Updated April 2026. Reflects current OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements, state mandate laws through 2026, and DOL-issued card procedures.
Reviewed for regulatory accuracy by the OSHA Courses Pro compliance team. Last verified against OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements and state labor statutes: April 22, 2026.
KEY TAKEAWAYS OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are voluntary Outreach Training Program courses, not federal requirements. However, 8+ states, major cities, and countless employers and contracts mandate them. OSHA 10 is a 10-hour awareness course for entry-level workers ($59). OSHA 30 is a 30-hour supervisor-focused course ($159 Construction, $200 General Industry). Federal cards never expire; state mandates require 5-year renewal. Over 6.51 million workers were trained through this program from 2021 to 2025. |
Picture this. A contractor’s crew of eight rolls up to a public works site in Hartford. Seven cards check out. The eighth worker doesn’t have one.
Gate denied. Crew loses the day while the contractor scrambles to get the eighth worker trained. The lost-day cost runs higher than training the entire crew would have.
This plays out thousands of times a year. Federal OSHA doesn’t require OSHA 10 or OSHA 30. But if your project sits under a state mandate, city ordinance, or contract clause, missing the card costs you the job. Let’s break down what you need, what it costs, and where you have to have it.
OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are voluntary Outreach Training Program courses developed by OSHA in the 1970s to establish a baseline of workplace safety knowledge. They are not federally mandatory, but state laws, local ordinances, and employer contracts frequently require them. OSHA 10 targets entry-level workers; OSHA 30 targets supervisors and workers with safety responsibility. |
What is OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training?
OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are the two course lengths offered through the OSHA Outreach Training Program, a voluntary program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. The 10-hour course provides workplace hazard awareness for entry-level workers; the 30-hour course provides broader and deeper training for supervisors. Both issue an official DOL card upon completion. |
The Outreach Training Program traces back to 1971 and runs through the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center network at osha.gov/otiec. OSHA itself doesn’t deliver these courses. Authorized trainers complete a one-week trainer course (renewed every four years), then teach 10-hour and 30-hour classes.
The program covers four industry tracks: Construction, General Industry, Maritime, and Disaster Site Worker. Full requirements at osha.gov/sites/default/files/OTP_Requirements_2024.pdf.
“Between FY 2021 and FY 2025, more than 6.51 million workers were trained in job hazard recognition and avoidance through the Outreach Training Program.” U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Outreach Training Program Overview, osha.gov/training/outreach/overview |
Is OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 mandatory?
Federal OSHA does not require OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 training for most workers. However, the training is effectively mandatory for many workers because of state laws (8+ states), city ordinances (NYC, Philadelphia, Miami-Dade), contract requirements on public works projects, and employer policies. Missing the card can result in immediate removal from a jobsite. |
OSHA explicitly states the Outreach Training Program is voluntary and doesn’t fulfill any federal training requirement. But voluntary at the federal level doesn’t mean optional in practice. Four layers of requirements stack on top of federal OSHA:
- **State statutes** mandate OSHA 10 for public works projects above set dollar thresholds
- **City and county ordinances** add requirements beyond state law
- **General contractors** require OSHA 10 for subcontractor site access through their own policies
- **Public works contracts** routinely embed OSHA 10 as a binding term of the agreement
Show up at a Connecticut public works site without your OSHA 10 card and you get denied entry. Federal-level optional doesn’t matter at that gate. Your contractor takes the contract violation hit. In Nevada, you must be suspended or terminated within 15 days under Nevada Revised Statutes 618.983, available at leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-618.html.
