This blog was inspired by this press release from the PA Department of Labor & Industry Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
On June 30, 2021, Act 57 of the PA Worker’s Compensation Act was enacted. This changes workplace safety committee training requirements, requiring them to receive Substance Abuse and Opioid Painkiller Use training to become certified. This act was introduced as a part of the effort to combat the opioid crisis, which focuses on prevention, rescue, and treatment.
By October 28, 2021, committees need to show compliance with the updated standard in order to obtain certification. There are training materials and necessary documents provided by the Department of Labor and Industry.
So, what does this mean for you?
| For committees who have already submitted or will submit applications before the change goes into effect | You will not need to update your training prior to October 28, 2021 to maintain certification. However, you must ensure that the next annual training includes the Substance Abuse & Opioid Painkiller Use training component.
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| For committees who will not be filing an application for the current period until after October 28, 2021 and have not yet received annual training | You will need to ensure that your members receive training on all required topics during your current policy period. If you receive training through our PATHS program, your training will meet the new requirement.
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| For committees who have already completed their annual training but are not due to submit an application until after October 28, 2021 | Members will need to obtain training in the additional topic to be considered eligible for certification. Members may retake the entire annual training OR may attend an abbreviated session on just the new topic. The PATHS* program will present the new materials separately on several occasions to help committees meet this requirement during the transition
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For more information about training schedules and training sessions- check out the PA Department of Labor and Industry Training Calendar.
For more information, email RA-LI-BWC-Safety@pa.gov for direct policy and application questions, and RA-LI-BWCPATHS@pa.gov for training questions. Feel free to reach out to our Risk Solutions Consultant, Steve McCarty, as well.
