OSHA 10 Hour: Online Training, Card & Rules (2025)
- SkillCat Team
- 4 hours ago
- 7 min read
Getting into the skilled trades often comes with a key requirement: safety training. One of the most common credentials you’ll encounter is the OSHA 10 hour card. This program provides workers with fundamental knowledge about recognizing, avoiding, and preventing common jobsite dangers. It is an awareness program that results in a course completion card, not a professional license or certification.
This guide breaks down everything else you need to know about the OSHA Outreach Training Program. We’ll cover what the training involves, how to get your card, and even what it takes to become a trainer yourself. Whether you’re a worker looking to get trained or an employer wanting to understand the requirements, this is your starting point. For more safety how‑tos and trade career tips, visit our HVAC Technician Blog.
What is the OSHA Outreach Training Program?
The OSHA Outreach Training Program is a voluntary initiative at the federal level, but many states, cities, and employers have made it a mandatory requirement for certain jobs. The program’s main goal is to promote a culture of safety, and in the last five years alone, more than 6 million workers have received OSHA Outreach training, making it a widely recognized standard.
It’s important to understand that this is an awareness program, not a certification. Completing an OSHA 10 hour course provides you with a course completion card, but it doesn’t replace specific training required by OSHA standards for operating certain equipment like forklifts. If you work with refrigerants in HVAC, you’ll also need EPA Section 608 certification.
Getting Started: Get Trained or Become a Trainer
The program offers two main paths for participants:
Get Trained: This is the path for most workers. You enroll in a 10 hour or 30 hour course to learn about safety and earn your official Department of Labor (DOL) course completion card.
Become a Trainer: For experienced safety professionals, this path allows you to become an OSHA authorized trainer, empowering you to teach these courses to others.
For those looking to enter the skilled trades, getting your OSHA 10 hour card is a smart first step. With flexible online options available, it’s more accessible than ever. You can explore training programs like the one SkillCat offers through its authorized partners to get started on your career. Not sure which course you need? Ask the community in our Questions & Answers forum.
Understanding the Card Hierarchy
The program issues different cards that represent different levels of achievement.
Student Cards (10-Hour and 30-Hour): These are the cards workers receive after completing a course. The 10 hour card is for entry level workers, while the 30 hour card is for supervisors or those with safety responsibilities.
Trainer Cards: These cards are issued to safety professionals who have completed a rigorous trainer course. This card authorizes them to teach the 10 hour and 30 hour classes and issue student cards.
Finding a Course and Getting Your Card
Since OSHA itself doesn’t conduct the training, you’ll need to find an authorized trainer or training provider.
How to Find a Trainer
OSHA provides an online database of authorized trainers who have chosen to be listed publicly. You can also find courses through local OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers, community colleges, or unions. Many reputable online providers also partner with authorized trainers to offer the OSHA 10 hour course. For instance, platforms like SkillCat provide an affordable and convenient OSHA 10 hour course that allows you to get your DOL card on your schedule.
What if I Lose My Card?
If your course completion card is lost or damaged, you can request a replacement. The process must be initiated through the original trainer or the organization that provided the training. There are a couple of key rules:
You can only get one replacement card per person.
The request must typically be made within five years of the original course date.
OSHA 10 Hour Training: Construction vs. General Industry
The Outreach Training Program is not one size fits all. It is divided into different industry sectors to address specific workplace hazards. The two most common programs are for Construction and General Industry.
Construction Industry Program
This program is tailored for workers in construction, demolition, and major renovation projects. The curriculum focuses heavily on the most common causes of fatalities and injuries in the industry. A huge emphasis is placed on the “Focus Four” hazards, which are falls, electrocution, struck by incidents, and caught in or between hazards. Because falls are the leading cause of death in construction, topics like ladder, scaffold, and fall protection safety are given significant attention.
General Industry Program
The General Industry program is designed for workers in sectors like manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, and retail. The training covers hazards relevant to these environments, including:
Machine guarding
Electrical safety
Hazard Communication (working with chemicals)
Walking and working surfaces (slips, trips, and falls)
OSHA provides specific procedures and curriculum requirements for general industry trainers to ensure every course covers these essential topics consistently.
What You’ll Learn: A Look at the Curriculum
Every OSHA 10 hour course follows a required curriculum set by OSHA to ensure consistency. This curriculum is a mix of mandatory and elective topics, allowing trainers to tailor some content to their audience.
Mandatory Topics
Certain subjects must be covered in every class for a minimum amount of time.
