SC OSHA to Mark 50 Years with Statewide Safety Stand Down

December 5-9, 2022

Week long classes will highlight various training efforts of employers in South Carolina

South Carolina OSHA is celebrating 50 years as a State Plan in December with a statewide call to employers to provide at least 50 minutes of additional safety training for their employees during Safety Stand Down Week December 5th – 9th, 2022.

“We know that training is key to a safe and healthy work environment, and what better way to celebrate SC OSHA’s anniversary than to invest 50 extra minutes to make our worksites even safer,” SC OSHA Deputy Director Kristina Baker said. “We are asking employers to provide training and education on topics that are vital to their workers.”

South Carolina became the first state to be given initial approval to administer an OSHA state plan on November 30, 1972. This approval was later filed in the Federal Register on December 6, 1972. In 1976, the State received certification, and in 1987, final approval to administer the State Plan.

Over the past 50 years, SC OSHA has worked diligently to ensure safe and healthy worksites for all workers. In addition to its Compliance Division, SC OSHA has a dedicated group of employees in its Office of Outreach and Education, who provide free consultation and training services to employers throughout the State. In recent years, the Office also developed a Youth Safety program, provided outreach services during natural disasters, and provided support and education during a global pandemic.

“The safety of South Carolina’s workers depends on strong relationships with employers, employees, and the community,” LLR Director Emily Farr said. “We are fortunate in our state to have employers and employees committed to safety, and we look forward to their participation in this statewide event.”

During the Safety Stand Down Week, employers can provide their own training to employees or participate in SC OSHA’s 50-minute training sessions that will be offered virtually at noon each day at the locations listed below.

• 12/5 – Nucor Steel Berkeley – Fall Protection Training
• 12/6 – Juneau Construction Company – University of South Carolina Campus Village Project site – Forklift Training
• 12/7 – Milliken & Company, Greenville/Spartanburg – Fall Protection Training
• 12/8 – Holder Construction – Clemson University Daniel Hall Expansion and Renovation Project – Fall Protection Training
• 12/9 – SC OSHA Virtual – Workplace Violence Training

All employers who provide 50 minutes of training, whether onsite or virtually, are asked to register and share their photos and social media posts using the hashtags: #KEEPCALMANDSTAYSAFE; or #SCOSHAIS50. All registered employers will receive a certificate, anniversary coin, and slogan T-shirts and bags.

https://osha.llr.sc.gov/outreach/osha50th.aspx