About. Several federal regulations require site-specific safety training (SST) to address hazards specific to a work environment. Personnel working in environments with safety hazards will be required to document Site-specific Safety Training (SST) in the Ability training system annually. You will see the SST course listed in your Ability system Requirements screen if you are required for your area.
Supervisors are required to provide training annually. Supervisors can view relevant forms submitted by their team (image).*
Your worksite and job duties determine the process for recording your annual SST. If you work in multiple environments with safety hazards, you are typically required to document SST for each location.*
* Details provided in sections below including video walk-thru (worker and Supervisor tasks) and exceptions (e.g. same PI, different suites of a clinic).
Click the heading below that best fits your work environment. The tab will open for details.
Work with your supervisor or unit trainer to ensure you attend applicable training each year, including bloodborne pathogens training. Your supervisor or unit trainer will document your training in Ability. Do not download, complete, or upload an individual site-specific checklist.
Unit Trainers: see trainer resources for site-specific trainingCheck with your supervisor or trainer if you need site-specific training. Nursing employees can direct questions to CON.HR@msu.edu.
Following or during your site-specific training (depending on local process), complete the site-specific safety checklist form, save to your device (PDF, scan, photo) and upload into the Ability training system from your page. See video example of process below.
Available checklist templates:
You can verify your file was successfully uploaded using the Print Certificate or Email Certificate buttons on the course page. If no image shows up, try again, but use a short file name without punctuation.
It is the supervisor's responsibility* to ensure adequate and timely training is provided to all persons conducting activities or in areas of safety risk. The supervisor is responsible for monitoring the training and taking steps to correct any gaps in knowledge, skills, and performance. Verify training is documented.
To document their own annual SST, a PI or other higher level supervisor can review the risks in their projects or work areas** and review resources (EHS manuals, local guidelines, project protocols, location and condition of equipment, signage and other safety concerns...). Upload documentation of your own site-specific safety review into the SST course space.
*PI, clinic manager, or unit head can authorize another qualified person to provide the site-specific safety training.
**Changes that might impact environment, public health, or safety of personnel must be reported to EHS.
Once training is completed for one work environment that year, no additional reminders or alerts will be sent. Remind team members that they must have additional documentation for any other work sites with associated safety risks. It is the manager or principal investigator's responsibility to verify annual site-specific training is documented.
Ways to monitor your subordinates' documentation of training:
If the Upload button doesn't appear on the course page,
If your course launch or upload button appears frozen, contact orrs.train@msu.edu or just Cancel that enrollment and start again with a new file name.
The system security restricts upload format. Be sure your SST checklist form file name:
On the form, record the actual date training was received. You will NOT receive credit UNTIL your form is uploaded into the training system.
If you received training on different dates for different locations, you will upload separate forms for each. You first form does not expire for a year, so you will need to remember to log back in and upload another form if you have a different or new position within a year from the previous upload. See Multiple sites FAQ.
As soon as possible after the training, upload your form into the Ability system. The course record will reflect the date the form was uploaded. Upon request, the Ability helpdesk will modify the course date to match your form date if there is a significant discrepancy (more than a few weeks between the form date and upload date).
In general, personnel working in multiple locations (including multiple labs) must complete site-specific training FOR EACH SITE, each year (even if those labs are under the same PI). If you work in multiple types of environments (multiple rooms, labs, clinics or buildings) with different risks and resources and separate training dates, then you must do a separate Site-specific Safety Training (SST) form for each.
You will probably receive the training on different days which prompt a different record of training. See below for details and exceptions.
Login to Ability from orrs.msu.edu/train and click into your requirements. Click the Site-specific Safety Training (SST) form. Re-launch the information page. Download and complete a new form and save on your device. Close out the info page and return to the Course page where the Upload button should not be visible again.
Many work risks (equipment, materials, activities) have regulatory requirements for site-specific training. So several tracks include the course (image). If you complete site-specific training that covers all related risks for your responsibilities at that site, you will only need to upload one form per site.
You must still complete and document site-specific training for each site annually.
If you are at-risk of exposure to certain workplace risks* (evidenced by a track requirement in Ability system) you must complete site-specific safety training (SST) annually. Starting in Fall 2023, you must also document that training in the Ability system.
If you are no longer at risk (or never were)**, please update your training requirements by contact ORRS.train@msu.edu. Copy your supervisor who can remove the online training requirement for that subject also.
Site-specific Safety Training (SST) has been a federal requirement for many years. Documention was the responsibility of supervisors to store locally. Increasing concern over the thoroughness of documentation and the need for faster reporting for any auditors led to changing the way SST is documented going forward.
Starting August 2023:
March 2023:
August 2022: