OSHA Minnesota Online Training

To help increase your knowledge of OSHA standards in Minnesota, we are going to dive into the difference between federal regulations and state plans, OSHA Minnesota training for entry-level and supervisory employees, fatal occupation statistics, and additional safety resources.

Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in Minnesota

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) allows states to assume their own occupational safety and health responsibilities as long as they're "at least as effective" as the federal program.

Minnesota has an official state plan that covers all state and local government workers in Minnesota, as well as most private-sector workers. The state plan adopts most federal OSHA standards by reference, with a number of additional standards unique to Minnesota.

Differences between federal and state OSHA regulations include:

• Workplace Accident and Injury Reduction (AWAIR) programs for high-risk industries
• Hazard Communication standards that are slightly different
• Employer-paid Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Safety Committees for employers with more than 25 employees
• Recordkeeping Requirements that exclude OSHA's industry exceptions
• Lockout Devices in Construction (additional requirements)
• Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), which are more stringent than federal
• Powered Industrial Trucks standards re: lifting personnel

The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) is administered by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). MNOSHA adopts and enforces the safety and health standards. That includes inspecting workplaces, issuing citations, and investigating worker complaints or accidents.

A small number of Minnesotans remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction, instead. Specifically:

• Federal employment
• The U.S. Postal Service plus private contractor-operated facilities engaged by USPS
• Offshore maritime employment
• Employment on land under exclusive federal jurisdiction adjacent to the former Twin Cities Army Munitions Plant (land formerly occupied by the plant is covered by MNOSHA)
• Establishments owned/operated by an Indian tribe (or by an enrolled member) that are within an Indian reservation or on lands held in trust by the federal government
• Enforcement of the field sanitation standard or the temporary labor camps standard for agricultural operations
• Working conditions of cabin crew onboard aircraft in operation

OSHA Minnesota Training Requirements

Most federal standards apply in Minnesota, so training requirements are much the same no matter which agency your business reports to.

OSHA Minnesota requires training on specific safety standards that apply to your job functions. The only time jurisdiction might impact training are the standards where Minnesota adopted its own particular version.

For example, the Minnesota Employee Right-to-Know (ERTK) regulations require training on topics that are federally exempt, like biological agents and ionizing/nonionizing radiation. MNOSHA requires these trainings annually with a three-year record keeping requirement; whereas, federal hazard communication standards require one-time training.

Additionally, MNOSHA's Rights and Duties of Employers specifically mention requirements for the following training:

• Hazardous substance disclosure and training
• Harmful physical agent training
• Waste disposal training
• Farm operation training
• Infectious agent training

Minnesota employers should ensure that they comply with all requirements in Minn. Stat. 182 and Minn. Rules 5205-5208, 5210, and 5215.

Federal OSHA also has Outreach courses (sometimes referred to as "DOL cards") that cover common requirements for your industry. Even though OSHA doesn't require OSHA Outreach training, some employers might. In that case, you’ll either need an OSHA 10-Hour course for entry-level workers or an OSHA 30-Hour course for supervisors.

Benefits of OSHA Minnesota Training for Workers

Although the main goal of OSHA safety training is to reduce workplace injuries, accidents, and fatalities, employees aren’t the only ones that will benefit from safety training. When employers invest in OSHA training programs they can avoid OSHA inspection penalties, lower workers’ compensation costs, and increase workplace productivity.

It’s easy for us to say that safety training helps keep workers safe, it’s another thing entirely to see the statistics from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and other Minnesota agencies. They prove that OSHA training plays a significant role in reducing workplace accidents.

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Fatal Occupational Injuries in Minnesota

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 101 fatal occupational injuries in Minnesota in 2017, while nationally there were 5,147 fatal occupational injuries.

Of the 101 fatalities:

• 46 were the result of transportation incidents
• 16 were the result of contact with objects and equipment
• 14 were the result of falls, slips, and trips
• 14 were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
• 5 were the result of exposure to harmful substances or environments
• 5 were the result of fires and explosions

The industries with the greatest number of fatalities were:

• 23 in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• 14 in retail trade
• 11 in construction
• 10 in transportation and warehousing

2019 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in Minnesota

As you can see, Minnesota workers are at a high risk for injury and accidents. However, they’re not the only ones at risk for loss. Employers can also use OSHA training to reduce their risk of OSHA inspection enforcement penalties.

While the OSHA website lists the top enforcement cases on their website, here are the top cases for 2019 to give you a quick idea of the violations Minnesota employers faced.

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