Completed entirely online.

Course Overview

Who Should take this course?

This Inorganic Arsenic Awareness for General Industry and Construction course provides a general awareness of the risks and the regulatory requirements for protecting employees who work across the many industries in which exposure to inorganic arsenic may occur, as required by OSHA.

While arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust, in its inorganic form it is highly toxic. It is used industrially as an alloying agent (primarily of lead), as well as in the processing of glass, pigments, textiles, paper, metal adhesives, wood preservatives, and ammunition, the manufacture of semiconductors, as well as in the hide tanning process and, to a limited extent in pesticides, feed additives, and pharmaceuticals where its use is now restricted. Exposure may also occur in the smelting of various substances and when transportation bulk arsenic and bulk arsenicals.

The EPA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have both classified inorganic arsenic as carcinogenic. Studies have confirmed inorganic arsenic to be strongly associated with lung cancer when inhaled and with skin cancers and bladder, liver, and lung cancer when ingested. Short-term exposure via inhalation of arsine, the poisonous gas used in the semi-conductor industry, has resulted in death; it has been reported that a half-hour exposure to 25 to 50 parts per million (ppm) can be lethal. The major effects from acute arsine exposure in humans include headaches, vomiting, abdominal pains, hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, and jaundice; these effects can lead to kidney failure.

Objectives

 

The objective of this Inorganic Arsenic Awareness for General Industry and Construction course is to provide a general awareness of the risks and the regulatory requirements for protecting employees who work across the many industries where inorganic arsenic is used, as required by OSHA.

The course will also introduce students to the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations for Inorganic Arsenic, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances - 29 CFR 1910.1018.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • Explain what inorganic arsenic is;
  • Identify where workers may encounter inorganic arsenic;
  • Describe hazards and health effects of inorganic arsenic exposure;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of OSHA’s Inorganic Arsenic Standard;
  • Identify and describe OSHA methods of compliance to prevent inorganic arsenic exposure; and
  • Explain medical surveillance and hazard communication requirements for inorganic arsenic.

Topics

This course consists of 2 sections. Students are required to take each section sequentially as shown below.

ModuleSectionSection Title
Module 1
1 Course Overview
2 Introduction to Inorganic Arsenic
3 Limiting Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic
Final Exam

Exams

This course has one final exam based upon the material in the 2 course sections.

This course has one final exam based upon the material in the 3 course sections.

The exam consists of 10 questions selected at random from a larger pool of questions. A score of 70% or better is required to pass each exam. Students who do not pass the exam the first time may retake it as many times as necessary in order to pass.

Training Requirements

 

Employers are required to provide information and training for each affected employee prior to or at the time of initial assignment to a job involving potential exposure to Inorganic Arsenic. Employers must inform affected employees of the requirements of the Inorganic Arsenic Standard and its appendices as well as how to access or obtain a copy of it in the workplace.

Employers must assure that each employee in informed of the following:

  • The quantity, location, manner of use, storage, sources of exposure, and the specific nature of operations which could result in exposure to inorganic arsenic as well as any necessary protective steps;
  • The purpose, proper use, and limitation of respirators;
  • The purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by the Standard;
  • The engineering controls and work practices associated with the employee’s job assignment;
  • A review of the content of the Standard; and
  • The information contained in Appendix A of the Standard.

Additionally, workers must receive training, when required by OSHA standards, on the specific hazards of their job. Training providers should be used to ensure credibility and augment a company’s training program. Therefore, in addition to the training provided by an outside party, a student should receive site-specific training supplied by their employer. This training should target the company’s unique approach to hazard prevention, including the use of site-specific equipment, health and safety policies, and emergency procedures. As a rule, this company-specific training should be well documented.

The bottom line in ALL SITUATIONS is that employers are required to ensure that their employees are adequately trained to do their job.

Mobile Version

 

We're excited to announce that this course is now available in HTML 5, making it more compatible with the browser on your mobile device (e.g., smartphone or tablet). This course requires only the most recent version of your mobile device's web browser.

Tablet Pros and Cons

Mobile versions of this sort of training are new, but below are some Pros and Cons that we have noticed during our extensive testing.

Pros

  • No computer needed
  • Tablet mobility
  • Tablet screen graphics

Cons

  • Smartphone screens can be too small to see
  • Mobile browsers react differently than computer browsers
  • Phone calls can interrupt training

During our testing we really noticed that tablets work much better than smartphones, simply due to their screen size.

Growing Pains

Because this is a Beta Version of our course, you may encounter some issues as we work out the kinks.

Your Mobile Browser

While HTML5 makes taking this course on mobile devices possible, not all mobile browsers are optimized for HTML5, meaning you may not have complete functionality. If you have difficulty taking this course using the browser on your mobile device, you may need to use a different browser.

Test the functionality of your browser using HTML5 and compare it to the performance of other browsers. If you find other browsers are more compatible than your own, you may want to make the switch.

FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions specific to this course.

Q - How long will this course take to complete?

Our courses are set up to take a specific amount of time. Some students may get through the training more quickly, while others may actually take longer to complete their training. Remember, this training should be used as an intricate tool in the context of an overall training program; it can be combined with other training throughout the year in order to meet any hour requirements needed.


Q - How long do I have to start a course once enrolled?

Students have 12 months to start their training from the time they enroll in an online course.


Q - How long do I have to complete a course once started?

Take up to 12 months to complete your online training, at your own pace and schedule.


Q - Do I have to finish the course in one sitting?

No, our courses are designed so you can start and stop as needed, allowing you to break the training up over a longer period of time. Our system will keep track of your progress, enabling you to resume where you left off upon your next login. It is important that once you start a section, you complete that section or you will need to start that section over from the beginning upon your return.


Q - Can I take the course from more than one computer?

Yes, you can take the online portion by signing in with your username and password from any location and computer with high-speed internet access. However, each computer does need to meet our basic system requirements for viewing our online courses.


Q - Will I receive a certificate for this course?

Yes, once you have completed a course, you are able to download, save or print a certificate of completion from your student account. Certificates are created in a pdf format. Users must have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader before attempting to download the completion certificate.