OSHA developed the Safety & Health Fundamentals certificate program in support of OSHA’s mission to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women. The certificate program is a proactive measure to protect employees across the nation.

To earn a Safety & Health Fundamentals certificate in Construction or General Industry you must complete a minimum of seven OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center courses, comprised of three required courses and additional elective courses for a total of at least 68 contact hours.

To earn a Safety & Health Fundamentals certificate in Maritime you must complete a minimum of seven OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center courses, comprised of three required courses and additional elective courses for a total of at least 77 contact hours.

The OTI Education Centers are a national network of non-profit organizations authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and health training to public and private sector workers, supervisors, and employers on behalf of OSHA. OTI Education Centers offer a wide range of safety and health topics including safety and health standards for construction, maritime, and general industry; hazardous materials; confined space; electrical standards; and fall protection.

There is at least one OTI Education Center located in each OSHA Region. You select which OTI Education Center is most convenient based on location, course schedule, and tuition. OTI Education Center locations along with course descriptions, tuition, and a searchable course schedule can be found at https://www.osha.gov/otiec/.

No. You decide which OTI Education Center is most convenient to attend. Courses taken at any OTI Education Center are transferable and can count toward the certificate program.

Courses required to complete the Safety & Health Fundamentals certificate program may be found in the requirements documents located on the Safety and Health Fundamentals Certificate Program web page.

The tuition and fees for the OTI Education Center courses vary and are determined by each OTI Education Center. For a course schedule, dates, location, and fees refer to the searchable course schedule at https://www.osha.gov/otiec/courses/schedule.

Upon completion of the last course needed to earn the certificate, request an Application Verification Form from any OTI Education Center where you have completed at least one of the required or elective courses. Complete the Application Verification Form, submit proof of successful completion of each course, and pay the required processing fee to the OTI Education Center.

If you have completed the three required courses and a minimum of elective courses for a total of at least 68 contact hours for Construction or General Industry, 77 contact hours for Maritime, you may request the Application Verification Form from any OTI Education Center where you have completed at least one of the required or elective courses. Complete the Application Verification Form, submit proof of successful completion of each course, and pay the required processing fee to the OTI Education Center.

OTI Education Centers do not receive any funding from OSHA. These organizations support their training programs through their normal tuition and fee structures utilizing their own instructors and facilities. For this reason, OSHA authorized OTI Education Centers to charge a fee for processing the applications for the Safety & Health Fundamentals certificate.

Appropriate proof of successful course completion is a course completion certificate or official transcript from the respective OTI Education Center.