Environmental Health & Safety Center for Excellence

Train Smarter. Stay Safer.

SFCC’s Environmental, Health and Safety Center for Excellence Training will help your organization and your employees stay up to date on laws and regulations and help you meet compliance standards. We offer customized and open enrollment classes tailored to your specific needs. Our courses are updated to meet current federal, state and local laws and regulations.

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Courses

HAZWOPER

General Site Worker
40 hr. Industry Certification
This course is designed for workers involved in clean‐up operations, emergency response operations or storage, disposal or treatment of hazardous waste. The topics covered in this class include chemical and physical hazard recognition; hazard controls; selection of personal protective equipment; air monitoring; respiratory protection; site control; decontamination; field‐specific operations (drum handling, trenching and excavation, etc.); and an introduction to emergency response.
Hazardous Waste Worker
24 hr. Industry Certification
Course designed for occasional workers at uncontrolled waste sites or locations where there is no exposure above Permissible Exposure Limits is expected.
Annual Refresher
8 hr. Industry Certification
Annual update training required to maintain competence in emergency response skills. Class includes review of topics, hands on skills demonstration (drill), and written demonstration of understanding.

Ergonomics

Awareness – 4 hr.
This class is designed to train staff to recognize office workspace hazards and risk factors. Through presentation of information, discussions, demonstrations and hands on exercises, attendees will demonstrate their ability to evaluate office workspaces for ergonomic hazards and identify possible corrective actions.
Ergonomics Assessments – 16 hr.
This class is designed to train staff to recognize office workspace hazards and risk factors; collect information to assess baseline risks and action levels in their workspaces; and develop communication methods (training, one on one coaching) to prevent ergonomic illnesses and injuries. Through presentation of information, discussions, demonstrations and hands on exercises, attendees will demonstrate their ability to evaluate office workspaces for ergonomic hazards, identify possible corrective actions and train staff on these tasks

Respirable Crystalline Silica in Constructions

Awareness
4 hr. Industry Certification
Training required to inform employees of health hazards, specific tasks with exposure and methods to protect employees from respirable crystalline silica. Also covers medical surveillance and signs and symptoms of exposure.
Competent Person
16 hr. Industry Certification
Per the requirements of the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard (29 CFR 1926.53), employers are required to provide specified control measures and exposure evaluations at locations with crystalline silica above 25 micrograms per cubic meter. This course covers the standard’s requirements of: Table 1 Specified Exposure Control Methods, Alternative Exposure Assessment Methods, Respiratory Protection, Elements of the Written Exposure Control Plan, Medical Surveillance, Employee Hazard Communication, Training, Recordkeeping, and Air sampling methods. Topics also included are laboratory selection requirements of Appendix A and air monitoring data recordkeeping. Upon successful completion of this class, attendees will understand air sampling methods for respirable crystalline silica, know proper documentation of samples, complete exposure assessments, and be able to implement a Written Exposure Control Plan. At the completion of this course, the attendee will be capable of identifying existing and potential respirable crystalline silica hazards which meets part of the standard’s Competent Person definition.

Lead in Construction

OSHA Requirements
8 hr. Industry Certification
This class provides information necessary to comply with 1926.62 which includes: health hazards and hazard recognition, overview of the standards, exposure action levels, Personal Protective equipment, engineering controls and safe work practices, medical surveillance and removal programs, and recordkeeping.

Confined Space Entry

General Industry
8 hr. Industry Certification
Employers are required to provide Confined Space Awareness training to employees when they are assigned duties in and around permit required confined spaces so they understand and recognize the hazards of these spaces.

Confined Spaces

Construction Competent Person
8 hr. Industry Certification
This training for any person who may be called upon to execute any task that requires entering a confined space. The course covers OSHA Regulations, review of a permit entry program, emergency procedures, and demonstration of special equipment. In addition, the course will cover atmospheric hazards, monitoring and ventilation techniques, and physical hazards. Special hazards of rescue entry situations and non-entry rescue techniques will be addressed.
Construction Awareness
4 hr. Industry Certification
This course provides awareness level training of the hazards of confined and Permit Required confined spaces on construction sites. This course instructs teaches workers how to recognize and control construction site hazards. An OSHA Construction Safety and Health 10‐hour card is issued to participants who successfully complete the class. Mandatory Topics include: Intro to OSHA, OSHA Focus 4 (falls, electrocution, struck-by and caught- in hazards), Personal Protective Equipment, and Health Hazards in Construction. Elective Topics include: Material Handling/Storage/Use and Disposal, Scaffolds, Stairways and Ladders, Tools (hand and power), and Job Hazard Analysis. Class is two days (14 hrs.).

Construction Standards

OSHA Outreach
30 hr. Industry Certification
This course is designed for foreman, supervisors and/or managers responsible for implementing their company’s safety program. An OSHA Construction Safety and Health 30‐hour card is issued to participants who successfully complete the class. Topics include 10 hr. topics listed above plus: Confined Space Entry, Fire Prevention and Protection, Powered Industrial Vehicles, Welding and Cutting, Ergonomics, and Managing Safety and Health Programs. Class is four days (30 hours).

