Before the COVID-19 pandemic affected almost every workplace in the country, online training was just another tool in the safety trainer’s tool chest. But since the pandemic has forced workplace closures, employee furloughs, social distancing, and a general rethinking of the way we do business, online training has become a vital method to accomplish necessary training.
OSHA’s April 16th enforcement memo* acknowledged the difficulties employers are experiencing because of COVID-19, including travel bans, restrictions on group sizes, stay-at-home orders, and limited availability of the contractors, consultants, or employees who usually provide on-site training. The memo, written for OSHA inspectors, explained that OSHA will take an employer’s efforts to comply with annual training requirements into account and evaluate whether the employer “made good faith efforts to comply with applicable OSHA standards.” This means that if you were unable to complete required training, you don’t allow untrained employees to be exposed to hazards from tasks, processes, or equipment.