OSHA 15-Hour Disaster Site Worker Course

Description

OSHA 15-Hour Disaster Site Worker Course

Disaster sites can expose workers to unstable structures, damaged utilities, hazardous substances, heavy equipment, contaminated materials, respiratory hazards, traumatic stress, and rapidly changing work conditions.

The OSHA 15-Hour Disaster Site Worker Outreach Course provides workers with a more detailed understanding of disaster-site hazards, operational response concerns, protective measures, and safe work practices.

OSHA identifies the 15-hour course as training intended for advanced operational response and hazardous cleanup concerns. It includes practical exercises, respirator activities, and a final assessment.

Course Topics

Participants will explore:

• Characteristics of natural and human-caused disasters
• Physical hazards at disaster sites
• Health and environmental exposure hazards
• Traumatic incident stress
• Tool and equipment safety
• Disaster-site risk assessment
• Incident Command System principles
• Hierarchy of controls
• Personal protective equipment
• Respiratory-protection awareness and practical activities
• Decontamination and personal hygiene considerations
• Disaster-site exercises and final assessment

The course emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control, and prevention rather than detailed instruction on individual OSHA standards.

Hands-On Respirator Activities

Students participate in practical activities involving an air-purifying respirator, including:

• Inspecting the respirator
• Donning and doffing the respirator
• Performing a user seal check

The course also concludes with an exercise designed to evaluate participants’ understanding of the course objectives.

Who Should Attend?

This course is appropriate for workers who may provide skilled support or cleanup services following a disaster, including:

• Public works employees
• Utility and infrastructure workers
• Construction trades
• Heavy-equipment operators
• Demolition workers
• Debris-removal crews
• Cleanup contractors
• Emergency-support personnel
• Government response and recovery employees
• Supervisors overseeing disaster-site work

The curriculum primarily focuses on construction-related activities but can be adapted for utility workers, public works employees, and other skilled support personnel.

Course Delivery

Duration: 15 instructional hours
Format: Instructor-led classroom and activity-based training
Delivery: In person only
Availability: Private group training and scheduled public sessions
Student prerequisites: None

OSHA requires both the 7.5-hour and 15-hour Disaster Site Worker courses to be conducted in person and does not permit delivery through videoconferencing platforms. OSHA also establishes no student prerequisites for attending either course.

Course Completion

Students who successfully complete the required instructional time, activities, respirator performance components, and final exercise may receive an OSHA Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program course completion card.

The OSHA Outreach Training Program is voluntary and does not replace training required by a specific OSHA standard.

Course Dates Coming Soon

Rice Safety Group is developing upcoming dates for this course.

Contact us to:

• Request private training for your organization
• Discuss course location and scheduling
• Receive information about the next public session
• Request group pricing