General Industry Standards

OSHA Outreach
10 hr. Industry Certification
This course instructs workers on how to recognize and control workplace hazards. An OSHA 10 hr. card is issued to participants who successfully complete the class. Mandatory topics include: Into to OSHA, Managing Health and Safety, Walking/Working Surfaces, Exits Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Protection, Electrical Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, Materials Handling and Hazard Communication. Elective Topics include: Hazardous Materials, Machine Guarding, Materials Handling, Bloodborne Pathogens, Ergonomics, Fall Protection and Safety and Health Programs. Class is two days (14 hours).
OSHA Outreach
30 hr. Industry Certification
This course is designed for supervisors and/or managers responsible for implementing their company’s safety program. An OSHA General Industry Safety and Health 30- hour card is issued to participants who successfully complete the class. Mandatory topics include: Into to OSHA, Managing Health and Safety, Walking/Working Surfaces, Exits Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Protection, Electrical Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, Materials Handling and Hazard Communication. Elective Topics include Hazardous Materials, Confined Spaces, Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding, Welding/Cutting/Brazing, Fall Protection, and Powered Industrial Vehicles.

Hazardous Waste Management

Hazardous Waste Management
8-24 hr. Industry Certification
Provides overview of RCRA regulations, hazardous waste identification, container management, recordkeeping, and types of site-specific information.

DOT Hazmat

DOT Hazmat
16 hr.
This DOT Hazardous Material Transportation Training Course covers the specific training requirements of 49 CFR 172.704. Topics include: Use of the Hazardous Material Table, Preparation of Shipping Papers, Review of the Emergency Response Guidebook, Packaging Requirements for Hazardous Materials, Marking and Labeling of Containers, Placarding for Highway Transportation and Enhanced Security for Hazmat Transport. Upon completion of each module, participants will be tested per the training and certification requirements.

Forklift Operator

Forklift Operator
6 hr. Industry Certification
Classroom training and hands on evaluation for workers who operate forklifts per 29 CFR 1910.178(i)1 requirement. Truck‐related and environment‐related topics are covered prior to practical exercise and evaluation. Training card issued after successful completion of written exam and equipment operation evaluation.

Hazard Communication

Hazard Communication
2-8 hr. Industry Certification
This course has been designed specifically to meet the needs of employees to the regulatory requirements of labeling, SDS, and hazard communication compliance responsibilities.

Environmental Assessments

Environmental Assessments
24 hr. Industry Certification
Introduces environmental assessment tasks, regulations and standards used for evaluation of potential soil contamination, groundwater quality, surface water quality and issues related to hazardous substance uptake by organisms. It also covers chemical contamination within structures; identification of possible asbestos containing building materials; inventory of hazardous materials.

Environmental Sampling

Environmental Sampling
16 hr. Industry Certification
The focus of this course is on the practical aspects of collecting soil, groundwater, surface water, and ambient air samples at contaminated sites. Topics covered will include sampling plans, sample collection, sample documentation, and chain of custody requirements.

Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste Management
8 hr. Industry Certification
Provides an overview of solid waste regulations, issues and waste stream assessment. Addresses issues of types of waste, recycling and waste minimization programs.

About Janet Kerley, Program Director
Janet M. Kerley, CHMM is a nationally recognized environmental, health and safety professional with over 25 years of experience. She is currently the Program Director for the Santa Fe Community College ES&H Contract Training and EPA Brownfields Job Training Program. Janet has been an OSHA Authorized Instructor for General Industry and Construction Standards (English and Spanish) since 1991. The SFCC EPA Job Training program was showcased at the 2015 EPA Brownfields Conference as one of the 11 most successful EPA job training programs in the country. Janet served as Primary Liaison for the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Management/Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (2005-2015) to the ANSI Safety, Health and Environmental Training Committee and actively participated in the development of ANSI Standard Z490.1-2009 ‘Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training.’ Janet has a B.A. from Baylor University in Anthropology and Archaeology specializing in archaeological chemistry. She did PhD Graduate studies at Tulane University in Mesoamerican Anthropology specializing is lithic technology and physical anthropology.
“Our students line up when they know Janet is teaching a class. Her ability to relate to diverse audiences is impressive, and only surpassed by her passion to assure each student grasps concepts and principles related to each of their jobs and company missions. She is a consummate professional and consistently receives high marks from students.” Margo Maher, Director of Workforce Development and Health and Safety Training, Association of General Contractors New Mexico Building Branch.

Program Information PDF

Environmental Health and Safety Training Programs (002)Download

About

SFCC’s EPA Environmental Technician Job Training Program
Santa Fe Community College received four grants (2011, 2017, 2021, and 2024) from the Environmental Protection Agency to provide environmental job training programs for local unemployed/underemployed residents. Funded through the Agency’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) Program, these grants help prepare people for green jobs that reduce environmental contamination and provide more sustainable futures for the communities most affected by solid and hazardous waste contamination.
The college has trained 169 students and placed approximately 125 or 98% of graduates in environmental jobs. The core training program includes 170 hours of instruction.
The college has partnered with New Mexico Branch of the Association of General Contractors, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Santa Fe YouthWorks, New Mexico Workforce Connection, Northern Area Local Workforce Development Board, and Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council Office of Environmental and Technical Assistance.
EPA, SFCC, and the City of Raton celebrate $1M investment to SFCC and the City of Raton for Northern New Mexico Brownfields cleanup: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-partners-celebrate-1m-through-investing-america-agenda-northern-new-mexico