[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17451-17459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7260]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Online OSHA Outreach Training Programs
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of competition and request for applications for online
occupational safety and health training providers.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) seeks to ensure high quality online OSHA Outreach
Training Program training courses for all participants. This notice
announces the opportunity for interested organizations to submit
applications to be authorized to deliver 10-hour and/or 30-hour OSHA
Outreach Training Program courses in the construction industry, general
industry, and maritime industry in an online format. Current OSHA-
authorized online training providers must submit an application in
order to be considered to offer online Outreach Training Program
courses. Past performance will be considered as a factor in the
selection process. Applications will only be accepted during the
solicitation period and will be rated on a competitive basis. Complete
application instructions are contained in this notice.
DATES: The Outreach Training Program online training provider
applications for the delivery of online training must be received by
the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education no later than 4:30 p.m.,
Central Time, on June 27, 2011. Requests for extension to this
application deadline will not be granted.
A proposal conference will be held on April 19, 2011, at the OSHA
Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd.,
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102. Attendees are required to
register for this conference. Specific details are discussed in the
Proposal Conference section of this notice.
[[Page 17452]]
Applicants selected to be OSHA Outreach Training Program online
providers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting at the OSHA
Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd.,
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102 at a time and date to be
provided.
ADDRESSES: Submit applications to the attention of Don Guerra, Program
Analyst, Office of Training and Educational Programs, OSHA Directorate
of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington
Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions regarding this
opportunity should be directed to Don Guerra, Program Analyst, e-mail
address [email protected], or Jim Barnes, Director, Office of Training
and Educational Programs, OSHA Directorate of Training and Education,
e-mail address [email protected]. Both can be reached at 847-759-7700.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview of the OSHA Outreach Training Program
The OSHA Outreach Training Program was established during the early
years of the Agency to provide an overview of OSHA and to rapidly
disseminate basic occupational safety and health workplace hazard
information to workers using independent authorized trainers. Courses
are intended to provide information on worker rights, employer
responsibilities, and how to file a complaint as well as focusing on
work-related hazards. Outreach Training Program courses do not focus on
or teach OSHA standards. Workers who complete the construction
industry, general industry, maritime industry, or disaster site worker
courses receive OSHA course completion cards from the authorized
trainer who conducted the training.
The Outreach Training Program is a voluntary program. OSHA
recommends Outreach Training Program courses as an introduction to
worker rights, employer responsibilities, how to file a complaint and
occupational safety and health hazard recognition for workers. However,
some States have enacted laws mandating the training. In addition, some
employers, unions, organizations or other jurisdictions may also
require this training. Please note that Outreach Training Program
courses do not meet specific training requirements contained in OSHA
standards. Employers are responsible for training their workers on
specific hazards of their job, as noted in many OSHA standards. A list
of standards requiring training is found in OSHA Publication 2254
``Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines''
located at: http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.athruz?pType=Types&pID=1.
The OSHA Outreach Training Program guidelines contain instructions
and assistance information for Outreach Trainers. Among the issues
addressed in the guidelines are course topic requirements, minimum
lengths for course topics, advertising restrictions, records retention,
and reporting requirements. OSHA Outreach Training Program guidelines
are located at: http://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/construction_generalindustry/guidelines.html and http://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/maritime/guidelines.html. The application must incorporate and comply
with all of the requirements in these guidelines. OSHA periodically
updates these guidelines. Online providers will be required to keep
informed regarding changes to OSHA standards and Outreach Training
Program guidelines and all courses must be updated in accordance with
these changes. OSHA reserves the right to specify required content for
inclusion in all online training modules including topics, course
learning objectives, training goals, content, interactive activities,
and exams. For example, OSHA recently mandated a 2-hour ``Introduction
to OSHA'' module that must be included in all 10-hour and 30-hour
courses. The Occupational Safety and Health Act covers private sector
employers and their employees in the 50 States and certain territories
and jurisdictions under Federal authority. Those jurisdictions include
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, Johnston Island,
and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands as defined in the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act. OSHA training programs such as the
Outreach Training Program are intended for workers covered under the
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, and within the
Agency's jurisdiction. In addition, distribution of promotional
materials for online training outside OSHA jurisdiction is prohibited.
The OSHA 10- and 30-hour training courses can be delivered by OSHA-
authorized trainers either in person or through Web-based distance
learning. In recent years, OSHA has sought to make this training more
readily available to workers by authorizing a number of training
providers to provide Web-based courses. OSHA has received many more
requests for authorization to deliver online outreach training than can
feasibly be granted, given the OSH Act's requirement that OSHA
supervise the training programs it initiates. Today's Federal Register
notice invites individuals or entities that currently maintain
authorized-trainer status to submit applications for specific
authorization to provide online training.
To provide an orderly process for evaluating the comparative
strengths of entities that wish to be authorized online trainers, OSHA
has decided to invite proposals. Although this competitive process is
in some ways similar to that used in procurement, no products or
services are sought for OSHA's use; the present Federal Register notice
is not a contract or procurement action.
OSHA will enter into 5-year, nonfinancial cooperative agreements
with successful applicants. These authorization agreements are intended
solely to facilitate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of worker
safety training provided by authorized online trainers. These
cooperative agreements will not constitute a grant or financial
assistance instrument, and OSHA will provide no compensation to
authorized trainers.
