The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) will provide a free training session about planning ahead for workplace emergencies to Washington County residents during January.

Oregon OSHA will present "Workplace Emergency Action Plan" training on Wednesday January 22 from 1:00 to 5:00pm at Portland Community College's Capital Center, 18624 NW Walker Road in Beaverton. The class will demonstrate how employers can comply with Oregon OSHA requirements to have employee emergency plans and fire prevention plans in businesses with more than ten employees. Topics covered during the class include planning ahead for earthquakes, fires, floods, explosions, hazardous substance releases, medical emergencies and weather-related events that can impact a workplace.

The training class is a companion to a new, free 24-page guide developed by Oregon OSHA to help employers plan ahead for workplace emergencies called "Expecting the Unexpected". The guide introduces employers to incident-management systems for the workplace, and explains factors to consider when planning for an emergency. Topics covered in "Expecting the Unexpected" include how to plan for earthquakes, explosions, fires, hazardous-substance releases, medical emergencies and weather-related crises. The guide also addresses how to plan for modern emergencies such as threats of violence and terrorism.

For more information about this workshop or to register, call the Oregon OSHA Education Section, (503) 947-7443, or toll-free in Oregon, (888) 292-5247 Option 2.