The state-by-state mandate map
Eight states plus three major jurisdictions have enacted laws mandating OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 training. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia require OSHA 10 for public works workers. Nevada requires both OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 within 15 days of hire for all construction workers and supervisors. NYC Local Law 196 imposes stricter SST card requirements. |
State / Jurisdiction | OSHA 10 required | OSHA 30 required | Renewal |
Connecticut | Public works over $100K | — | 5 years |
Massachusetts | Public works over $10K | — | — |
Missouri | All public works | — | — |
Nevada | All construction workers, 15 days of hire | Supervisors, 15 days of hire | 5 years |
New Hampshire | Public works over $100K | — | — |
New York State | Public works over $250K | — | — |
Rhode Island | Public works over $100K | — | — |
West Virginia | Public works over $50K | — | — |
NYC (Local Law 196) | 40-hour SST Worker Card | 62-hour SST Supervisor Card | 5 years |
Philadelphia | All permitted construction/demolition | 1 supervisor per contractor | 5 years |
Miami-Dade County, FL | Projects over $1M (public or private) | — | 5 years |
NYC IS DIFFERENT: READ THIS IF YOU WORK THERE New York City requires the Site Safety Training (SST) card under Local Law 196, which goes beyond OSHA 10/30. Workers need a 40-hour SST Worker Card; supervisors need a 62-hour SST Supervisor Card. Standard online OSHA 10 only counts toward NYC SST if actively proctored. Full program details at nyc.gov/site/buildings/safety/site-safety-training.page. |
OSHA 10 requirements and curriculum
OSHA 10 is a 10-hour awareness-level course for entry-level workers. The curriculum includes a 2-hour Introduction to OSHA covering worker rights and employer responsibilities, plus industry-specific mandatory topics and a smaller set of elective topics. Construction OSHA 10 emphasizes the Focus Four Hazards; General Industry OSHA 10 emphasizes Walking/Working Surfaces, Electrical Safety, and Hazard Communication. |
OSHA 10 Construction curriculum
- Introduction to OSHA: 2 hours (mandatory)
- OSHA Focus Four Hazards: 4 hours minimum (falls, electrocution, struck-by, caught-in or between)
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment: 30 minutes
- Health Hazards in Construction: 30 minutes
- Elective topics: 2 hours minimum (trainer selects from approved list)
- Optional trainer discretion: 1 hour
OSHA 10 General Industry curriculum
- Introduction to OSHA: 2 hours (mandatory)
- Walking and Working Surfaces: 1 hour
- Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention, Fire Protection: 1 hour
- Electrical Safety: 1 hour
- Hazard Communication: 1 hour
- Elective topics: 2 hours minimum
- Optional trainer discretion: 2 hours
OSHA 30 requirements and curriculum
OSHA 30 is a 30-hour course for supervisors, foremen, safety personnel, and workers with some safety responsibility. The curriculum covers everything in OSHA 10 but goes broader (more topics) and deeper (more time per topic). OSHA 30 adds one mandatory topic that does not appear in OSHA 10: Managing Safety and Health. Construction OSHA 30 requires 14 hours of mandatory instruction; General Industry OSHA 30 requires 12 hours. |
OSHA 30 Construction curriculum
- Introduction to OSHA: 2 hours (mandatory)
- Managing Safety and Health: 2 hours (mandatory, 30-hour only)
- OSHA Focus Four Hazards: 6 hours (expanded coverage)
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment: 1 hour
- Health Hazards in Construction: 2 hours
- Stairways and Ladders: 1 hour (mandatory in 30, elective in 10)
- Elective topics: 12 hours minimum (6 topics minimum)
- Optional trainer discretion: 4 hours
OSHA 30 General Industry curriculum
- Introduction to OSHA: 2 hours (mandatory)
- Managing Safety and Health: 2 hours (mandatory, 30-hour only)
- Walking and Working Surfaces: 1 hour
- Exit Routes, Emergency Planning, Fire Prevention/Protection: 2 hours (expanded)
- Electrical Safety: 2 hours (expanded)
- Personal Protective Equipment: 1 hour
- Materials Handling: 2 hours (promoted from elective in 10-hour)
- Hazard Communication: 2 hours
- Elective topics: 10 hours (6 topics minimum)
- Optional trainer discretion: 6 hours
THE MANAGING SAFETY AND HEALTH DIFFERENCE The single topic that defines OSHA 30 is Managing Safety and Health. This 2-hour required module teaches supervisors how to conduct job site inspections, run injury and illness prevention programs, hold safety meetings, identify and control hazards, and communicate with workers. This is why OSHA 30 is required for anyone with oversight responsibility. |
OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30: side-by-side comparison
OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 differ in length, depth, audience, and content. OSHA 10 is 10 hours of awareness-level training for entry-level workers with no safety responsibility. OSHA 30 is 30 hours of supervisor-focused training that adds the Managing Safety and Health module. Both cover Introduction to OSHA and Focus Four hazards, but OSHA 30 covers more elective topics in greater depth. |
Factor | OSHA 10 | OSHA 30 |
Total hours | 10 | 30 |
Target audience | Entry-level workers | Supervisors, foremen, safety personnel |
Minimum days to complete | 2 days | 4 days |
Introduction to OSHA | 2 hours | 2 hours |
Managing Safety and Health | Not included | 2 hours (mandatory) |
Focus Four (Construction) | 4 hours | 6 hours |
Elective topics | 2 hours (~2 topics) | 12 hours (6+ topics) |
Price (Construction) | $59 | $159 |
Price (General Industry) | $59 | $200 |
Card issued | OSHA 10 DOL card | OSHA 30 DOL card |
Is OSHA 10 a prerequisite? | — | No |
Can OSHA 10 hours count toward OSHA 30?
