Sasha Minjarez | October 22, 2021

UTEP Awarded with OSHA Grants for Training on Safety Practices

Faculty members from the Department of Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso, Adeeba Raheem, Ph.D. and Austin Marshall, Ph.D., have been awarded grants by the Department of Labor (DOL) under the 2021 American Rescue Act and Susan Harwood Target Training Program.

These grants aim at aiding in the facilitation of specialized safety training for workers in the construction and general industries who have limited literacy competency and are additionally exposed to high-hazard environments.

“This program is a great opportunity for workers to learn more about OSHA regulations. Professional development is extremely important for students because it introduces them to the culture and practice of their profession,” said Adeeba Raheem, Ph.D., principal investigator and Civil Engineering assistant professor. “We believe that our efforts through this grant are not only benefitting the local construction industry by increasing awareness for jobsite hazards and prevention methods, but also preparing our students as future safety professionals.”

For the eighth successive year supporting UTEP, DOL has awarded this University with more than $1.3 million in funding, enabling the training of more than 10,000 construction workers, over 40 currently attending UTEP. This includes over 500 businesses benefiting from the U.S. DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) field safety training, most of which subsist with resource limitations.

The DOL grants have assumed an instrumental role in occupational preparation with regard to education, rights and essential safety practices.

“This contract has given our students the opportunity to learn about different construction companies at their facilities, as well as giving them experience in public speaking. The training provides students the hands-on experience they would never get in a classroom. We are very proud to help local contractors protect workers through training provided by this grant,” added Austin Marshall, Civil Engineering professor of practice.

For additional information please visit: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/09082021