Supervisory safety training requirements

Under 1960.55(a), supervisory safety training must cover supervisory responsibility for safe workplaces, the agency safety program, Section 19 of the OSH Act, Executive Order 12196, this part (29 CFR Part 1960), applicable OSHA standards, and the agency’s procedures for reporting hazards, reporting and investigating allegations of reprisal, and abating hazards.

• See the requirement in 1960.55(a) for the full list.
• Agencies should also align training with the broader Part 1960 program requirements.

Under 1960.55(b), supervisory training should include introductory and specialized courses and materials that teach supervisors to recognize, eliminate, or reduce hazards and to develop skills to manage the unit safety program, including training and motivating subordinates.

• See 1960.55(b) for the objective that training provide both hazard-recognition and program-management skills.
• Training elements can include hazard identification exercises, risk controls, and coaching methods for safety leadership.

Yes. Under 1960.55(a), supervisory training must include the agency procedures for reporting and investigating allegations of reprisal.

• See 1960.55(a).
• OSHA enforcement guidance on employee reporting and anti-retaliation practices highlights the importance of having and informing employees about reasonable reporting procedures; see the Recordkeeping enforcement procedures memorandum which discusses employer obligations to have reporting procedures and protect employees from retaliation.

Under 1960.55, supervisory employees—those with responsibility for providing and maintaining safe and healthful working conditions for employees—must receive the supervisory safety training described in the standard.

• See 1960.55(a) which specifies training is for supervisory employees.
• Agencies should identify supervisors by job duties (oversight, discipline, assigning work) and document training records accordingly.

Yes. Under 1960.55(a), supervisory training must include instruction on Executive Order 12196 and Section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

• See 1960.55(a).
• Including these topics helps supervisors understand federal agency obligations and their authority under the agency’s OSH program (see the broader Part 1960 requirements).

Under 1960.55(a), agencies must include training on the occupational safety and health standards that apply to the supervisors’ assigned workplaces.

• See 1960.55(a).
• Practically, agencies should tailor modules to tasks and exposures at each worksite (for example, chemical hazards, machine guarding, or confined spaces) so supervisors know the specific requirements and controls that apply.

Yes. Under 1960.55(b), supervisory training must include development of requisite skills for managing the agency’s safety and health program in the work unit, including training and motivating subordinates toward safe work practices.

• See 1960.55(b).
• Skills can include conducting unit hazard assessments, holding toolbox talks, setting corrective-action deadlines, and following up on abatement.

The text of 1960.55 does not prescribe a specific frequency; it requires agencies to provide supervisory safety training but leaves scheduling to the agency's program.

• See 1960.55 for the training mandate without frequency details.
• Best practice: provide training at hire/promotion to a supervisory role, when assigned new hazards, and refresher or update training periodically (e.g., annually or as agency policy requires) so supervisors maintain competencies.

Yes. Under 1960.55(b), the supervisory training should include both introductory and specialized courses and materials to enable supervisors to recognize and control hazards.

• See 1960.55(b).
• Agencies should match specialized training to unique workplace hazards (e.g., hazardous materials, confined spaces) while using introductory modules to cover general supervisory responsibilities and program basics.

Under 1960.55(a), training must include the agency procedures for the abatement of hazards so supervisors understand how hazards will be corrected, tracked, and verified.

• See 1960.55(a).
• Training should cover how to initiate corrective actions, document abatement steps, set timelines, and confirm completion (including any required paperwork or electronic tracking systems).

Yes. Under 1960.55(a), supervisory training must include the agency’s procedures for reporting hazards.

• See 1960.55(a).
• Because reporting procedures are tied to anti-retaliation protections and proper recordkeeping, refer to OSHA’s guidance on employee reporting and anti-retaliation in the Recordkeeping enforcement procedures memorandum when designing and teaching reporting steps.

Yes. Under 1960.55(a), supervisory training must include agency procedures for reporting and investigating allegations of reprisal so supervisors recognize complaints and know how to escalate them.

• See 1960.55(a).
• OSHA’s 2016 recordkeeping guidance emphasizes employer obligations to inform employees of reporting procedures and protect them from retaliation; training should teach supervisors those protections and investigation steps.

Yes. Under 1960.55(b), supervisory training should include specialized courses and materials appropriate to the working unit, so agencies should adapt training content to the type of supervisor and workplace hazards.

• See 1960.55(b).
• Tailor training to job-specific risks (for example, custodial staff vs. laboratory supervisors) and include scenario-based practice relevant to the work unit.

Yes. Under 1960.55(b), supervisory training must include developing the supervisors' skills in managing the agency safety program within the unit, including the training and motivation of subordinates toward safe practices.

• See 1960.55(b).
• Practical elements include how to deliver toolbox talks, verify subordinate training completion, and coach safe behaviors.

Yes. 1960.55 allows agencies to use introductory and specialized courses and materials, which may include external training providers, as long as the training covers the required subjects and meets agency program standards.

• See 1960.55.
• Agencies should vet external providers for accuracy, ensure materials address agency procedures (reporting, reprisal, abatement), and keep records of completion.

Yes. While 1960.55 requires training on applicable occupational safety and health standards, it also requires supervisors to be trained to recognize and control hazards in their unit, including hazards not specifically addressed by a standard.

• See 1960.55(a) and 1960.55(b).
• If a hazard is not covered by a specific OSHA standard, agencies still have an obligation under 29 CFR Part 1960 to provide workplaces free from recognized hazards and should address such hazards in training and abatement procedures (see Part 1960).

Under 1960.55, agencies should document supervisory training with records showing the training topics covered, dates, attendees, instructor identity, and any materials used to demonstrate compliance.

• See 1960.55.
• Good records support compliance and investigations; OSHA’s recordkeeping guidance 2016 memorandum emphasizes the value of documented procedures and communication when enforcing reporting and anti-retaliation requirements.

Best practice under 1960.55 is to provide supervisory safety training as soon as possible—ideally before or immediately upon assignment to a supervisory role—so supervisors understand their safety responsibilities from the start.

• See 1960.55.
• Because 1960.55 requires training in responsibilities and program management, delaying training increases the risk of missed hazards; agencies should have procedures for timely training and interim supervision to cover safety responsibilities.

Under 1960.55(a), supervisory training should address agency procedures for reporting hazards, and that should include steps for hazards involving contractor or non-federal workers—how to notify contracting officers, restrict access, and document communications.

• See 1960.55(a).
• In practice, training should instruct supervisors to follow agency contracting and safety coordination policies, notify contracting officers or facility managers, and ensure corrective actions are tracked and verified in the same way as for federal employees.

On-the-job mentoring can be part of meeting 1960.55 training objectives, but it should not be the only method; the standard calls for courses and materials that equip supervisors to recognize and control hazards and manage safety programs.

• See 1960.55(b).
• Combine mentoring with formal instruction, written materials, and documented exercises so supervisors receive both practical coaching and formal coverage of required topics (reporting, reprisal, abatement, applicable standards).

Yes. Section 1960 establishes federal agency responsibilities for employee safety and 1960.55 requires agencies to provide supervisory training; agencies are expected to implement and enforce these program elements internally under Executive Order 12196 and Part 1960.

• See the general Part 1960 requirements and the specific 1960.55 training requirement.
• OSHA provides interpretive guidance and enforcement for federal agency programs and related matters (see related letters such as the Oxygen-deficient atmospheres in HVAC interpretation that reference Executive Order 12196 and Part 1960).