5 Training and Orientation
29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) — the employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions
5.1 New-Hire Safety Orientation
Before starting work, every new employee receives a documented orientation (Appendix F checklist) covering: this program and site rules; hazard reporting and stop-work authority; PPE selection, fit, and care; fall protection; emergency procedures; first aid locations; HazCom and SDS access; and the disciplinary procedure. New employees are assigned to work with experienced employees familiar with the project. Short-service employees (first 90 days) receive increased supervision.
5.2 Required and Recommended Training
| Training | Who | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | All field employees (required by Illinois law on public works projects; 3F policy for all field staff) | Once; refresher every 5 years recommended |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | Superintendents, foremen, Safety Coordinator | Once; refresher every 5 years recommended |
| New-hire orientation | All employees | Before first assignment |
| Toolbox talks | All site personnel | Weekly, documented (Appendix G) |
| Fall protection (1926.503) | All exposed employees | Initial + retraining on deficiency/change |
| HazCom / GHS Rev. 7 (1910.1200) | All employees using or exposed to chemicals | Initial + when new hazards introduced; updated training for revised label/SDS elements by Nov. 20, 2026 |
| Silica awareness (1926.1153) | Employees performing Table 1 tasks | Initial + annual review |
| Heat illness prevention | All field employees and supervisors | Annually before warm season + new-hire |
| Ladder & scaffold safety | Users; competent person for scaffolds | Initial + retraining as needed |
| First aid / CPR | Designated responders (at least one per site when a clinic/hospital is not reasonably accessible) | Per certificate (typically 2 years) |
| Powered industrial trucks / aerial lifts | Operators | Initial + evaluation every 3 years |
5.3 Competent Persons
A competent person — one who can identify existing and predictable hazards and has authority to correct them — is designated in writing for each project for: fall protection, scaffolds, excavations, ladders, and any other activity where a standard requires one. Names are recorded on the site-specific safety plan.