1960 Subpart H
Agency heads may request training assistance from the Secretary of Labor, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and other appropriate sources. The regulation explicitly states that agency heads "may seek training assistance" from those sources, so agencies should contact the Department of Labor/OSHA or NIOSH to request help. See 1960.60(a) for the governing text.
The Secretary will provide, upon request and with reimbursement, an orientation that enables Designated Agency Safety and Health Officials and/or their designees to manage their agency's occupational safety and health programs. That orientation will include coverage of section 19 of the OSH Act, Executive Order 12196, and the requirements of 29 CFR Part 1960. See 1960.60(b).
Yes. The regulation states the Secretary shall conduct the orientation "upon request and with reimbursement," so agencies must request the orientation and reimburse the Department of Labor as required. See 1960.60(b).
Upon request and with reimbursement, the Department of Labor will provide training materials to assist agencies in meeting the training needs of Part 1960; these include resident and field training courses designed for selected needs of agency safety and health specialists, safety and health inspectors, and collateral duty safety and health personnel. See 1960.60(c).
No. The regulation explicitly says those materials and courses "in no way reduce each agency's responsibility to provide whatever specialized training is required by the unique characteristics of its work." Agencies must still provide any additional, job-specific training needed for their particular hazards. See 1960.60(c).
In cooperation with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Secretary will develop guidelines and/or provide materials for safety and health training programs targeted to high-level managers, supervisors, members of safety committees, and employee representatives. See 1960.60(d).
The agency retains responsibility for its safety training program even if it obtains assistance from the Department of Labor; the regulation provides assistance but does not shift the agency's obligations to manage and provide required training. See 1960.60(c) and the general Part 1960 framework establishing agency program responsibilities.
It means the agency must initiate a formal request to the Secretary of Labor (or the Department component designated to provide the assistance); the regulation requires agencies to ask for the services rather than having them provided automatically. The text uses the phrase "upon request" for both orientation and materials, so agencies should contact the Department of Labor/OSHA to start the assistance process. See 1960.60(b) and 1960.60(c).
Yes. Both 1960.60(b) (orientation) and 1960.60(c) (training materials and courses) specify that the Department of Labor will provide those services "upon request and with reimbursement," so agencies should expect to reimburse the Department for these services. See 1960.60(b) and 1960.60(c).
Yes. The regulation explicitly authorizes orientation for "Designated Agency Safety and Health Officials and/or their designees," so agencies may send designated officials or the designees the agency has chosen to attend the orientation. See 1960.60(b).
No. While the Department will provide resident and field training courses to meet selected needs, the regulation makes clear these materials and courses do not replace an agency's duty to provide specialized training required by the unique characteristics of its work. Agencies must supply any additional, task-specific training beyond what the Department provides. See 1960.60(c).
Military personnel and uniquely military equipment and operations are generally excluded from OSHA coverage, but civilian employees performing work on non-uniquely military equipment and operations are covered and subject to OSHA requirements; training assistance under Part 1960 is intended for agency occupational safety programs for covered employees. The OSHA interpretation on oxygen-deficient atmospheres explains that Executive Order 12196 and 29 CFR Part 1960 exclude military personnel and uniquely military operations from OSHA coverage while retaining coverage for civilian employees in comparable workplaces; see the OSHA letter at Oxygen-deficient atmospheres in HVAC and Part 1960.
No. Department of Labor materials and courses are assistance tools and do not eliminate the agency's obligation to provide required and specialized training for its particular hazards; agencies remain responsible for ensuring training meets applicable OSHA standards and agency-specific needs. See 1960.60(c) and the broader Part 1960 program responsibilities.
Yes. While Part 1960 allows an agency to apply an alternate standard where deemed necessary, the agency must request and obtain the Secretary of Labor's approval before implementing an alternate standard; OSHA reaffirmed this approval requirement in its 2019 letter discussing sampling methods and alternate standards. See the discussion in the 2019 interpretation Hexavalent chromium sampling methods and review Part 1960 for program governance.
The regulation specifies resident and field training courses designed to meet selected training needs of agency safety and health specialists, safety and health inspectors, and collateral duty safety and health personnel. Agencies should match those courses to the intended audiences identified in the text. See 1960.60(c).
Yes. The regulation directs the Secretary, in cooperation with OPM, to develop guidelines and/or materials specifically for high-level managers, supervisors, members of committees, and employee representatives, which implies those materials will be tailored to roles with managerial or representative responsibilities as opposed to frontline worker training. See 1960.60(d).