Selection Guidelines
OSHA does not have a predetermined number of organizations to be
selected as authorized online trainers for the OSHA Outreach Training
Program courses. Rather, the number of organizations selected will be
determined according to the qualifications of the applicant
organizations, their ability to provide quality interactive online
training, their ability to conduct online OSHA Outreach Training
Program courses for workers, and their compliance with the program
guidelines. Training must be delivered in a manner that employees
receiving it are capable of understanding.
Applicant Eligibility
Applicant organizations must be headquartered within the United
States in order to be eligible to apply for this opportunity. Both for
profit and nonprofit training organizations are eligible to apply.
Nonprofit organizations, including qualifying labor unions and
community-based and faith-based organizations that are not an agency of
a State or local government are eligible to apply. State or local
government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to
apply.
[[Page 17453]]
Each organization must demonstrate that:
(1) Training or education is part of its mission and more than 50%
of its staff and dollar resources are devoted to training or education
to be eligible to apply;
(2) It has the appropriate infrastructure and experience in
developing, conducting, and evaluating online training;
(3) It has experience in developing, delivering, updating and
evaluating occupational safety and health training;
(4) It has or will contract with one or more authorized OSHA
Outreach Training Program trainers supporting each of the courses for
which it is submitting an application. These trainers must demonstrate
that:
(a) They each have a minimum of 3 years training experience;
(b) They each are in good standing (not on probation, suspended, or
revoked as defined in OSHA's Investigation and Review Procedures).
Funding Provisions
OSHA provides no funding to OSHA Outreach Training Program online
trainers. The OSHA Outreach Training Program online trainers will be
expected to support their OSHA outreach training through their normal
fee structures.
Cooperative Agreement Duration
Selected applicants will sign five year non-financial cooperative
agreements with OSHA. The agency reserves the right to revoke the
authorization of an online training provider for failure to comply with
program guidelines and requirements, or for any illegal conduct. With
satisfactory performance by the online training provider, agreements
may be renewed without additional competition for an additional five
years.
Proposal Conference
The proposal conference is intended to provide potential applicants
with information about the OSHA Outreach Training Program, OSHA
expectations for online trainers, online courses and methods of
instruction, and administrative and program requirements for OSHA
Outreach Training Program online trainers. The OSHA Directorate of
Training and Education will hold one proposal conference.
The proposal conference is scheduled for April 19, 2011, at the
OSHA Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights
Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
It is necessary for attendees to register for this proposal
conference. Applicants interested in attending this conference may
contact Don Guerra, Program Analyst, or Jim Barnes, Director, Office of
Training and Educational Programs, OSHA Directorate of Training and
Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois
60005-4102, telephone (847) 759-7700. Required registration information
includes:
(1) Name and street address of the organization.
(2) Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of the
attendees.
Application and Submission Information
The submission is to consist of one original and two copies of the
application. Applications must be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with
all pages numbered including any attachments. The program narrative
must not exceed 30 single-sided pages or be bound or stapled.
Attachments must only include essential documents that are relevant to
this program. Attachments must also include a CD that represents an
accurate sample of the required ``Introduction to OSHA'' module the
applicant would include in the proposed Outreach Training Program; the
corresponding storyboard for the sample module; and screenshots or CD
of other types of interactive screens not included in the sample
module. Applicants must address each of the following program points in
their application.
(1) Identifying and Eligibility Information. Applicants must
provide details for each of the following points:
(a) Provide the name, address and DUNS number of the organization.
(b) Provide the street address of the organization. A post office
box will not be accepted.
(c) Provide the name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address
of the project director who can answer questions regarding the
application.
(d) Demonstrate that training or education is part of the mission
and more than 50% of staff and dollar resources are devoted to training
or education.
(e) Show appropriate infrastructure and experience in developing,
conducting, and evaluating online training.
(f) Clearly demonstrate experience in developing, updating,
conducting and evaluating occupational safety and health training.
(g) Demonstrate that one or more authorized OSHA Outreach Training
Program trainers will support each of the courses for which an
application is submitted. Demonstrate that each trainer:
(i) has a minimum of 3 years training experience;
(ii) is in good standing (not on probation, suspended, or revoked
as defined in OSHA's Investigation and Review Procedures).
(2) Authority to Apply. Provide a copy of the resolution by the
Board of Directors, Board of Regents, company president, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) or other governing body of the organization
approving the submittal of an application to OSHA to become an OSHA
Outreach Training Program online provider.
(3) Program Summary. The program summary is a brief one-to-two page
single-sided, double-spaced abstract that succinctly summarizes the
proposed project and provides information about the applicant
organization along with key staff contact information. It must also
include information on which Outreach Training Program course would be
offered online, and any relevant language or target audience
information. Submissions that are not in accordance with this
submission requirement will not be fully considered.
(4) Program Narrative. The program narrative must not exceed 30
single-sided, double-spaced pages. Attachments will not be included in
the 30 page count. Specific details regarding the program narrative are
discussed in the next section. Submissions that are not in accordance
with this submission requirement will not be fully considered. The
program narrative must be organized in the following manner:
(a) Organizational experience and qualifications in occupational
safety and health training;
(b) Organizational experience in designing online worker training;
(c) Staff experience and qualifications in occupational safety and
health training;
(d) Staff experience in designing online worker training;
(e) Course content;
(f) Course design and development plan;
(g) Technical capabilities;
(h) Administrative capabilities;
(i) Trainee Evaluation.