Introduction to OSHA (2 Hours): This foundational module covers worker rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint with OSHA. It empowers you to understand your right to a safe workplace.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): This section teaches you how to select and use equipment like hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, and fall protection harnesses. Employers are required to provide most PPE at no cost to workers.
Health Hazards in Construction: This topic addresses “silent” dangers like silica dust, asbestos, lead, and noise exposure that can cause long term illness.
Common Safety Topics Covered
Beyond the mandatory introduction, the training dives into specific hazards you’ll encounter on the job.
Working at Heights
Scaffolds: You’ll learn that scaffolds must be designed to support four times their maximum intended load and that a competent person must oversee their setup and inspection. Fall protection, like guardrails, is typically required above 10 feet.
Stairways and Ladders: Training covers ladder safety rules like maintaining three points of contact while climbing and setting extension ladders at the proper 4 to 1 angle. You should never stand on the top step of a stepladder.
Equipment and Materials
Hand and Power Tools: You’ll learn about tool safety guards, proper inspection, and wearing the right PPE, like safety glasses, to prevent injuries.
Site Hazards
Excavation and Trenching: A critical topic, as trench collapses are often deadly. You’ll learn that trenches deeper than five feet require a protective system like shoring or a trench box. Workers should never enter an unprotected trench.
The Other Side: Becoming an OSHA Trainer
For those with a deep background in safety, becoming an authorized trainer is a rewarding way to share knowledge and improve workplace safety on a larger scale.
Trainer Prerequisites
OSHA has strict requirements to ensure trainers are qualified. To become a trainer for the construction industry, you generally need:
Five years of construction safety experience.
Completion of the OSHA #510 course on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Construction.
A college degree in safety or a designation like a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) may substitute for two years of the experience requirement.
The Trainer Course
Once you meet the prerequisites, you can enroll in a trainer course, such as the OSHA #500 for construction. These week long courses are offered at OTI Education Centers and cover OSHA standards, training techniques, and the administrative rules of the Outreach program.
Trainer Reauthorization
A trainer’s authorization is valid for four years. To maintain it, trainers must complete an update course, like the OSHA #502 for construction, before their card expires. This ensures trainers stay current on any changes to OSHA standards and policies.
Program Rules and Integrity
OSHA works hard to maintain the quality and credibility of the Outreach Training Program. This involves a clear set of rules for trainers and a system for enforcement.
Program and Trainer Requirements
Authorized trainers must follow a detailed set of program requirements. These rules govern everything from curriculum content to class length. For example, trainers cannot conduct more than 7.5 hours of training in a single day, which is why an OSHA 10 hour course must take at least two days. They also must use approved teaching aids and follow a professional code of conduct.
Code of Conduct and Enforcement
The trainer Code of Conduct outlines ethical guidelines, prohibiting unprofessional behavior like suggesting ways to circumvent OSHA regulations. If a complaint is filed against a trainer, OSHA has an investigation and review procedure. Confirmed violations can lead to probation, suspension, or complete revocation of a trainer’s authorization, with their name posted on a public watch list.
The Role of the Authorizing Training Organization (ATO)
Each trainer operates under the supervision of an Authorizing Training Organization, which is usually the OTI Education Center where they took their trainer course. The ATO is responsible for processing trainer reports and issuing the official student completion cards, acting as an administrative link between the trainer and OSHA.
Frequently Asked Questions about the OSHA 10 Hour Card
Here are answers to some common questions about the OSHA 10 hour program.
Is the OSHA 10 hour training required by law?
At the federal level, the program is voluntary. However, some states (like New York and Nevada) and many employers, particularly in construction, have made it a mandatory requirement for workers on certain job sites.
Does my OSHA 10 hour card expire?
No, OSHA 10 hour and 30 hour course completion cards do not have an expiration date. While some employers may require you to take refresher training every few years, the card itself remains valid.
How much does an OSHA 10 hour course cost?
Costs vary because trainers and online providers set their own fees. In person classes can range from one hundred to several hundred dollars. Online courses are often more affordable. For example, the OSHA 10 hour course offered through SkillCat’s partners is a low cost option for individuals and businesses.
Can I take the OSHA 10 hour training online?
Yes, OSHA authorizes a limited number of providers to offer the 10 hour and 30 hour courses online. This is a convenient option that allows you to complete the training at your own pace over two or more days. After finishing, you’ll receive the same official DOL card as you would from an in person class. Ready to get your card? Get started with online training today.
