What Is Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?

Nov 22

3 min read

OSHA has made progress in part because of safety training. Maintaining compliance with OSHA regulations requires safety training.

There are five categories of OSHA standards

In its compliance guidance, OSHA organizes training requirements into five categories of OSHA standards:

General Industry
Maritime
Construction
Agriculture
Federal Employee Programs

But how do you know which training requirements to follow?

This guide will explain different types of OSHA Outreach training, specifically for Construction and General Industry. We will also determine who needs which training and how many hours you need. By doing this, you can ensure you're choosing the right course.

Please keep in mind that this is only a guide, not an official recommendation. You should consult your employer and local, state, or federal regulations for more information.

What Is OSHA Construction Training?

OSHA Construction training addresses the specific safety needs of construction workers and covers the standards in 29 CFR 1926.

As a construction worker or contractor, you need this training. A few examples of job titles include laborer, carpenter, operator, surveyor, foreman, engineer, project manager, and safety specialist.

Specifically, the training focuses on the equipment and potential hazards you might encounter on the job, such as:

Cranes and rigging equipment
Power tools, scaffolding, and ladders
Electrical hazards
Struck-by or caught in-between hazards
Confined spaces

It also reviews the personal protective equipment you need to wear to stay safe on a construction site.

What Is OSHA General Industry Training?

General Industry training is for everyone who doesn’t fall into one of the other categories and covers the standards in 29 CFR 1910.

For instance, if you work in fields such as healthcare, factory operations, manufacturing, and warehousing, this is the training you need.

This training largely covers universal topics, such as:

An introduction to OSHA
General safety and health provisions
Emergency plans
Hazard communication
Electrical and machine guarding the safety
Bloodborne pathogens
Welding and cutting

Now that you have a better idea of which standards you need to understand for your job, let’s dig deeper into the different courses: OSHA 10-Hour and OSHA 30-Hour.

What Is OSHA 10-Hour Training?

OSHA 10-Hour Training covers basic job-related health and safety hazards. The goal of the 10-Hour course is to provide you with an awareness of potential dangers so that you can avoid, prevent, or mitigate them. And OSHA does require you spend 10 full hours reviewing the course content.

Who Should Take It?

Entry-level workers who have no supervisory responsibilities should take this course. Among these jobs are general laborers, carpenters, medical assistants, package handlers, and material handlers.

What is OSHA 30-Hour?

OSHA 30-Hour Training teaches supervisors more about job-related health and safety topics so that they can ensure the safety of their team as a whole. You must spend the full 30 hours on the course as well.

Who Should Take It?

If you have supervisory responsibility for worker safety, you should take OSHA 30-Hour Training. This includes foremen, engineers, supervisors, site leads, project managers, and safety specialists.

Do You Need Both 10-Hour and 30-Hour Courses?

No. You may need to take each over the course of your career. The OSHA 10-Hour course isn't a prerequisite for the OSHA 30-Hour course. The 30-Hour course covers the same topics and more, so there is no advantage to taking both close together.

What Does OSHA-Authorized Training Mean?

You should make sure that any training you take is provided by a company or organization that has earned OSHA's approval.

It is possible for any company to develop its own training program, but only trained trainers who are authorized can provide authentic Outreach training.

Key Takeaways

A key element of safety compliance in any industry is OSHA training. Your training needs depend on both the industry you work in and your level of responsibility.

Additionally, if you need a DOL card, look for a DOL-authorized Outreach training provider.

Now that you've figured out which OSHA training you need, the next step is finding a training provider. OSHAcampus® has over 25 years of experience as an OSHA-authorized training provider, and we offer both OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 courses for your training needs, including our most popular course: OSHA 30-Hour Construction. Learn more about our courses and enroll today!