Is Becoming OSHA Certified a Real Thing?
OSHA does not actually certify workers, and you cannot get “OSHA certified” as is often believed.
While trainers and courses may be OSHA authorized and students get course completion cards, anyone trying to pass as OSHA certified would be incorrect.
The nearest equivalent to certification is the OSHA Outreach, which is taught by OSHA authorized instructors and receives an official Department of Labor OSHA 10 Hour or 30 Hour card.
Many workers do not require the DOL card to be OSHA compliant. They just need to have the proper training that will teach them to keep safe on the worksite!
What OSHA Certification is Required?
Though OSHA doesn’t explicitly cover or certify worker training, many of its standards include a requirement that “the employer shall provide instruction to each employee in the particular safety and health aspects of his or her job…”
While OSHA has put out training guidelines, they are not established standards. For detailed information on OSHA regulations and standards, see OSHA’s Laws and Regulations page. The golden rule: Only teach your workers what they need to know to get themselves and others safe on the jobsite.
Although your employer may mandate that you have an OSHA card, OSHA does not require 10- and 30-Hour training and considers it to be voluntary. OSHA is not necessarily aware of which standards apply to each specific jobsite, so the employers are responsible for finding out what training is appropriate. Support can also be found in OSHA authorized training programs.
OSHA Outreach Training is OSHA authorized and issues a Department of Labor OSHA card, which can be a wonderful baseline of training for most workers. Depending on your industry, the standardized 10- and 30-Hour courses serve to provide all employees a uniform training on OSHA’s most important subjects including the “Focus Four” hazards in construction as well as other required topics, and supplemented by on-the-job training specific to their job-site.
Do I need a DOL OSHA card?
While certification at worker level is done through OSHA directly, though, it is a requirement in most states and for specific job sites like any government job site, oil rigs, or certain states labor department cards are required. These cards are only issued by authorized OSHA Outreach courses and there are few approved providers, so ensure that you are enrolling in a class that will issue you the official Department of Labor card like USFOSHA.com.
If you are uncertain of the need for a Department of Labor card then ask your employer or look up your state or local laws on Department of Labor cards and OSHA training. You can get your state or regional OSHA office phone number and address by visiting OSHA’s website.
U.S. workers are the only ones who can take OSHA Outreach Training, therefore Department of Labor cards cannot be sent internationally. While OSHA protections do not directly apply to them, international workers may also take OSHA training in order to know how to better minimize risk.