

Other innovative opportunities provided through the Rocky Mountain Education Center are our Specialist Certificate Programs. The Specialist Certificate programs are focused in five areas that include: Environmental, Construction, and General Industry, Stormwater and our newest certificate program in Oil & Gas. These certificate programs offer professionals extra credentials that supply the cross training to develop an employee who is a valuable asset to any organization.

Consistent with its mission, the Rocky Mountain Education Center utilizes instructors who are all industry professionals. This enables instructors to monitor the pulse of a changing workforce and incorporate real life experiences into classroom exercises.

With professional and dynamic instructors, excellent customer service and our beautiful location in the foothills of the Rocky Mountain's it is no wonder the Rocky Mountain Education Center has been a considered one of the leading OTI Education Centers in the country from the beginning.

Additional information about the RMEC can be found online or by calling 1-800-933-8394.

TEEX - Southwest Education Center

The Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is a recognized leader in championing worker safety and health as the OSHA Training Institute Southwest Education Center. TEEX is an agency of the Texas A&M System, one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a statewide network of nine universities, seven state agencies and a comprehensive health science center.

The Texas Engineering Extension Service is an internationally recognized leader in the delivery of emergency response and workforce training, exercises, technical assistance and technology transfer. The center's cadre of instructors includes some of the top experts in the field of safety, with real-world experience covering virtually every safety-related occupation. TEEX is headquartered in College Station, Texas, and conducts classes at TEEX facilities throughout the state of Texas, and at various locations throughout the five-state OSHA Region VI, which covers Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. TEEX also provides contract training to customers at locations worldwide.

Major safety and health training programs offered by TEEX include:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Construction Safety
• OSHA Train-the-Trainer
• Hydrogen Sulfide Train-the-Trainer program
• Certified Safety and Health Official program
• Spanish Language Safety and Health Training
• Continuing Education Units
• Leadership and Management
• Environmental Safety and Health
• Oil and Gas, and Petrochemical Safety

TEEX students engage in hands-on learning activities

Mesquite, Texas Campus

One of TEEX's facilities for safety and health training is located in Mesquite, TX. The 32,000-square-foot modern training facility in Mesquite is served by the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and by Dallas Love Field. The spacious facility features modern classrooms with the latest technology including; eight dedicated classrooms, scale models of oil production equipment and oil refineries, scale and full size scaffolds. The facility also offers a web conference and meeting center equipped with the latest in remote site audio/visual equipment, and a 12-place interactive personal computer lab with high-speed internet access. The student lounge includes computers with internet access for student use. The 33-acre campus is used regularly to accommodate classes and training exercises that require truck-side equipment accessibility or outdoor settings and includes ample, free parking.

Galveston, Texas Campus

The Center for Marine Training and Safety (CMTS) is a partnership between Texas A&M University at Galveston and the Texas Engineering Extension Service. The Center is committed to providing quality training, education and extension services to maritime and marine petrochemical industries, related agencies and their employees.

Headquartered in Galveston, Texas, at its 14-acre waterfront facility, CMTS is readily accessible to the Port of Houston/Galveston, the Texas coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The Center offers a full spectrum of training in the areas of Mariner Certification and Assessment, Spill Prevention and Control, Offshore Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Crisis Management and Marine Operational Skills and Safety. Many of the courses offered by CMTS are approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Seafarer's Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code and/or other United States' federal regulations.

San Antonio, Texas Campus

In southeast San Antonio, 50,000 square feet of classrooms, laboratories and offices are available to TEEX students. Students learn through practical, on-the-job situations in laboratories and shops using tools, equipment and materials comparable to those used in industry.

College Station, Texas Campus

Disaster Site Worker Training and Disaster City

TEEX has provided grant-funded safety training to disaster site workers responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. TEEX also serves as the sponsoring agency for Texas Task Force 1, a part of FEMA's national urban search and rescue program and Texas' only statewide urban search and rescue team under direction of the Governor's Division of Emergency Management. Texas Task Force 1 also coordinates the state's water rescue program. TEEX's expertise in emergency response training is supported by a unique training facility known as Disaster City® - a place where tragedy and training meet, and a place where anything is possible. Located in College Station, Texas, this 52-acre training facility, located adjacent to the world-renowned Brayton Fire Training Field (world's largest live-fueled fire training facility), delivers the full array of skills and techniques needed by today's emergency response professionals and industrial fire brigades. Created by TEEX, the mock community features full-scale, collapsible structures designed to simulate various levels of disaster and wreckage which can be customized for the specific training needs of any group. Emergency responders from across the globe venture to Disaster City® for unparalleled search and rescue training and exercises.

Spanish Language Outreach

TEEX was one of the first OSHA Training Institute Education Centers to provide OSHA training in Spanish. It continues to offer a variety of safety training courses in Spanish and recently provided funded training to over 525 Spanish-speaking supervisors and workers in construction and general industry. TEEX recently partnered with Spanish speaking OSHA Region VI, Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas and Richland College to train 434 workers in an OSHA 10 hour course marathon.

TEEX recently signed an historic agreement with Chickasaw Enterprises, a department within the Commerce Division of the Chickasaw Nation. This represents the first tribal entity in the country to form an alliance with federal regulatory agencies in an effort to promote workplace safety. Officials with the Chickasaw Enterprises Department of Environmental Health and Safety signed the agreement with officials of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Texas Engineering Extension Service.

"Historically, the safety rules and regulations for Chickasaw Nation businesses have been based on federal agency models," said Kelly Hurt, chief environmental officer for Chickasaw Enterprises. "This alliance establishes a working relationship with these federal agencies for one cause which is to protect our employees. It will make available the best and most up to date resources to reach our goal of zero workplace accidents."

Nation officials were congratulated by State Labor Commissioner Brenda Reneau and OSHA officials for setting the standard in creating the alliance. "This proves what determined people can do," said Luis Villanueva, assistant regional administer of technical support and outreach for OSHA. "This agreement will benefit thousands of people employed by Chickasaw Enterprises and sets a precedent for tribal businesses across the country."

Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO)

More than 800 safety professionals hold the industry-recognized Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO) credential, offered exclusively through TEEX. An additional 1,000 students are attending training courses that will earn them a CSHO in one of five safety specialty tracks: construction, general industry, oil & gas and petrochemical, aviation and emergency response.

The Texas Engineering Extension Service has a tradition of developing a skilled and trained workforce that enhances public safety, security and economic growth of Texas and the nation through training, technical assistance and technology transfer. For additional information on the Texas Engineering Extension Service or Southwest Education Center, including a complete schedule of classes, visit the website.

University of California, San Diego


Director Scott MacKay and staff help to ensure
a positive OSHA training experience for
students at University of California, San Diego.

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Extension is an innovator in providing lifelong learning solutions to the San Diego community and abroad. Through cutting-edge education, networking forums and technology-focused programs, UCSD educates one of the most competitive workforces in the world and provides early awareness of emerging business trends. UCSD Extension's Region IX OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTIEC) is dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative education and training services to enhance professional development and career opportunities for health and safety professionals. Students satisfy their need for new and applicable skills, acquire a wider network of peers, and enjoy increased effectiveness in the workplace.

The OSHA Training Education Center at the University of California, San Diego was established by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the four original OTIECs in 1992. It serves OSHA Region IX which includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, Guam, Nevada and the Pacific Territories. UCSD also delivers customized on-site training for organizations nationwide. On-site training allows an organization to receive industry-specific training for its employees or association members, and provides significant cost savings in tuition and travel expenses. UCSD has an impressive client list which includes numerous US Military installations, Exxon Mobile, Los Alamos National Laboratories as well as international companies such as Aramco and ITT Corporation.

The OSHA Training Institute at UCSD offers a wide variety of occupational safety and health courses such as Outreach Trainer and update courses, and such topics as Hazardous Materials, Machine Guarding, Ergonomics, Confined Space, Electrical Standards, and Fall Protection. Participants also receive credit for ABIH, BCSP, CEUs and academic units with the university.

UCSD's Professional Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is a program which educates students in the complex occupational health issues of today. The many elective courses provide opportunities to learn about topics of a particular area of interest. It is designed for individuals whose current or future job duties include some level of interface with occupational health and safety issues.

San Diego is also the perfect place to combine training with leisure. An average year-round temperature of 72 degrees makes this one of America's favorite business travel and vacation destinations. Local area attractions include the world renowned San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World, world class golf courses, and Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. For after-class relaxation, excellent restaurants and deluxe hotel accommodations at special reduced rates are within minutes of the UCSD campus.

Since its founding five decades ago, University of California, San Diego - one of the ten campuses in the world-renowned University of California system - has rapidly achieved the status as one of the top institutions in the nation for higher education and research. Since 1992, the OTIEC at UCSD has maintained this strong academic tradition by offering high quality, standards-based OSHA training for the private sector, federal agencies and abroad. The OTIEC at UCSD continues to support OSHA's national training mission to lead the nation's employers and their employees in advancing workplace safety and health.

To learn more about the OSHA Training Institute Education Center at UCSD, please visit their website.