Training
The ErgoCenter and Occupational and Environmental Health Center (OEHC) at UConn Health Center have broad experience in designing and implementing innovative and effective occupational health and safety training programs for workers, managers, and health and safety professionals. Faculty have conducted trainings and educational programs in ergonomics, indoor air quality, reproductive hazards, bloodborne pathogens, TB, violence, stress, comprehensive health and safety programs, OSHA standards, biohazard updates, effective health and safety committees, and many other topics.
The ErgoCenter has emphasized an integrated approach to occupational health and safety training which combines a very high level of technical knowledge and expertise with interactive small group activities based around case discussions and very clear factsheets written in plain English. This approach draws from the expertise of the workers and managers and their knowledge of their jobs, hazards, and workable solutions, while providing accurate information that they can take back to the workplace for themselves and co-workers.
Contact us at oehc@nso.uchc.edu or 860-679-4095 for quotes or further information.
- A series of Control Banding Workshops: "Control Banding" is a "do it yourself" chemical risk management model that builds on health and safety committees' expertise and experience to identify and remedy workplace hazards. The model can be used to complement the traditional air sampling approach to risk assessment. Through several "hands on" interactive activities workshop participants will learn how to use the model so that limited health and safety dollars can be directed to exposure controls.
- An OSHA-funded Susan Harwood training grant for ergonomics (1997-2000), which (1) performed ergonomic awareness training programs in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, (2) conducted 2-day Ergonomic Intervention Team trainings in Connecticut, and (3) established an e-mail information system on ergonomics for workers, managers, and professionals. The Ergonomic Intervention Team trainings have included very effective Training of Trainers components which have resulted in extensive ergonomic trainings and interventions.
- A 40-hour training program on Comprehensive Health and Safety Programs for companies that had been selected into the OSHA Comprehensive Compliance Program (CCP), which trained worker-manager teams on the CCP elements and OSHA standards, including management commitment and worker participation, hazard recognition and control, ergonomics, safety standards, internet resources, and evaluation of programs.
- Ergonomic training programs for a wide range of employer and union groups, including ESPN, United Technologies, Essex Meadows Nursing Home, Catholic Health East health care network, UConn Health Center, the Hartford Courant, International Association of Machinists/ Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, American Federation of Teachers, and several State of Connecticut agencies.
- An annual conference (in cooperation with the University of Connecticut's Labor Education Center) on job health and safety basics, updates on emerging hazards and standards, which attracted over 100 participants each year (1996-1998).
- A 3-day Training of Trainers program on bloodborne pathogens, TB, and hazard communication for the County Sheriffs Association in Connecticut, which successfully trained approximately 25 county sheriffs to conduct annual training for all county sheriffs in the state. In addition to this program, there were also over 20 other training programs on bloodborne pathogens and TB conducted for other organizations in the protective service field, such as the Judicial Dept, Dept. of Corrections, Public Defenders, and local police departments. This included a full-day update conference for protective services in 1997.
- Participation (with the Connecticut Council for Occupational Safety and Health) in a 40-hour Training of Trainers program for the Connecticut Employees Union Independent-SEIU covering confined space, ergonomics, hazardous substances, hazard communication, and many other job health and safety topics.
- Training on the health effects and standards concerning asbestos exposure for state employees who were exposed to asbestos during maintenance and renovation projects for the Connecticut Department of Public Works and the Department of Children and Youth Services.
The ErgoCenter and OEHC have had extensive experience with professional training. Many of these have included continuing medical education (CME) credits for health care providers. This includes:
- Training programs at meetings of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (CT), American Society of Safety Engineers (CT), Association of Occupational and Environmental Health Clinics, and many other professional organizations.
- Teaching courses in the Master of Public Health Program (courses include Occupational Health, Ergonomics, Occupational Health Epidemiology, Occupational Health Research Methods, and Industrial Hygiene),
- Grand rounds for health care institutions including ergonomics, occupational disease, workers' compensation, and TB.
- Lectures to medical students (Occupational Reproductive Hazards, Occupational Health law, Occupational Health and Safety)
- Occupational Medicine residency program training
- Presentations at numerous professional conferences, including the American Occupational and Environmental Health conference and the American Public Health Association.
- The faculty at the ErgoCenter have written hundreds of articles for professional publications in national and international occupational health and safety journals.
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