(5) Attachments. Attachments must only include supporting
documentation that is relevant to this program such as organization
charts, staff resumes, and advertising materials. Attachments must also
include a CD that contains an accurate sample of the required 2-hour
``Introduction to OSHA'' module; the corresponding storyboard for the
sample module; and screenshots or CD of other types of interactive
screens not included in the sample module.
[[Page 17454]]
Program Narrative
The program narrative consists of information regarding
organizational experience and qualifications, staff experience and
qualifications, course content, course design and development,
technical capabilities, administrative capabilities, and trainee
satisfaction survey sections. Applicants must provide details for each
of the following points:
(1) Organizational Experience and Qualifications.
(a) Describe the background and number of years experience
developing, delivering, revising and evaluating worker occupational
safety and health training including the number of classes offered,
number of trainees taught in each class, and number of trainee contact
hours for each course during the last three years. Indicate the types
of occupational safety and health courses previously developed
including the title and number of trainee contact hours for each.
(b) Describe the background and the number of years of experience
in designing, delivering and evaluating online training including the
number of classes offered, number of trainees taught in each class and
number of trainee contact hours for each course during the last three
years. Provide the types of online courses previously developed
including the title and number of contact hours for each. Specifically
note online occupational safety and health courses. Provide Web site
address for verification purposes.
(c) Describe the existing capabilities for data security and
privacy, technical support, and facilitation of trainee registration
supporting an online training environment.
(d) Describe the current authentication process which randomly
occurs throughout the course that verifies that the same person who
registers for the course is the same person who participates in,
completes, and receives credit for the course. Specific details are
included in ``Course Design.''
(e) Status as a Training Organization. This section applies only to
applicants that are not colleges or universities. The applicant must
show that training or education is a principal activity of the
organization. Through audit reports, annual reports, or other
documentation, the applicant must clearly demonstrate that for the last
two years more than 50% of the organization's funds have been used for
training and education activities and more than 50% of staff resources
have also been used for this purpose.
(f) Customer Service. Provide specific details regarding the
organization's customer service capabilities:
(i) Responding to questions from trainees on technical content and
accuracy of the course content;
(ii) Handling of technical questions and concerns related to issues
other than occupational safety and health;
(iii) Processing and distributing Outreach Training Program course
completion cards to trainees in a timely manner;
(iv) Resolving problems associated with the course, whether
receiving them via trainee satisfaction surveys or direct communication
from a trainee;
(v) Issuing replacement cards to trainees in a timely manner
including verification of trainee identity and training completion.
(2) Staff Experience and Qualifications.
(a) Identify the authorized OSHA Outreach Training Program trainers
who will be involved in the development and review of the course. For
each authorized trainer provide information regarding the authorizing
Outreach Training Program organization, the course taken, the date of
the training, and proof of the completion of training such as a copy of
their trainer course completion card.
(b) Identify the authorized OSHA Outreach Training Program trainers
who will be available to respond to trainee questions. For each
authorized trainer provide information regarding the authorizing
Outreach Training Program organization, the course taken, the date of
the training, and proof of the completion of training such as a copy of
their trainer course completion card.
(c) Describe the qualifications of the staff that will develop the
Outreach Training Program online course. Include occupational safety
and health experience, addressing all the topical areas covered in the
course, training experience with workers, adults, and experience
working with the target audience.
(d) Describe staff knowledge of and experience with OSHA standards
and their application to hazard recognition and hazard abatement.
Include resumes of staff members who will be involved with the course.
(e) Describe the trainer's fluency or background in the online
course presentation language if the training will be offered in a
language other than English.
(f) Describe staff knowledge of and experience in developing
interactive online training courses. Include resumes of staff members
who will be involved with the course.
(g) Provide a position description and/or minimum hiring
qualifications for any positions that are currently vacant.
(3) Course Content. This competition emphasizes ten Outreach
Training Program courses that train workers on worker rights, employer
responsibilities, how to file a complaint and in the recognition and
prevention of occupational safety and health hazards. Please note that
10-hour courses are intended to provide entry level construction,
general industry, or maritime industry workers with general awareness
training on recognizing and preventing hazards on a jobsite in addition
to information on workers rights, employer responsibilities and how to
file a complaint. Additionally, 30-hour courses are intended to provide
more in-depth training to workers with some safety responsibility. A
separate application must be submitted for each different course and
language. Indicate which online course would be offered and in what
language. The applicant must include a list of all the topics that
would be offered (mandatory, elective, and optional topics based on
current program guidelines), specify the learning objectives for each
topic selected, and the time associated with each topic. The minimum
completion time for each topic is 30 minutes, including each of the
Focus Four construction hazards (falls, struck by, caught in or
between, and electrical hazards). Topic selection must comply with
current OSHA Outreach Training Program guidelines. OSHA periodically
modifies the topics as program requirements change. For example, OSHA
recently mandated a 2-hour ``Introduction to OSHA'' module be included
in all 10-hour and 30-hour courses. Online courses must have the
capability to quickly adapt to these changes.