Yes, within the same industry. OSHA permits authorized trainers to provide an additional 20 hours of instruction to OSHA 10 cardholders, then issue a 30-hour card. **Construction credits toward Construction. General Industry credits toward General Industry.** Cross-industry credit isn’t allowed. Most online providers (OSHA Courses Pro included) don’t offer the 20-hour upgrade because OSHA 30 already covers all OSHA 10 material in its first 10 hours. If you need both, just take OSHA 30.
Get your OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card starting at $59. OSHA 10 Construction or General Industry: $59. OSHA 30 Construction: $159. OSHA 30 General Industry: $200. IACET-accredited, OSHA-recognized, DOL-approved. Instant certificate on completion. Enroll → oshacoursespro.com |
Which course do you need?
Workers without oversight responsibility need OSHA 10. Supervisors, foremen, project managers, and safety personnel need OSHA 30. Construction workers need the Construction variant; office, manufacturing, and warehouse workers need the General Industry variant. Some jurisdictions (Nevada, NYC) require OSHA 30 even for non-supervisors. |
Your role | Your industry | Course you need | Price |
Entry-level construction worker | Construction | OSHA 10 Construction | $59 |
Construction supervisor or foreman | Construction | OSHA 30 Construction | $159 |
Warehouse, office, or manufacturing worker | General industry | OSHA 10 General Industry | $59 |
General industry supervisor | General industry | OSHA 30 General Industry | $200 |
Nevada entertainment or cannabis worker | General industry | OSHA 10 General Industry | $59 |
Nevada entertainment supervisor | General industry | OSHA 30 General Industry | $200 |
NYC construction worker | Construction | SST 40-hour (includes OSHA 10 Construction) | See NYC SST |
NYC construction supervisor | Construction | SST 62-hour (includes OSHA 30 Construction) | See NYC SST |
**Spanish and New York variants** sit at the same price for every course. Same content, correct language or jurisdictional format.
QUICK-REFERENCE PRICING OSHA 10 Construction: $59 | OSHA 10 General Industry: $59 | OSHA 30 Construction: $159 | OSHA 30 General Industry: $200 | All Spanish and New York variants priced identically. Group discounts available above 10 workers. Instant certificate on completion; physical DOL card arrives in 3-5 weeks. |
Do OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 cards expire?
Federal OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 cards do not expire. There is no federal renewal requirement. However, several state laws, city ordinances, and employer policies require renewal every 5 years. Connecticut, Miami-Dade County, Philadelphia, Nevada, and New York City all mandate 5-year renewal. Replacement cards are only available for training completed within the last 5 years. |
Short answer: federally, no. State-level, often yes. Federal OSHA issues a DOL card with no expiration date and no renewal requirement. Took OSHA 10 in 2005 and never worked in a state with a mandate? That card is technically still valid for federal purposes.
In practice, that theoretical validity rarely matters. Every jurisdiction with a mandate imposes 5-year renewal. Insurance carriers want recent training on file. General contractors specify card age limits at the gate. So a 2010 OSHA 10 card you can’t prove you earned is effectively worthless on a Connecticut, Nevada, or NYC site.
