Maine’s State Plan includes Federal OSHA Standards, but they aren’t similar. Moreover, Maine’s OSHA Standards are regulated, providing fines, whistleblower protections, investigations, and citations, under the supervision of the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). The Board of Occupational Safety and Health, which also comes under the MDOL, generates Standards and enlists complaints from public sector employers. 

 

Since Maine’s State Plan doesn’t include the private sector, thus it falls under Federal OSHA’s Jurisdiction. In addition, Federal government employees, including the U.S. Postal Service and civilian employees recruited in military bases, fall under Federal OSHA Jurisdiction.

 

Maine’s State Plan operates through two distinct regulatory agencies for employees and employers. Though the training requirements are similar to that of Federal Standards, additional training for public sector workers may be required, such as Maine’s VDT Standards need training (MRSA Title 26, §252). MDOL gives free counseling for state OSHA to assist in determining the required training.

 

Since Federal OSHA Standards need training on specific topics for every worker under its Jurisdiction and MDOL’s website suggests public sector employers to a similar category, it is indicated by both Federal OSHA and MDOL that entry-level workers get exposure to a general overview of site safety.

 

For this reason, the Federal OSHA has exclusively designed 10-Hour courses for amateur workers and 30-Hour courses for Supervisors and Managers. Though OSHA Outreach Training is not mandated but is recommended by OSHA as most employers in Maine require “Department of Labour Cards” as a mandatory aspect of their safety training.