(a) 10-Hour Construction Course. Topics consist of mandatory,
elective and optional topics for the course. The application must
include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be
covered, time spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each
topic. Instructional time must be a minimum of 10 hours.
(b) 30-Hour Construction Course. Topics consist of mandatory,
elective and optional topics for the course. The application must
include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be
covered, time spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each
topic. Instructional time must be a minimum of 30 hours.
(c) 10-Hour General Industry Course. Topics consist of mandatory,
elective
[[Page 17455]]
and optional topics for the course. The application must include a list
of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be covered, time
spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each topic.
Instructional time must be a minimum of 10 hours.
(d) 30-Hour General Industry Course. Topics consist of mandatory,
elective and optional topics for the course. The application must
include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be
covered, time spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each
topic. Instructional time must be a minimum of 30 hours.
(e) 10-Hour Maritime Industry Courses Topics consist of mandatory,
elective and optional topics for each course. The application must
include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be
covered, time spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each
topic. Instructional time must be a minimum of 10 hours. A separate
application must be submitted for each course that is proposed. Choose
one or more of the following three courses:
(i) Shipyard Employment
(ii) Maritime Terminals
(iii) Longshoring
(f) 30-Hour Maritime Industry Courses Topics consist of mandatory,
elective and optional topics for the course. The application must
include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic to be
covered, time spent on each topic, and learning objectives for each
topic. Instructional time must be a minimum of 30 hours. A separate
application must be submitted for each course that is selected. Choose
one or more of the following three courses:
(i) Shipyard Employment
(ii) Marine Terminals
(iii) Longshoring
(g) Applications for a course in a language other than English must
provide details of how the course will be tailored to address the needs
of the workers that speak this language. OSHA requires that all
information pertinent to the course be submitted in English, even if
the course will be offered in another language. Organizations proposing
to develop Spanish-language training must use the OSHA Dictionaries
(English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English) for terminology available
at http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/spanish_dictionaries.html.
(h) If the application is for a targeted audience, provide specific
details regarding the targeted audience, their need, and their interest
in the course. Indicate the specific targeted audience for the course,
such as roadway workers, landscapers, maintenance personnel, roofers,
residential construction workers, etc.
(i) Course Orientation. Explain the course orientation page which
must inform the trainee how to successfully complete the course. The
orientation must discuss the following:
(i) Course objectives
(ii) System requirements
(iii) Course time out feature that ensures active participation
(iv) Navigational commands including help (trainer, technical, and
course related), directional (forward and back), and menu/exit
(v) Time limit of three months to complete the 10-hour courses, and
six months to complete the 30-hour courses
(vi) Testing policy and criteria; details are provided under
``Course Design''
(vii) Identification of and contact information for the authorized
trainer
(viii) Identification and contact information of technical support
regarding computer-related problems
(ix) Printing or obtaining course materials on each course topic
(x) Printing an interim course completion document (certificate) at
the end of the course
(xi) When and how a trainee will receive their OSHA Outreach
Training Program course completion card
(xii) When and how the random trainee verification process during
all phases of the course will be conducted
(4) Course Design. Applicants must address each of the following
instructional design points in their application. Online training
courses must supply effective training for participants. The use of an
instructional systems design process for designing, developing,
revising and evaluating online training is recommended. This
methodology ensures that a course is instructionally sound and built
with a structured approach throughout the entire development cycle. The
following research-based instructional principles must be used when
designing online training:
(a) A training needs assessment must be conducted prior to course
development. The identification of training needs is the first step in
a uniform method of instructional design. A training needs assessment
collects data on audience knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding
occupational safety and health awareness. It assists in identifying
performance requirements and the gap between worker knowledge and what
they need to know.
(b) Courses must have a worker focus and concentrate on
occupational safety and health awareness appropriate to a worker
including but not limited to hazard identification, abatement,
prevention, and control. Courses must focus on familiarizing students
with prevalent hazards in [construction or maritime or general
industry] and with basic safety requirements; training should avoid
extensive presentation of the technical requirements of OSHA standards.
(c) Training must create relevant interactive learning experiences
based on learning objectives and clear training goals. Organize
information to maximize concept understanding. Each topic lesson must
begin with learning objectives and end with a topic summary.
Instructional objectives must:
(i) Focus on the trainee rather than the instructor.
(ii) Measure the performance outcome the trainee is able to
demonstrate.
(iii) Explain the condition under which the performance will take
place.
(iv) State the degree or standard on which the performance will be
evaluated (ex. percent of accuracy).
(d) Training must stimulate the trainee's prior knowledge and
facilitate connections to new information.
(e) Training must engage the trainee with frequent interaction
techniques and feedback.
(i) Provide training variety by using interactivity, high quality
graphics, audio, video, animations, simulations, and forums.
(ii) Present instructional interactions that require trainee
participation including problem solving and real-world case studies.
Good quality interactivity includes guided practice opportunities and
feedback.
(iii) OSHA requires a highly interactive, participatory online
course. Interactivity Levels II-IV provide active learning for the
trainee and are expected every 3-5 screens, or approximately 30% of the
course. Provide examples of frequent and varied Level II-IV interactive
activities which are contained in the online course such as screenshots
or a CD that contains an accurate sample of one course module or
multiple lessons.
