In-Reply-To: A<413BF80F8BF1254094223A8811DBCE3527D2D083**At_Symbol_Here**FMS.uwstout.edu>
Laura
-
As you
probably know, 29 CFR 1910.1450 (or the Laboratory Standard) doesn't
state what
training IS required, only that the position of CHO is filed by a person
"who is
qualified by training or experience........" With that being said,
you are
going to get as many different answers as there will be people who
respond. I
personally have seen the CHO position filled by the Lab Manager,
the Lab
Supervisor, a regular "Joe" and even as an "additional duty" of the
Safety
Department's IH. Each person has had different training and experience.
There
is no "standard" position, "standard" required training or required
refresher training intervals stated in the OSHA Lab Standard, BUT there
are two
excellent classes out there I would recommend to get started. One is Lab
Safety
Institute's "How to Be a More Effective CHO" (combine that with their
Lab safety
class and you're rolling) and the ACS's Lab Safety and Health short
course given
a few times a year. Both will allow a CHO to get a good start on their
duties
and responsibilities. We also mandate refresher training every 2 years.
As far
as what my organization does for compensation, we'll pay for your
initial and
refresher training (since we mandate it by internal procedures), but
other than
that, our CHO is already drawing a paycheck - this is just another part
of his
(my) duties. Our company pays 100% for work related college so I'm able
to
"expand" my knowledge this way also, but it is not required that I have
any
additional training than what I already stated.
We
don't require the CHO to be NRCC certified. Some places might, and this
would
fall under the "qualified by training or experience" part of the
standard. That
part is left open to very broad interpretation and a
company/organization/college can basically require whatever they deem to
satisfy
their needs and interpretation of that part. The NRCC cert definitely
won't hurt
anything, but if the company doesn't require it, they probably won't pay
for it
and it ain't cheap.
This
probably didn't help much, but, if you are in a position to
determine
what training, compensation, etc, is going to be considered, just be
realistic:
unless you have a huge Lab, the CHO is going to be another daily
duty for
someone, make it a position that works with the folks, not a
front office
type who doesn't spend much time in the back (a CHO is basically a Lab
Safety
Officer and needs to know what is really going on and have the trust and
confidence of the co-workers) and when considering compensation, realize
that
this is an important job (see the Safety part above) and this person
could
warrant and extra penny or two if they are successful and compentent.
For
training, consider the 2 courses I mentioned earlier and have a
requirement for
a refresher every now and then. Things do change once in a while, plus
it'll
help bring the CHO back into the "real world" and also help the
networking thing
somewhat.
Good
luck -
Don A.
Long
CAIH /
STS
Southwest Research
Institute Laboratory
Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
PO Box 20130
White Hall, AR
71612
870-541-4930
-----Original
Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List
[mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Giede,
Laura
Sent:
Friday, July 10, 2009 11:08 AM
To:
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CHO
training
Hi
All,
We
are looking into what training programs are required for your Chemical
Hygiene
Officer, how it is determined that the training is sufficient to do
the job,
and how is this person compensated? I looked at the NRCC testing
criteria. Do you require your CHO to be certified before they
are given
this responsibility?
Thank
you,
Laura
Laura
Giede, MS Risk Control
UW-Stout Department of
Chemistry
Laboratory Technician Sr.
410
Tenth Avenune
184
Micheels Hall #18
Menomonie,
WI 54751
715-232-2151
giedel**At_Symbol_Here**uwstout.edu
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