Three OSHA Rule 1910.120 Criteria Determining Instructor Competency

Instructors should be deemed competent based on the criteria below:

1. They have previous documented experience in their area of instruction. Job descriptions, performance appraisals, and statements by co-workers or managers would help document previous experience.

• Successful completion of a “train-the-trainer” program specific to the topics they will teach. A typical train-the-trainer course will discuss best practices in adult training principles and provide an opportunity to practice presenting instruction and training in the subject area they will be expected to train.

• They possess anevaluation of instructional competence by the Training Director. If you don’t have a Training Director, the Human Resource Manager or another qualified trainer may evaluate the instructor’s training skills.

OSHA rule 1910.120(e)(5) Qualifications for trainers: Trainers shall be qualified to instruct employees about the subject matter presented in training. Such trainers shall have satisfactorily completed a training program for teaching the subjects they are expected to teach, or they shall have the academic credentials and instructional experience necessary for teaching the subjects. Instructors shall demonstrate competent instructional skills and knowledge of the applicable subject matter.

Trainer Evaluation and Annual Review

Instructors should be required to maintain professional competency by participating in continuing education or professional development programs or by successfully completing an annual refresher course and having an annual review by a training director or other competent manager.

The annual review should include observation of an instructor’s delivery, a review of those observations with the trainer, and an analysis of any instructor or class evaluations completed by the students during the previous year.

Source: 1910.120 App E, Training Curriculum Guidelines – (Non-mandatory)

Management Involvement

First-line supervisors and managers play a crucial role in safety and health protection because of their responsibility for workers and the work being performed. Effective training of supervisors and managers will address their safety and health management responsibilities as well as information on hazards, hazard prevention, and response to emergencies. Although they may have other safety and health responsibilities, supervisors and managers should be fully involved in training safety to send a strong personal leadership message.