(1) Level I-Passive Learning: Examples include graphics, pop-ups,
graphic builds, and 2-D illustration;
(2) Level II-Limited Interaction: Examples include drag and drop,
completing a statement, drill and practice, labeling, matching,
sequencing, 2-D animation, video clips (ranging between 15-90 seconds
in length), and performing multi-step tasks;
(3) Level III-Complex Participation: Examples include case studies,
discovery/exploration, games, hidden hints, ranking, and categorizing/
sorting;
[[Page 17456]]
(4) Level IV-Real-Time Participation: Examples include avatars,
artificial simulation, practical application, role-playing, scenario
branching, and 3-D animation.
(f) System capabilities must allow the trainee to print fact sheets
and other supplementary materials.
(i) Provide each trainee the opportunity to print or receive a fact
sheet on each topic. Fact sheets must highlight the learning objectives
of each topic and emphasize hazard identification, avoidance, and
control, not OSHA standards.
(ii) Provide one primary fact sheet per topic which covers the
learning objectives of that topic. Make sure that the designs of the
primary fact sheets are standardized.
(iii) Other fact sheets and supplementary materials may also be
made available but their design does not have to be standardized.
(iv) Availability of fact sheets and other materials must be
prominently displayed.
(v) Fact sheets and other materials must be easy to access.
(vi) Trainees must be given the option to print materials after
passing topic tests.
(vii) The materials must be available in a general area.
(g) Testing. Applications must explain how the following elements
are incorporated:
(i) Testing is mandatory at the completion of each topic and at the
end of the course.
(ii) A test strategy must be developed for the online training
course including linking content to test items and appropriately
setting a passing score.
(iii) Test reliability must be proven by showing that it
consistently yields comparable scores for trainees with comparable
levels of knowledge and skills measured by the test.
(iv) Test validity must be established by showing that it measures
the specific knowledge and skills that were intended to be measured.
(v) There are processes in place to ensure test integrity such as a
no print feature and random test question selection.
(vi) Minimum pass rate is 70%.
(vii) A trainee is only allowed three attempts to pass a test. If a
trainee has not passed a test in three attempts, the trainee is
permanently excluded from retaking the training online. The training
organization must have a mechanism in place to ensure that a
disqualified trainee cannot retake the online course at a later date.
(viii) Minimum test length for each topic test is to be based upon
the learning objectives developed for that module. The test must
contain sufficient questions to adequately test the trainees learning
of the material contained in each objective.
(ix) Minimum test length for the end-of-course test is to be based
upon the learning objectives developed for the course. The test must
contain sufficient questions to adequately test the trainees learning
of the material contained in each objective.
(x) Test banks which contain a pool of potential questions for the
final test (at a minimum) are required.
(xi) Test approaches must vary the questions and/or answers.
Suitable options include randomizing answer choices and using a variety
of test questions.
(xii) Trainees receive straightforward and effective remediation
(feedback) when a question is answered incorrectly. Remediation must
not over-simplify the course to where the trainee is simply given the
answer. Trainees are given an opportunity to go back to the part of the
lesson where the question was covered.
(xiii) Trainees cannot proceed to the end-of-course test until they
pass all topic tests.
(xiv) Tests must evaluate trainees' knowledge of the learning
objectives. Insignificant facts and trivial numeric data must not be
tested. Negatively phrased (including use of ``not'') and True/False
questions are strongly discouraged, and must not make up more than 10%
of the questions.
(h) Explain how best practices in screen design, text language,
graphics, and audio and video will be used. Examples include using
consistent design, uniform spacing and adequate top/bottom, left right
margins; addressing one concept, procedure, or item of instruction per
screen; ensuring copyright permissions; and using language that is
simple, active, direct, etc.
(i) Explain how the course navigation is structured to be
intuitive, transparent, and sequential and how it will guide each
trainee to the next step whether taking a test, proceeding to the next
lesson, or completing the evaluation.
(j) Describe the design for trainees who have minimal levels of
computer-related skills and computer technical abilities.
(k) Indicate where the following notice is located at the beginning
of the course: OSHA recommends Outreach Training Program courses as an
orientation to occupational safety and health for workers. Workers must
receive additional training, when required by OSHA standards, on the
specific hazards of their job.
(5) Technical Capabilities. Applicants must provide specific
details for each of the following technical points in their
application.
(a) Data Security and Privacy. Specific data security principles
are dependent upon the provider's business requirements for security
services. All guardians of data are expected to manage, access, and
utilize data in a manner that maintains and protects the security and
confidentiality of that information. Documentation is required to
enable the day-to-day efforts necessary to enforce data security policy
and ensure policy is implemented on all platforms.
(i) Explain the management of all user IDs on all platforms.
(ii) Describe the authentication process which randomly verifies
throughout each module that the trainee who registers for the course is
the same trainee who participates and completes the training. Trainees
must be told about any additional charges associated with random
trainee verification during all phases of the course at the time of
registration or enrollment. Secure login, unique ID, PIN, and
passwords, and challenge questions based on third party data will not
be considered sufficient. Examples include, but are not limited to the
following:
(1) Scanned fingerprints or eyes
(2) Webcam
(3) Voice signature
(iii) Explain how the privacy policy will be clearly stated.
