United Rentals Expands Safety Training for Customers

Safety is a cheap and effective insurance policy — that’s what United Rentals figures. Just yesterday, the largest equipment rental company in the world (with a network of 562 rental locations in 48 states, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico) announced the implementation of three key initiatives that will expand customer access to safety training in the United States and Canada. United Rentals announced the equipment rental industry’s largest training platform has been further enhanced to include:

1. A new online portal with downloadable schedule and email enrollment. The Training and Safety site is found in the Service Center on unitedrentals.com.

2. Expanded availability of OSHA 10-Hour Construction Training, now offered through United Rentals certified instructors across the U.S. The company’s instructors are authorized by OSHA to conduct the Construction Outreach Course, a safety course required by an increasing number of states to teach workers about the hazards of construction work and the regulations that apply to construction sites.

3. A new Excavator Training and Certification program, including instruction in the safe handling of heavy equipment and productivity techniques, scheduled to launch September 1.

Lee Braden, manager of safety training for United Rentals, said: “As the industry leader, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to encourage jobsite safety. This includes staying on top of customer needs as well as the regulatory environment. We are advocating safety by putting our resources into educating as many workers as possible on proper equipment operation and accident prevention. Already this year, more than 6,000 contractors have completed the Confined Space Entry/Competent Person Training provided by our Trench Safety team – that’s a new six-month milestone in this one area alone.”

United Rentals offers operator instruction and certification taught by IVES-certified instructors on aerial equipment, loaders and backhoes, skid steer loaders, vertical reach forklifts, rough terrain forklifts and excavators. They also offer: OSHA 10-hour Construction Training; Confined Space Entry Training; and Competent Person Training, and a familiarization course on boom lifts and scissor lifts to meet ANSI requirements. In addition, the company partners with the American Heart Association to offer First Aid and CPR training programs.

To learn more about on-site or off-site training programs available from United Rentals, call 1-800-UR-RENTS or visit unitedrentals.com.