Northern Illinois University is starting 2026 with a renewed commitment to workplace safety thanks to a significant . This is the seventh year that NIU has received the Susan Harwood Federal Safety and Health Training Grant and is offering free…
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CTA Employees Complete OSHA Safety Program
With the support of the National Safety Education Center, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) recently celebrated a significant achievement in improving workforce safety with the successful completion of the Safety and Health Fundamentals Certificate Training Program. This comprehensive program is…
NIU receives $158,531 from U.S. Department of Labor grant for Workplace Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Training
Northern Illinois University received $158,531 in U.S. Department of Labor funding to promote workplace safety, health training and education. With this grant, employers and employees without high amounts of funding can receive free mental health and suicide prevention training. This…
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Machine Guarding Training
Why Certify?
By: Allencia Ballard Did you know that individuals that held at least one safety certification typically earned $20,000 more per year than those with none. While the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation alone added $30,000 to the salary of a…
The Process of Elimination
By: Allencia Ballard Most of us spend more time at work than we do at home. Like at home, if you don’t take time to clean regularly, housekeeping can quickly get out of hand! With so many moving parts in…
Our Experts
Brent Bryden
OSHA-Authorized Outreach Trainer
Brent Bryden has 35 years of manufacturing safety and environmental health experience. Brent specializes in facilitating training for small, medium and large employers with a wide range of needs. He is passionate about using basic safety education and training to form strong safety foundations within an organization. Continuous improvement in safety training is his vision and providing results-oriented, quality products and services is his goal. Services: Training, Inspection Audits, Abatement Assistance, Safety Program Development, Implementation & Management.
Don Bartalone
OSHA-Authorized General Industry and Construction Outreach Trainer
Don Bartalone is the lead instructor at the National Safety Education Center. He has 35 years of transportation and warehouse industry experience, serving on the safety team and committee for 20 of those years. Don also spent five years as a facility manager/safety coordinator for an oil refinery and has recently traveled to Saudi Arabia to assist in safety program development for the world’s largest oil company. He holds National Safety Council certificates in Fork Lift Truck Operator Training, Incident Investigation, Safety Inspections and Advanced Safety. Services: 10- and 30-hour General Industry OSHA training, OSHA 511, 501 and 503 instruction.