OSHA New Hampshire Online Training

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Fifty years ago when OSHA started, U.S. workers didn't have many protections at the federal level. These days, workers in every state (including New Hampshire!) have strong protections against a wide variety of specified and general hazards in the workplace, thanks to OSHA.

Knowing which OSHA regulations apply to you can be confusing, though. Guidelines vary by state and industry. To help you understand OSHA in New Hampshire, let's review OSHA's training recommendations, where to get OSHA New Hampshire training, and how training can keep New Hampshirites in every industry safe, particularly in construction work.

Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in New Hampshire

New Hampshire doesn't have what is often called a "state plan"—an OSHA-approved occupational health and safety program that operates at the state level. New Hampshire does have laws protecting the safety and health of employees, but since those laws don't meet or exceed federal standards, they don't get OSHA's stamp of approval.

As a result, most New Hampshirites in the private sector are covered by federal OSHA protections.

Chapter 277 of New Hampshire Revised Statutes (RSA) still applies in a couple of areas, however. Since OSHA doesn't cover public sector employees, anyone employed by state, county, and local governments are entirely under the jurisdiction of the Safety & Training Division of the New Hampshire Department of Labor.

RSA 277 also applies in the private sector where it doesn't overlap OSHA regulations. We'll discuss some examples below.

OSHA New Hampshire Training Requirements

OSHA mandates safety training on specific topics for employees under their jurisdiction. They also recommend 10-hour and 30-hour Outreach courses, intended as a general orientation to safety.

For the most part, Outreach training programs are not required by OSHA or by the state of New Hampshire. However, some New Hampshire businesses require 10-hour or 30-hour courses as a starting place for their safety training obligations.

OSHA New Hampshire 10-hour courses are designed for entry-level workers, and OSHA 30-hour courses are designed for supervisors.

New Hampshire RSA 277:5-a ("Occupational Safety and Health Administration Certification")

There is ONE group of workers in New Hampshire that are legally required to complete OSHA Outreach training. RSA 277:5-a requires OSHA 10-Hour Construction training for all construction workers hired for public works projects with a total cost over $100,000.

New Hampshire's Toxic Substances in the Workplace Law

There is one more state law related to occupational safety training you should be aware of.

Private-sector employees have to be trained on relevant chemical hazards according to OSHA's standards. But public employees in New Hampshire are covered by RSA 277-A: Toxic Substances in the Workplace instead. It ensures that state, county, and municipal governments provide their employees with training on specific chemical hazards they might face.

It also requires private businesses to inform the cities and towns where they're located of the nature and quantity of these same materials.

Benefits of OSHA New Hampshire Training for Workers

OSHA safety training aims to enhance workers' awareness of jobsite hazards and teach them preventative measures that reduce workplace accidents and deaths.

But New Hampshire employers also benefit when they invest in OSHA training programs. Safety and health training can help employers:

• Keep clear of citations and fines during OSHA inspections
• Curtail workers’ compensation costs
• Grow their productivity and financial performance

Below, we'll look at statistics from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and New Hampshire state agencies to show you the consequences of unmitigated workplace hazards. These figures reveal an important story of how safety training can prevent injuries, accidents, fatalities, and fines.

Fatal Occupational Injuries in New Hampshire

According to reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Hampshire had a total of 19 fatal occupational injuries in 2022, compared to 5,486 fatal occupational injuries across the nation.

Of the 19 fatalities:

• 7 were the result of falls, slip, and trips
• 5 were the results of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
• 3 were the result of exposure to harmful substances or environments

These fatalities were distributed across the following industries:

• 6 in construction
• 2 in transportation and warehousing 
• 2 in agriculture and warehousing
• 1 in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• 1 in local government

2023 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in New Hampshire

As you can see, construction workers in New Hampshire are particularly at risk for accidental deaths on the job.

However, even when OSHA infractions don't go that far, New Hampshire businesses are at risk of enforcement penalties like citations and fines during OSHA inspections. OSHA training can reduce the likelihood of these by ensuring that all workers understand how to obey the law.

Check out the top enforcement cases for New Hampshire that OSHA lists on its website for 2023. It should give you an idea of the the cost of non-compliance.

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