The Winona State University Business Administration department sponsored a General Industry OSHA-10 certification for 25 graduating seniors majoring in Human Resource Management and Business Administration. The 10-hour OSHA certification workshop introduces employees (workers, supervisors and managers) to the basic practices of identifying, reducing, eliminating and reporting hazards associated with their work. According to OSHA.gov, the OSHA Outreach Training Program was initiated in 1971, and has grown significantly in recent years. The train-the-trainer format expands the reach of the program to increase training availability. Between FY 2008 and FY 2013, more than 3.6 million workers were trained in job hazard recognition and avoidance through the program.
As part of a continuing effort to stay abreast of trends in the field of Human Resources (HR), faculty members in Business Administration and Human Resource Management have seen a need for WSU business students to have a better background in safety and risk management. HR generalists and specialists in small to mid-sized organizations often find themselves in charge of their company’s safety program and have indicated they are often ill prepared for the task. Students who graduate with not only a bachelor’s degree but also an OSHA 10 completion card are more marketable in their chosen field and better prepared for responsibilities including safety.
No other 4-year HR program in the state includes an OSHA 10 certification as part of their curriculum. By piloting this program with graduating seniors and then tracking their experiences through the job market over the next three years, WSU researchers will be able to see if this certification is (a) valuable and (b) makes graduates more marketable in the field of Human Resource Management.
Jana Craft, PhD Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Human Resource Management JCraft@winona.edu