What are the Differences Between OSHA 10-Hour and OSHA 30-Hour Courses?
If someone mentions a “DOL card,” they’re likely talking about the Department of Labor card – which you get upon completing the OSHA Outreach course that you need.
Sadly, that means knowing that you need to complete OSHA Outreach is only the start. Then, there are a host of other questions.
What “industry” do you need: Construction vs. General Industry vs. Maritime? What is your required course level: OSHA 10 vs. OSHA 30?
It can be confusing very quickly.
Here, we’ve covered what are OSHA industries here previously. OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30 Today we are breaking down OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30.
OSHA 10 Certification vs OSHA 30 Certification
OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30 | The Key Differences
Length of OSHA 10 vs. OSHA 30
- The number in OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 indicates the duration of the training.
- OSHA 10 courses consist of 10 hours of instruction, not including quizzes, tests, and breaks.
- OSHA 30 is three times longer.
Target Audience of OSHA 10 vs. OSHA 30
OSHA 30 is significantly longer because it is intended for workers with supervisory duties. That includes, but is not limited to, supervisors, managers, engineers, site leads, project managers and safety specialists.
OSHA 10 teaches safety for workers responsible for only themselves.
OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30 Curriculum
All OSHA Outreach courses, no matter the level or industry, begin with Introduction to OSHA. This allows everyone to know what OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is, why it matters, and the workers’ rights and employers’ obligations enforced by OSHA.
To some extent, this will depend on the type of industry and level, beyond this one topic, but the OSHA Outreach curriculum will differ. Every industry will have its list of required topics – addressing the most prominent and problem-prone hazards for that workplace – and a list of elective topics that cover more role- and situation-specific hazards.
OSHA 10 dedicates the majority of its required content (6 or 7 of the 10 hours) to the mandatory topics. Some elective topics must be covered in this remaining time, which allows a little flexibility in the curriculum, particularly for the audience.
OSHA 30 still covers Intro to OSHA and the most common hazards, but then it gets broader and deeper. Most of those extra hours fall into the broader category – a supervisor must know all the regulations that are relevant to their entire crew, OSHA 30 has many more elective topics.
However, OSHA 30 delves deeper into the “how” of OSHA.
Since it’s intended for supervisors, all OSHA 30 courses cover a retaliatory topic called Managing Safety and Health. This one covers the various responsibilities that OSHA imposes on management – such as the conduct of job site inspections, injury and illness prevention programs, accident prevention programs, hazard identification and control, conducting safety meetings, supervisory communication, etc.
FAQs
How Do You Know If You Need OSHA 10 or OSHA 30?
For the majority, deciding between OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 is relatively straightforward. Are you responsible for supervising or overseeing anybody else in your job? You need the 30 hour edition of your industry Outreach training. Otherwise, you can do the 10-hour version.
There are exceptions, however.
Some states, counties, or municipalities have laws mandating OSHA Outreach (or some other safety training program) for specific types of workers. If you’re impacted by one of these laws, then the precise course requirements are likely laid out with you in mind.
Your employer might have particular policies that prescribe what you should or should not wear for your specific position as well.
Be sure to look for any requirements you might have to meet imposed by the federal government and/or your employer before you choose a class.
Do You Ever Require OSHA 10 & OSHA 30 Simultaneously?
Throughout your career, you should take both – OSHA 10 for non-supervisors and OSHA 30 if you move into a leadership role.
But in some cases, people believe they may be required to sign up for both classes, but don’t have to.
Is OSHA 10 Required Prior to OSHA 30?
No – OSHA 10 is not a prerequisite for OSHA 30. You may enroll in the 30-hour course regardless of whether you have already taken the 10-hour course.
So, for instance, if your job requires you to obtain the supervisor-level OSHA Outreach course, but you never received the 10-hour certificate, that’s OK. You may simply begin with the training that your employer demands.
If I Have OSHA 30, Do I Need OSHA 10?
In some states, everyone must have an OSHA 10 card, whereas other states require even non-supervisors to get an OSHA 30 card. Do you need a retake course if you have already taken OSHA 30 and moved to a state that requires OSHA 10?
Probably not. Most states specifically incorporate into their regulations that OSHA 30 is at least an acceptable equivalent substitution for OSHA 10. Some states have a mandatory renewal frequency, meaning the DOL card “expires.” If so, you may need to retake a class if your first certificate expires after too long.
Does OSHA 30 Cover OSHA 10?
That said, OSHA 30 courses do include all of the content taught in that industry’s OSHA 10 course, which is why OSHA 10 is not required prior to taking OSHA 30, and why you don’t need to take the 10-hour curriculum if you hold a 30-hour certificate.
OSHA 10 That Can Be Obtained From OSHA 30
There’re no OSHA Outreach courses that are given directly by OSHA. Instead, they “train the trainers” by subjecting third-party training providers to extensive industry-specific coursework. These training providers are, therefore, deemed “OSHA-authorized” to provide official OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 cards.
We provide Construction Industry 10-hour and 30-hour Training as OSHA-authorized training providers.
Upon completion of the curriculum, we will generate a certificate of completion, and we will mail a durable plastic DOL card.
Enroll today with Safety Counselling, the top OSHA 10-Hour and OSHA 30-Hour course provider in New Mexico, to get started!