OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30: which card do you need?

If you work in US construction or general industry, you have almost certainly been asked for an "OSHA card" — and just as certainly been unsure whether you need the 10 or the 30. They are part of the same program and look similar, but they serve different people. This guide explains the real difference, who needs which, whether they expire, and where they are actually required by law.

What they both are

OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are courses in OSHA's voluntary Outreach Training Program, delivered by trainers authorized by an OSHA Training Institute Education Center. They come in two industry tracks — Construction and General Industry — and you take the track that matches your work. It is important to understand what these courses are and are not: they teach workers to recognize, avoid and prevent common hazards. They are safety-awareness training, not a license, not a certification to operate equipment, and not proof that your company is OSHA-compliant. A crew full of OSHA 30 cards on a site with no fall protection is still an unsafe, citable site.

OSHA 10: for workers

The 10-hour course is entry-level orientation aimed at workers on the tools. It covers the core of what keeps people alive on a site or floor — in construction, that means a heavy focus on the "Focus Four" hazards (falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution), plus personal protective equipment, and worker rights and employer responsibilities. It is designed to give a new or frontline worker enough hazard awareness to stay safe and speak up. If you are a laborer, apprentice or general crew member, the 10 is usually what is being asked for.

OSHA 30: for supervisors and anyone responsible for others

The 30-hour course goes both broader and deeper, and is aimed at foremen, supervisors, superintendents, safety coordinators and anyone with responsibility for the safety of others. It covers more hazard topics in more detail and spends real time on managing safety — the employer's responsibilities, hazard identification and control, and how to build safe systems of work rather than just recognize a hazard. If you run a crew, hold a safety role, or are being brought on as anything above an entry-level worker on a larger project, the 30 is typically what is required.

Do OSHA cards expire?

At the federal level, an OSHA 10 or 30 Outreach card has no expiration date — once you earn it, it is valid indefinitely as far as OSHA is concerned. But that is not the end of the story. Many states, unions, project owners and general contractors impose their own recency rules; a common one is that the card must have been issued within the last five years. Some jurisdictions layer their own requirements on top: New York City, for example, requires Site Safety Training (SST) that builds on the OSHA 30. So the practical answer is: the card does not expire federally, but check what your state and your GC require, because they may treat an old card as stale. (We built a free card & certification checker to help track this alongside DOT medicals, CPR and the rest.)

Where they are actually required

OSHA itself does not mandate the Outreach cards — the program is voluntary. What makes them effectively mandatory is state law and contracts. A number of states require OSHA 10 (and sometimes 30) for workers on public or larger construction projects — Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Nevada, Florida and others have such laws, with the specifics varying by state and project type. On top of that, most general contractors and many owners simply require the cards as a condition of coming onto their site, regardless of state law. So even where your state is silent, the GC awarding you work very likely is not.

Which should you get?

Match the card to the role: entry-level and frontline workers take the OSHA 10; supervisors, foremen and anyone responsible for others' safety take the OSHA 30. Take the industry track — Construction or General Industry — that fits your work. And whatever you hold, keep the physical card and the completion date on file, because sooner or later a GC or a state inspector will ask to see it, and a lapsed or lost card can keep a qualified worker off the job.