(iv) Describe how users will be made aware of anonymous data
collection to be used for analysis.
(v) Explain the management of all access control lists on all
platforms (users and permissions) and adherence to appropriate roles
and responsibilities.
(vi) Explain the management of incident response and reporting such
as network or server outages, third party security breaches, and loss
of sensitive data.
(vii) Explain the annual security policy review which must be
conducted due to the dynamic nature of the Internet.
(viii) Provide policy which handles disposal of data in a secure
manner.
(ix) Provide established policies which safeguard backed-up data.
(x) Describe how controls are established in anticipation of attack
from intelligent, rational and irrational adversaries with harmful
intent.
(xi) The selling, trading, or disclosing of any and all trainee
information to outside commercial sources is expressly prohibited.
[[Page 17457]]
(b) System Requirements. Describe the minimum system requirements
required. Examples include, but are not limited to:
(1) 20 GB or hard disk space
(2) Macintosh, MS Word 98 or higher
(3) MS Word 2000 or higher and anti-virus software
(4) Windows Media Player 9
(5) Adobe Acrobat Reader 8
(6) PC or Mac: RAM 256 MB
(7) PC: 1 GHz Processor
(8) PC: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or Firefox 1.5
(9) Mac: G3 800 MHz
(10) Mac: Firefox 1.0 or Safari 1.3
(11) Flash Player 9
(12) Java v.5.0
(13) Video card and monitor
(14) Display capable of 1024 X 768 pixel resolution
(15) Speakers
(16) Sound card
(c) System Capabilities. Applications must address the following
elements:
(i) Provide a list of system capabilities, including the number of
servers and available bandwidths.
(ii) Describe how the course enables a full screen view in most
instances. The screen layout (text, graphics, etc.) must be designed to
eliminate scrolling (vertically or horizontally) in order to view the
entire content area. Describe how the trainee will learn how to change
the size of the screen view.
(d) System Controls. Applicants must provide details for each of
the following points:
(i) Describe the estimated amount of time it will take a trainee to
complete the training, and how this number was derived.
(ii) Describe the required delay mechanism for each content screen
and how each screen is required viewing.
(iii) Explain the mechanism to ensure that trainees are timed out
of their training session when there is no activity for 15 minutes.
(iv) The program must automatically gather information on the
amount of time each trainee spends in the course. Describe the
mechanism to ensure that the trainee completes the required 10 or 30
hours in the course. OSHA will not provide cards to trainees who have
not spent a minimum of 10 or 30 hours in the course.
(v) OSHA requires that the 10-hour course be covered over a minimum
of two days and the 30-hour course be covered over a minimum of four
days. Explain how the online course will only permit a trainee to
complete a maximum of 7.5 hours within the course of a 24-hour period.
(vi) Explain how each screen is required viewing and how a trainee
is prevented from proceeding until a minimum amount of time elapses on
each screen.
(vii) Explain how the trainee's progress is bookmarked allowing
them to get back to where they left off after ending a training
session.
(6) Administrative Capabilities. Applicants must address the
following elements:
(a) Marketing and Recruitment. Explain the procedures for marketing
the online training courses and recruiting trainees. Please note that
authorized online Outreach Training Program providers may not engage in
reselling their courses. They are expressly prohibited from offering,
selling, or reselling their online training course from their
individual Web sites through any other parties or Web sites, unless an
exception is obtained in advance and in writing from OSHA. OSHA defines
reselling as the use of business partners or Web sites other than that
of the primary developer that act as ``pass-through'' links to the
primary developer's Web site, allowing a student to purchase and access
an online course; or any other marketing intermediaries, contractual
distribution systems designed to distribute or promote services through
a second party, or secondary-tiered provider.
(i) Explain procedures for marketing the online training course,
promoting the status of the organization as an OSHA online Outreach
Training Program trainer, and recruiting trainees. Distribution of
promotional materials for online training outside OSHA jurisdiction is
prohibited. The Occupational Safety and Health Act covers private
sector employers and their employees in the 50 States and certain
territories and jurisdictions under Federal authority. Those
jurisdictions include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island,
Johnston Island, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands as defined in
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
(ii) Describe registration procedures including provisions for
course cancellation, furnishing trainees with course materials, and
tuition or fee collection.
(iii) Tuition and Fees. Provide the fee structure for each course.
Explain how tuition or fees will be computed for each course,
referencing the organization's current tuition and fee schedule.
Describe tuition and fee procedures including provisions for the
collection of tuition, cancellation fees and issuing refunds.
(b) Trainer Availability. Provide specific details regarding when
and how the OSHA authorized trainer will send each trainee an
introductory e-mail that introduces the trainer, the trainer's
availability and contact information. The trainer's identity and
contact information must be accessible on each content page via a help
button, or something similar.
(c) Question Response. Trainees must be able to ask questions and
receive a response from their trainer within a maximum of 24 hours
after submitting their question. Describe the trainee response plan,
how questions will be monitored to ensure accuracy, and how rapid
question response will be ensured. Special consideration will be given
to applicants providing real-time responses to trainee questions.
