The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sets the requirements for safety and health training known as OSHA Outreach training. For each industry, the OSHA Outreach curriculum is divided into the OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 courses, and individuals who complete each course are issued a plastic wallet card. There is no OSHA standard that explicitly requires employees to complete these training programs, and it is important to note that taking these training courses does not satisfy required hazard-specific training.
The OSHA 10 card targets entry-level workers and general staff, i.e., employees who are only responsible for themselves. The course requires 10 hours of instruction and focuses on basic hazard awareness, common workplace hazards, and prevention.
The OSHA 30 card is broader and designed for supervisors, project managers, engineers, and site leads. The course requires 30 hours of instruction and focuses on safety management, leadership, and compliance. It also includes a topic called “Managing Safety and Health,” which teaches the various responsibilities that OSHA places on management.
There are no prerequisites to enroll in the OSHA 10 or 30 card program, including any requirement to complete OSHA 10 before taking OSHA 30 (the OSHA 30 covers everything in the OSHA 10 training). In order to complete each training program, the attendee must complete the requisite instructional time plus quizzes and tests.
Federal OSHA cards do not have an expiration date. However, some states, counties, or municipalities may impose recertification requirements for employees and industries subject to OSHA Outreach Training. As a best practice, retraining every 3 years may be prudent. Training can be completed online through approved providers or through in-person courses.
OSHA does not directly offer Outreach courses. Instead, it relies on third-party training providers that offer industry-specific coursework and are authorized to issue official OSHA 10 and 30 cards. Many authorized trainers also offer these courses in languages other than English, including Spanish.
There are many potential benefits to getting employees OSHA 10 or 30 certified, including helping to prevent workplace accidents, meeting contractual job site requirements and/or state requirements, reduced insurance premiums, demonstrating good faith efforts in OSHA inspections, and building a stronger safety culture.
For additional information, visit the OSHA training web page here.