Card Hierarchy for Classroom Training
Issued prior to 3/1/16, or for online training
Issued after 2/29/16
These hierarchy charts illustrate the levels of training achievement reflected by the trainer and student cards issued through the OSHA Outreach Training Programs. At the top of the hierarchy are the trainer cards which reflect the highest level of achievement and proficiency.
Trainer card. Signifies authority to teach 10- and 30-hour outreach courses and receive OSHA student completion cards. Individuals become authorized by meeting training and industry safety experience requirements. In order to provide flexibility, trainers are allowed to tailor the 10- and 30-hour training topics to meet the needs of their audience. OSHA specifies mandatory topics along with flexible topic requirements for each industry. Trainer courses are offered by the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. Trainers must update their training every 4 years.
30-hour card. Students who attend the 30-hour course receive this card. The 30-hour course is intended for supervisors or for workers with some safety responsibility. It provides a greater depth and variety of training on an expanded list of topics associated with workplace hazards than the 10-hour course. Please note that these cards are not issued for completion of OSHA #510 or OSHA #511 courses.
10-hour card. Students who attend the 10-hour course receive this card. The 10-hour course is intended for entry level workers. This course provides information about worker rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint and provides basic awareness training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards.
Disaster Site Worker card. Students who attend either a 7.5- or 15-hour Disaster Site Worker Course receive this card. These courses are intended to provide Disaster Site Workers an awareness of the safety and health hazards they may encounter as well as the importance of respiratory and other personal protective equipment and proper decontamination procedures that may be used to mitigate the hazards.
Cards for classroom training, issued prior to 3/1/16, or for online training issued at any time
Cards for classroom training, issued after 2/29/16
FAQs
Becoming an authorized Outreach trainer is the highest achievement in the Outreach Training Program. Trainers are authorized to teach courses for 10- and 30-hour students. OSHA does not consider any courses as equivalent to those conducted at the OTI Education Centers. Because the Outreach Training Program is voluntary for OSHA, acceptance of a trainer card as a substitute is at the discretion of the employer.
No. Because the Outreach Training Program is voluntary for OSHA, the employer has discretion in the enforcement of safety and health training requirements at their work sites and determines if a card meets their acceptability standard.
No. Only a trainer who completed the appropriate OSHA industry-related trainer course may teach the 10- or 30-hour classes in those industries.
No. Only OTI Education Centers may conduct OSHA trainer courses and authorize persons as trainers.
The student course completion cards in Construction, General Industry, Maritime Industry, and Disaster Site do not have an expiration date. The form and content of additional training is left to the discretion of the student and/or employer.