(d) Administrative Controls. Discuss how the course will:
(i) Track trainee course progress
(ii) Document test scores
(iii) Document the number of times each trainee takes a test
(iv) Verify the amount of time the trainee spent in the course
(v) Restrict trainee access to the final test until after all topic
tests are successfully completed
(vi) Compile trainee data statistics, including test scores and
time spent in the training
(vii) Compile and retain trainee questions and the length of time
taken to respond to each trainee question
(viii) Randomly verify trainee identity and active participation
throughout the training
(ix) Restrict the trainee from taking the online course again if
they fail the course completion test 3 times
(e) Reporting. The electronic reporting system must be capable of
providing mandatory reports consistent with current OSHA guidelines.
Applicants must have the capability to submit reports in Excel format
on a template provided by OSHA. OSHA periodically revises reporting
requirements. Online providers are required to update reporting in
accordance with revised OSHA guidelines. Reports documenting training
are generally submitted monthly. OSHA may determine that reporting
frequency may need to be increased based upon training volume. Explain
how the electronic reporting system that will be used will provide the
following information in Excel format:
(i) Number of trainees who complete the online course
(ii) Total time spent in training
(iii) Trainee Satisfaction Surveys (See additional detail below.)
(f) Records Retention. Current program guidelines state that
records
[[Page 17458]]
must be maintained for each trainee for five years. Online providers
may establish a longer retention policy. OSHA reserves the right to
request copies of these records for its purposes. Additional records
addressed within this document including trainee satisfaction surveys
and trainee test scores must also be retained by online providers for
five years.
(g) OSHA Course Access. Awarded applicants must agree to provide
OSHA with permanent access to the online course. Passwords and ID
numbers must be provided to OSHA to allow for course monitoring.
(h) Program Administrative System. Provide a description of the
systems that would be in place to administer the Outreach Training
Program online course and to assure its integrity. Include information
regarding:
(i) Maintaining trainee records in accordance with program
guidelines
(ii) Ensuring that only individuals who complete the course receive
trainee cards
(iii) Issuing new or replacement course completion cards and any
related fees
(iv) Issuing interim course completion documents (certificates)
(7) Trainee Evaluation
(a) Satisfaction Survey. Each trainee must complete a satisfaction
survey in order to receive an OSHA course completion card. OSHA will
provide trainee satisfaction survey questions. Online providers may
include additional survey questions. This information must be made
clear to the trainee, at a minimum, at the end of the course. In each
report of training completed, online providers must include an easy to
understand summary of trainee feedback for each survey question and for
essay type comments. The summary format may be a narrative,
spreadsheet, graph or table. Provide a copy of a trainee satisfaction
survey currently in use. Discuss the following trainee survey
requirements:
(i) Explain how the question and essay comments will be summarized.
(ii) Describe how this satisfaction survey requirement will be
conveyed to each trainee.
(iii) Trainee feedback is to be used to improve and refine course
content and delivery. Explain how this has been previously accomplished
and include specific examples.
(b) Follow-up Impact Survey. Each trainee must receive a follow-up
impact survey to assess the effectiveness of the training after a 6-
month period. If the trainee does not respond to the initial survey
request, two additional requests must be sent. OSHA will provide
trainee follow-up impact survey questions. Online providers may include
additional survey questions. This information must be made clear to the
trainee, at a minimum, at the end of the course. In each report of
training completed, online providers must include an easy to understand
summary of trainee feedback for each survey question and for essay type
comments. The summary format may be a narrative, spreadsheet, graph or
table. Provide a copy of a follow-up impact survey, if currently in
use.
(i) Explain how the question and essay comments will be summarized.
(ii) Describe how this follow-up impact survey requirement will be
conveyed to each trainee.
(iii) Trainee feedback is to be used to improve and refine course
content and delivery. Explain how this has been previously accomplished
and include specific examples.
Application Submission
Applications must be submitted to the attention of Don Guerra,
Program Analyst, Office of Training and Educational Programs, OSHA
Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Rd.,
Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
The submission is to consist of one original and two copies of the
application. The program narrative must not exceed 30 single-sided,
double-spaced pages or be bound or stapled. Applications must be
double-spaced, in 12-point font, with all pages numbered including any
attachments. Attachments must only include essential documents that are
relevant to this program. Attachments must also include a CD that
represents an accurate sample of one course module or multiple lessons;
the corresponding storyboard for the sample module or lessons; and
screenshots or CD of various types of screens such as content and
interactive.
Application Deadline
Applications must be received by the Directorate of Training and
Education no later than 4:30 p.m., Central Time, on June 27, 2011.
Requests for extension to this application deadline will not be
granted.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be selected based upon the following selection
criteria including organizational experience and qualifications, staff
experience and qualifications, course content, course design, technical
capabilities, administrative capabilities, and trainee satisfaction
surveys. Information must be presented in a manner that employees
receiving it are capable of understanding. Technical panels will review
applications against the criteria in the ``Application and Submission
Information'' section of this notice and those listed below on the
basis of 100 maximum points. Applications will be reviewed and rated as
follows:
(1) Organizational Experience and Qualifications (20 points)
(a) Demonstrate successful experience designing, developing,
delivering and evaluating occupational safety and health training and
successful experience training adults.
(b) Demonstrate successful experience in developing interactive
online training courses for the target audience in work-related
subjects.
(c) Show positive customer service and responsiveness to problems
and comments from previous trainees.
(d) Demonstrate compliance with Outreach Training Program
guidelines.
