CHC Training is breaking state line barriers with online environmental safety trainings

CHC Training, a Colorado-based educational training facility, has taken innovative action to shape the future of environmental safety training.   

Danaya Wilson, the company’s CEO and cofounder, imagines a training platform where classes are taken virtually online and are approved across the country—not just in the state where the course is locally administered.

She envisions an environmental safety industry that appeals to new generations of workers with updated, relevant content and the online learning format they now demand. And she’s building CHC Training to deliver on that vision. 

New states on board with virtual asbestos trainings  

The pathway to nationwide approval for online courses has not been easy. Wilson and her team are constantly running up against state-level regulatory agencies that are not ready to review and approve new alternatives to the standard in-person training models.  

“While the EPA has encouraged states to allow for online refresher training since 2007, the adoption of a policy and a process for review is lengthy. We have seen many states make progress and advancements over the past few years and we are hopeful for more.” says Wilson. “Certainly investing in the allowance of innovative and more green solutions to asbestos refreshers will pay off for these states.”  

Despite the uphill battle of securing new approvals and licenses on a state-by-state basis, CHC Training has scored a number of recent wins.  

• In May 2020, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) approved CHC Training’s asbestos refresher online classes.

• In August 2020, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) approved CHC Training’s Asbestos Project Designer refresher online.
• In September 2020, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality approved CHC Training’s Asbestos Management Planner refresher online. This is in addition to the Inspector, Supervisor, and Worker disciplines, which have been approved for several years.
• In March of 2021, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources approved CHC Training’s virtual asbestos refresher classes, which are currently offered in both a live-remote (synchronous via Zoom) and online (asynchronous) formats.  

To help prospective students navigate its ever-expanding list of approvals by state, the CHC Training website now features an interactive map that lists which states have approved which asbestos certifications.  

EPA approval pending for virtual lead abatement trainings 

Currently, no options exist for online asynchronous classes for the lead abatement and testing industry. This is because course providers must be EPA-approved (or state-approved) before entering the market.

CHC Training saw this as an opportunity. They are currently the first (and only) trainer under review for EPA approval of Online Lead Abatement and Testing Refresher classes. When this national-level approval is granted, students from any state or military base under EPA-administration can enroll in this online refresher course for Lead Abatement and Testing recertification.  

New courses developed for a new era 

CHC Training has been developing its online training platform since 2015, long before the pandemic furthered a massive migration to online learning. To stay on the cutting edge of environmental safety education, the team at CHC Training has developed and launched two new courses in the past year.  

• Best Practices for Reoccupancy Post-Pandemic – Entirely online in a self-paced format, This entry level course provides school districts, facility owners, business owners, building occupants, and contractors with an overview of best practices aimed at reoccupancy of schools, warehouses, offices, and buildings.
• Epidemic / Pandemic Response Contractor – Also online and self-paced, this entry level course gives the student a basic overview on response and control methods available to address issues associated with viruses and bacteria including the current Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  

Winning with online classes 

CHC Training’s online learning platform has been well-received by the environmental safety training community nationwide. Most recently, Northeastern Illinois University selected CHC Training to train over 150-member staff in Bloodborne Pathogens Safety through their online, asynchronous course. 

The students have spoken — online classes are a hit. “The availability of both online and in-person courses is hugely convenient and customer-centric,” noted Joe, a recent CHC Training student who enrolled in the Asbestos Supervisor Refresher online. “Content of the courses is up-to-date and very well presented!”  

By offering new course material and refresher courses online for industry workers to gain their recertifications more conveniently, CHC Training is refreshing the industry itself in much-needed ways.  

(Content for this sponsored article provided by CHC Training)