In 2023 the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health (HIOSH) Consultation & Training Branch made an annual goal to expand its Consultation services by reviving in-person training class programs. A workgroup was formed to explore topics, training dates, and marketing for classes.

OSHA Recordkeeping was the first training conducted. It was conducted in a workshop-style format, with five workshops of 20 attendees on the Island of Oahu. The free training workshops were publicized through the HIOSH website and through five local associations the Consultation & Training Branch had been working with. The five originally scheduled workshops were held in January and February 2024.

Word quickly spread about the free workshops, and it was soon obvious that the five scheduled workshops would not be enough to meet the demand. Three workshops were then added and conducted in February 2024. One of these workshops was held offsite at the Building Industry Association of Hawaii in Waipahu. During that time, requests were received for workshops on the islands of Maui and Kauai. These workshops were held in March 2024.

A total of ten workshops were conducted across three islands. In total, the scheduled OSHA Recordkeeping workshops reached 164 attendees and 125 employers.

The huge success of the OSHA Recordkeeping trainings showed the desire for free classes put on by the HIOSH Consultation & Training Branch. HIOSH Consultation & Training Branch continues to provide its OSHA Recordkeeping classes and plans to expand to other areas including Written Safety & Health Programs and a “HIOSH 101” type class for small employers unfamiliar with HIOSH and OSHA requirements.

The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small and medium-sized businesses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories, with priority given to high hazard worksites. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards and how to fix them, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, train and educate workers, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs. On-Site Consultation services are separate from OSHA enforcement efforts. To locate the OSHA On-Site Consultation program nearest you, call 800-321-OSHA (6742) or visit www.osha.gov/consultation.