(2) Staff Experience and Qualifications (10 points)
(a) Demonstrate considerable experience in developing interactive
online training courses for adults in work-related subjects and for the
target audience.
(b) Show successful training experience in occupational safety and
health subjects with the application of OSHA standards to the
recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards.
(c) Staff resumes or applicable contractor resumes are attached to
the application. Staff occupational safety and health related
certifications are included as attachments. Resumes should demonstrate
expertise in all topical areas in the online course. Authorized
Outreach Training Program trainers must be identified. Verify trainer
authorization status with a copy of their trainer course completion
card or certificate.
(3) Course Content (15 points)
(a) Indicate which Outreach Training Program was selected. Also
indicate if the program was designed for a language other than English.
(b) Include a list of each mandatory, elective, and optional topic
to be covered, time spent on each topic, and the learning objectives
for each topic. Indicate the manner in which the training course and
materials are tailored to the training needs of the target audience.
(c) Explain how the course orientation section will facilitate the
successful completion of the course by the trainee.
[[Page 17459]]
(4) Course Design (20 points)
(a) A training needs assessment will be conducted to identify
worker needs and knowledge and to identify the hazards to be included
in the course as ``Optional'' topics.
(b) The course has a worker focus and concentrates on occupational
safety and health issues that are most important and appropriate to a
worker.
(c) The course is structurally sound; it creates interactive
learning experiences; it engages the trainee with frequent and diverse
interactions and feedback; it allows training materials to be easily
located and printed; it assesses the effectiveness of the training
through tests and quizzes.
(5) Technical Capabilities (10 points)
(a) Explain the data security and privacy system that is in place
to maintain and protect the confidentiality of the gathered
information.
(b) Appropriate system requirements, capabilities, and controls are
discussed. These include but are not limited to monitoring and
recording the time a trainee spends in the course, the screen delay
mechanism, and the timed-out mechanism.
(c) Explain the random trainee verification procedures used during
all phases of the course.
(6) Administrative Capabilities (15 points)
(a) Demonstrate that registration procedures are reasonable
including the ease of registration and provisions for cancellations.
(b) Show that the proposed tuition or fees are in conformance with
the established policies of the applicant and the charges are
reasonable.
(c) Clearly articulate the marketing and recruiting plans for the
online training program selected.
(d) Clearly state when and how the trainee will receive the
trainer's identity and contact information.
(e) Explain how the administrative controls that are in place will
perform required tasks including track trainee course progress,
document test scores, produce reports, and randomly verify trainee
identify.
(f) Demonstrate the capability of reporting and recordkeeping
systems.
(g) Demonstrate the adequacy of the system to administer the online
program and assure its integrity.
(7) Trainee Evaluation (10 points)
(a) Provide details about the plan to evaluate trainee satisfaction
with the online course including course content, instructor response to
questions, and ease of use.
(b) Discuss the mechanism for ensuring that trainees are aware of
the requirement to complete a trainee satisfaction survey in order to
receive an OSHA trainee course completion card.
(c) Provide details about the plan to assess the effectiveness of
the training after a 6-month period.
(d) Discuss the mechanism for collecting the follow-up impact
survey.
(e) Include a sample trainee satisfaction survey and a sample
follow-up impact survey.
(f) Include a description of how both trainee surveys will be
summarized.
Application Evaluation and Selection Process
Online course applications will be reviewed by technical panels
comprised of OSHA staff. The technical panels will review online course
applications against the criteria listed in this notice to determine
which applicants best meet the stated requirements. As part of the
evaluation and selection process, OSHA may request additional
information from applicants. This may include written requests for
clarification, phone or in-person interviews, access to existing
programs, and on-site visits of applicant facilities. The panels'
recommendations to the Assistant Secretary are advisory in nature. The
final decision will be made by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health.
Notification of Selection
Applicants will be notified by a representative of the Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health if their
organization is selected as an OSHA Outreach Training Program online
trainer. After being initially selected as an OSHA Outreach Training
Program online provider, applicants must submit a complete course for
OSHA review. OSHA will notify the applicant of any necessary revisions
before authorization to conduct the online training is granted.
Applicants selected to be OSHA Outreach Training Program online
providers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting at the
Directorate of Training and Education in Arlington Heights, Illinois at
a time and date to be provided.
An organization may not conduct OSHA Outreach Training Program
online courses until the program has been fully authorized and the
organization has signed a non-financial cooperative agreement with
OSHA. Please note that reselling of online OSHA Outreach Training
Program courses is expressly prohibited unless an exception is obtained
in advance and in writing from OSHA. The agency defines resellers as
business partners or Web sites other than that of the primary developer
that act as ``pass-through'' links to the primary developer's Web site,
allowing a student to purchase and access an online course; or any
other marketing intermediaries, contractual distribution systems
designed to distribute or promote services through a second party, or
secondary-tiered provider.
Notification of Non-Selection
Applicants will be notified in writing if their organization is not
selected to be an OSHA-authorized online Outreach Training Program
provider.
Non-Selection Appeal
All decisions by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health are final. The Department of Labor does not provide
an appeal procedure for applicants that are not selected.
Authority: Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 670).
Signed at Washington, DC, on March 23, 2011.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2011-7260 Filed 3-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P