REPLACEMENT CARD RULE: DON’T LOSE YOUR CARD Lost your OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card? You can request a replacement from your original training provider, but only if the training was completed within the last 5 years. Past that window, you retake the course. Snap a photo of the front and back the day you receive it. |
Common OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 misconceptions
Five misconceptions cause most OSHA 10/30 compliance confusion: assuming federal OSHA requires the training, calling it a certification instead of a course completion card, believing OSHA 10 is a prerequisite for OSHA 30, assuming an old card is still valid everywhere, and assuming online OSHA 10 is accepted in every jurisdiction. |
Misconception | Reality |
OSHA 10 is federally mandatory | Federal OSHA does not require it. State and local laws sometimes do. |
The OSHA card is a certification | It is not. OSHA explicitly states no Outreach course is a certification. It is a course completion card. |
You must take OSHA 10 before OSHA 30 | OSHA 10 is not a prerequisite. You can take OSHA 30 directly. |
An old OSHA card is valid everywhere | Federal: yes, no expiration. State mandates: 5-year renewal required in CT, NV, NYC, Philadelphia, Miami-Dade. |
All online OSHA 10 courses are accepted | Most jurisdictions accept authorized online training. NYC requires proctored online OSHA 10 to count toward SST. |
FROM THE FIELD: WHAT GATE INSPECTORS ACTUALLY CHECK When general contractors ask for proof of OSHA 10 training at the gate, they want three things: your full name on the DOL card, a legible trainer name and authorization number, and a course completion date within the last 5 years. The most common rejection? A washed-out trainer signature on a laminated card that’s lived in a wallet for three-plus years. Snap a photo of both sides of your card the day you get it. Keep it on your phone as backup. |
What it costs to get your crew OSHA compliant
Getting a construction crew fully OSHA compliant costs roughly $59 per entry-level worker (OSHA 10 Construction) plus $159 per supervisor (OSHA 30 Construction). A 10-person crew with 1 supervisor costs $749. A 25-person crew with 2 supervisors costs $1,793. Group enrollment discounts are available for bulk orders. Spanish variants are priced identically. |
Crew size | Breakdown | Total cost |
5 workers, 1 supervisor (Construction) | 5 × $59 + 1 × $159 | $454 |
10 workers, 1 supervisor (Construction) | 10 × $59 + 1 × $159 | $749 |
25 workers, 2 supervisors (Construction) | 25 × $59 + 2 × $159 | $1,793 |
50 workers, 3 supervisors (Construction) | 50 × $59 + 3 × $159 | $3,427 |
5 workers, 1 supervisor (General Industry) | 5 × $59 + 1 × $200 | $495 |
10 workers, 1 supervisor (General Industry) | 10 × $59 + 1 × $200 | $790 |
25 workers, 2 supervisors (General Industry) | 25 × $59 + 2 × $200 | $1,875 |
Compare that to a single OSHA willful violation at $165,514 under the 2026 penalty schedule, or one lost jobsite day on a 25-person crew. Most contractors break even on the first avoided inspection issue. Group enrollment and bulk discounts apply above 10 workers. Call OSHA Courses Pro at (888) 277-6864 for crew pricing.
Curtis Chambers, MS-OSH, CSP, has spent 30+ years in OSHA training and compliance. His take on what missing the card actually costs:
“Working on a covered project without your card isn’t a paperwork issue. It can cost you the job on the spot.” — Curtis Chambers, MS-OSH, CSP, Board Certified Safety Professional, OSHA Training Blog, January 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 mandatory?
Federal OSHA doesn’t require either. But 8+ states, NYC, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade mandate OSHA 10 for construction workers, and several require OSHA 30 for supervisors. Many employer contracts require it too.
How long do OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 cards last?
Federal cards don’t expire. State-mandated cards require 5-year renewal in Connecticut, Nevada, NYC, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade. Replacement cards are only issued for training within the last 5 years.
Can I take OSHA 30 without OSHA 10 first?
Yes. OSHA 10 is not a prerequisite. OSHA 30 covers everything in OSHA 10 in its first 10 hours, plus 20 hours of supervisor-focused content.
What’s the difference between OSHA 10 Construction and OSHA 10 General Industry?
Construction covers the **Focus Four Hazards** on building sites. General Industry covers hazards in offices, warehouses, manufacturing, and other non-construction workplaces. Pick based on where you actually work.
How long does it take to receive my physical OSHA card?
Trainers must submit class documentation within 30 calendar days. DOL then mails the plastic card, which typically arrives 3 to 5 weeks later. Your digital certificate is available instantly upon completion.
Is online OSHA 10 accepted everywhere?
OSHA-authorized online training is accepted by most jurisdictions. **NYC requires proctored online training** for OSHA 10 to count toward the SST Worker Card. Always verify with your employer or jobsite before enrolling.
What happens if I show up to a jobsite without my OSHA card?
Denied site access. In Nevada, employers must suspend or terminate workers who don’t obtain their card within 15 days of hire. In Connecticut and NYC, workers without cards face immediate removal from public works sites.
Which OSHA Courses Pro course covers my need?
Entry-level construction: OSHA 10 Construction at **$59**. Construction supervisors: OSHA 30 Construction at **$159**. General industry workers: OSHA 10 General Industry at **$59**. General industry supervisors: OSHA 30 General Industry at **$200**. Spanish and New York variants priced identically.
