OSHA has formed a new directorate to increase the effectiveness of OSHA's in-house and distributed training programs, the agency announced Monday. The new Directorate of Training and Education will provide leadership, direction and management of the OSHA Training Institute (OTI), the OTI Education Center Program, the Outreach Training Program and other compliance assistance and training programs.

"Our goal is to make OSHA the gold standard for safety and health training in the United States," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "This new directorate strengthens our commitment to provide the very best training and education in occupational safety and health for federal agency personnel and the private sector."

OTI courses and seminars cover OSHA standards, policies and procedures. These courses are designed for persons responsible for enforcing or directly supporting the Occupational Safety and Health Act, for private sector employers and employees, and federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA.

The new directorate will work to improve the quality of the training offered, increase the number of course offerings and use of training technologies.

The Outreach Training Program is OSHA's primary training program for employees. Through this program, OSHA authorizes qualified safety and health professionals to conduct training programs for employees in both construction and general industry.