It is clear that while workers with less than one year of service with their employer experience
much higher rates of work-related injuries and illnesses in Maine, all groups are potentially at risk.
Occupational health and safety education for both workers and supervisors can play a vital role in
helping to reduce these injuries and illnesses. Examples of important topics to be covered in this
education include: approaches for identifying and abating hazards, legal provisions and standards of all
applicable occupational health and safety laws, emergency procedures in the case of accidents, and new
developments in occupational health and safety standards relating to specific types of work. Another key
educational component is the ongoing training of labor and management on safe work practices and
methods, including training (and follow up) on the correct usage of personal protective equipment
(PPE), along with the correct operation of equipment on the job.