Department of Labor renews Eastern Kentucky University’s OSHA Training Institute

The OSHA Training Institute Education Center, or OTI Education Center at Eastern Kentucky University, has been renewed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Over the past half-decade, more than 1,100 facility locations or expansion projects were announced in the State of Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Cabinet of Economic Development. That number represents over $21 billion in capital investments and almost 39,000 new jobs for the state.

The manufacturing industry in Kentucky is expected to continue growing, so the OTI Education Center is a boon to the area as it helps companies and manufacturers train their employees to be knowledgeable in workplace safety and health.

Eastern Kentucky University’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center was started in 2003 and serves the eight states contained within OSHA’s Region IV: Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida in addition to Kentucky. There are only 25 other OSHA Training Institute Education Centers in the country.

Associate Director of the OTI Education Center, Zach Rhodus, was quoted in the announcement on Eastern Kentucky’s website, saying, “I am very excited to see EKU’s authorization as an OSHA Training Institute Education Center renewed. In our time as an OTI Education Center, EKU has successfully established and maintained long-lasting relationships with private businesses, as well as local, state and federal government entities. We look forward to continuing OSHA’s mission to protect American workers and send them home safely to their families each and every day.” 

The OTI Education Center is staffed by internationally recognized health and safety professionals who specialize in many different training programs.  

In 2022, the education center saw an eight percent increase in student enrollment with a final tally of 1,187 students trained that year.

Many companies regularly use the center for training, such as the Bluegrass Army Depot, Humana, Hyster Yale, AGC, and more. The center also has a partnership with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet that allows its employees free training opportunities. There are similar agreements with Kentucky’s departments of education, transportation, and corrections for state employee training. The Air National Guard also hosts several classes at the OTI Education Center.

For more information about Eastern Kentucky University’s OTI Education Center, visit its website.

For information on other services and programs offered at Eastern Kentucky University, visit the school’s main website.