Earning Criteria

• Instructor must demonstrate work experience of at least three years within the subject area for a technical course or five years of work experience within the industry for an industry-specific course such as construction, maritime, or oil and gas. This experience must be within the last ten years. Experience may include relevant academic work experience, or industry association work experience sufficient to demonstrate a working knowledge of the industry and to yield a quality course delivery.
• Instructor must demonstrate occupational safety and health experience of at least three years within the industry or subject area. This experience must be within the last ten years. Two years may be waived with any of the following: CIH, CSP, Master’s degree or PhD in an occupational safety and health field.
• Instructor must demonstrate the ability to effectively deliver training and education to adults. Examples may include: (1) Demonstration of two years’ experience teaching adults in a training/academic environment, or (2) Documented observation and evaluation of the instructor as capable of utilizing effective adult training techniques.
• Instructors of trainer or update courses (OSHA #500, OSHA #501, OSHA #502, OSHA #503, OSHA #5400, OSHA #5401, OSHA #5600, OSHA #5602) must demonstrate successful completion of a trainer or update course. The course does not need to be within the same industry as the course the instructor will deliver. This cannot include a course in which the instructor delivers all or part of the course.
• Instructor must have the ability to achieve the learning objectives for the respective OTI Education Center course being delivered. This must include both of the following: (1) Demonstration of experience teaching subject materials (2) Documented observation and evaluation of the instructor as capable of meeting course objectives
• Instructor must maintain current knowledge in the subject material being presented. Outreach trainer courses and the 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training Program classes are not acceptable for maintaining knowledge in subject materials. Maintaining current knowledge includes completion of the following every five years. Occupational safety and health training course(s) reflecting a minimum of 30 hours. This cannot include training in which the instructor delivers all or part of the course.
• Instructor must maintain current knowledge in the subject area of teaching adults. Maintaining current knowledge includes completion of the following every five years. Training course(s) directly related to teaching adults reflecting a minimum of seven hours. This cannot include training in which the instructor delivers all or part of the course.
• Qualified instructors must submit an application with supporting documentation to the Great Lakes OSHA Education Center at Eastern Michigan University.
• New instructors must complete an onboarding process prior to teaching their first class.
• Instructors must adhere to OSHA Training Institute Education Center instructor policies related to code of conduct and test administration as well as legal requirements related to intellectual property, reselling restrictions and OSHA language.