OSHA Tennessee Online Training
Do you need to increase your knowledge about OSHA standards in Tennessee? You’ve come to the right place. We are taking a look at Tennessee’s state plan, OSHA’s training recommendations, how to sign up for OSHA Tennessee training, and why training is so important in every industry.
Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in Tennessee
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.
Tennessee has an official state plan that covers all state and local government workers in Tennessee, as well as most private sector workers.
The state plan adopted OSHA standards and regulations except a few unique General Industry standards, including:
- Smoking in the Workplace
- Firefighter Protection
- Electrical Hazards
- Sharps Injury Prevention
- Hazard Communication
- Toxic Chemicals and Handling
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) is a part of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. They administer and enforce all standards for workplaces under their jurisdiction.
A small number of Tennesseans remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction, instead. Specifically:
- Federal employment
- The U.S. Postal Service plus private contractor-operated facilities engaged by USPS
- Maritime employment EXCEPT marine construction, which is covered by TOSHA
- Railroad employment (not otherwise regulated by another federal agency)
- Employment on military bases and at Tennessee Valley Authority facilities
- Working conditions of cabin crew on board an aircraft that is in operation
- Any hazard, industry, area, operation, or facility where the State Plan is unable to effectively exercise jurisdiction
OSHA Tennessee Training Requirements
Since Tennessee adopted most federal standards, Tennesseans will follow similar training requirements regardless of jurisdiction. The only time jurisdiction might impact training are the standards where Tennessee adopted its own particular version.
OSHA requires training on specific safety standards that apply to your job functions. Tennessee offers its own list of required training, for your convenience.
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.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OSHA 10-HOUR AND 30-HOUR COURSES
We offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to meet your OSHA training needs.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide.
Benefits of OSHA Tennessee Training for Workers
First and foremost, the goal of OSHA safety training is to reduce workplace injuries, accidents, and fatalities. However, when Tennessee employers invest in OSHA training they can avoid OSHA inspection penalties, lower workers’ compensation costs, and increase workplace productivity.
While it’s easy for us to say training will keep workers safe, it’s another thing to actually see the statistics from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and other Tennessee agencies. These workplace injury statistics tell an important story about the role of safety training in preventing fatalities, accidents, and fines.
Fatal Occupational Injuries in Tennessee
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 128 fatal occupational injuries in Tennessee in 2017, while nationally there were 5,147 fatal occupational injuries.
Of the 128 fatalities:
- 57 were the result of transportation incidents
- 21 were the result of falls, slips, and trips
- 18 were the result of contact with objects and equipment
- 20 were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
- 12 were the result of exposure to harmful substances or environments
The industries with the greatest number of fatalities were:
- 29 in construction
- 27 in transportation and warehousing
- 16 in wholesale and retail trade
- 12 in manufacturing
2019 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in Tennessee
As you now understand workers in Tennessee, especially those in construction, are at a high risk for injuries and accidents. Employees aren’t the only ones at risk for loss, however. Employers face inspection penalties for OSHA noncompliance.
To understand the risk businesses face, OSHA lists the top enforcement cases on their website; we’ll list some of the top cases for 2019 here.
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| State | Inspection Number | Employer | City | Issuance Date | Initial Penalty |
| TN | 1349558.015 | Prince Erachem, LLC | NEW JOHNSONVILLE | 03/21/2019 | $89,500.00 |
| TN | 1370195.015 | BAE Systems Ordinance Systems Inc. | KINGSPORT | 07/01/2019 | $71,984.00 |
Federal and State OSHA Offices in Tennessee
Since Tennessee employers and workers are divided up into federal and state jurisdiction, there are separate local area offices for state and federal OSHA.
The local area office for federal OSHA in Nashville is your point of contact if you're in private sector maritime activities, railroad employment, employment at Tennessee Valley Authority facilities or military bases, or if you work for the federal government, the USPS, or the private contract facilities engaged in USPS mail operations.
Everyone else needs a Tennessee state plan office, instead. That includes the rest of the private sector and all state or local government authorities.
TOSHA has offices you can contact throughout the state in:
- Nashville
- Chattanooga
- Jackson
- Gray
- Knoxville
- Memphis
Nashville is their main office.
Additional Tennessee Resources for Safety Information
In addition to the information we have provided, you can visit Tennessee state agency websites for more safety resources.
Department of Labor and Workforce Development: The department is in charge of administering and managing several different divisions that support workforce development.
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA): You’ll find more information about outreach, consultation and enforcement efforts from the TOSHA website.
The Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety (DSC): The DSC is a research and outreach center serving Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and the panhandle of Florida. It's a partnership between the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Auburn University.
Enroll Now in Tennessee OSHA Training Courses
While you now understand the importance of OSHA Tennessee training in reducing workplace accidents, your next step is to determine which OSHA training course you need.
Lucky for you, you don’t have to look too far! We have over 20 years of experience as an OSHA-authorized training provider, and we offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to satisfy your OSHA training needs.
Just select you training course and start learning today!
