Employers and employees looking to get educated on OSHA standards and workplace hazards often turn to one of the OSHA-authorized 10 or 30-hour Outreach training courses available through an onsite training class led by an authorized instructor, or via an OSHA-authorized online training course. The OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour training courses are based on either the OSHA general industry standards, or the OSHA construction standards. Students who complete either course from an OSHA-authorized trainer or an authorized online OSHA training course provider receive a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) a student receives the same exact certification online whether they take their OSHA training in person or through one of the OSHA-authorized online providers.
However, there are a few things to consider when deciding if the 10-hour course or the 30-hour training course is the best fit for the student.
Job site Requirements for OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Training
The first thing to ask when choosing between a 10-hour or 30-hour class is, are there any employer or job-site requirements? Some people seek out either OSHA 10 training or OSHA 30-hour training because it is a condition of employment at a company where they want to get a job, or a general contractor site owner makes it a mandatory job-site requirement to have a specific OSHA certification to access their job-site.
In fact, there are several states with laws on the books where either a 10 or 30-hour OSHA training card is required to step foot on certain types of construction sites. So, don’t guess which course you need, because you could be wrong. Instead, ask your boss or the general contractor at the site you want to access which course they require you to have, if any, because taking the wrong OSHA training class will be a complete waste of your time and money.
As for those who are wondering if an OSHA 10-hour training course or an OSHA 30-hour training course is best when neither one is a mandatory job-site requirement, we recommend you base your decision on the job of the employee to be trained. Front-line workers typically take the 0SHA 10-hour training course, as it covers about eight to ten topics at a basic level, whereas employees at higher levels in an organization, such as supervisors, managers, and safety personnel usually take the 30-hour course, which covers over 20 health and safety-related topics in greater detail.
Do you have to Take the OSHA 10-hour Training Before You Take the OSHA 30-hour Training?
One more important thing a prospective trainee and their employer needs to be aware of is that, according to federal OSHA, the OSHA 10-hour training course is not a prerequisite to take an OSHA 30-hour training course. Some trainers and online training providers try to trick you into thinking you must take the OSHA 10-hour course first, before you are allowed to take the OSHA 30-hour course. And it is certainly the prerogative of an employer or contractor to make both courses a requirement for accessing their work site. However, there is absolutely no federal OSHA requirement for a student to take the 10-hour training before they can take the 30-hour training, nor does it offer the student any advantage.
The topics covered in the 10-hour course are also covered in the 30-hour course, so the training provided on those topics will be redundant. Secondly, if you are on a job-site that requires you to show an OSHA 10-hour wallet card to work there, possessing the 30-hour OSHA wallet card is even better, as OSHA policy states the OSHA 30 card supersedes the 10-hour card. So, if your ultimate goal is to get the OSHA 30-hour training wallet card and you want to save yourself a lot of time and money, just for ego taking the OSHA 10-hour course, and take the OSHA 30-hour course instead.
OSHA 10 & 30-hour Training Resources
Employers or workers wanting to get additional information about obtaining OSHA 10 or 30-hour training from an OSHA-authorized training in a classroom setting, or via an OSHA-authorized online training course, can contact us through our website.
