OSHA 10 Expiration: Do you need to renew your training?

Since 1971, OSHA has been setting the standards for safety in construction and several other industries. After you complete OSHA training, you usually receive your card in the mail from the Department of Labor within a month or two. When you receive the card, you may notice that there is no expiration date printed on it. This leaves many people wondering if, when and how they should renew their OSHA 10 or 30 training.

Does OSHA 10 Hour Expire?

The short answer to this is no. Remember, there is no official “certificate”, but there is a wallet card that acknowledges completion of a course from an OSHA accepted provider and this card does not expire.

The only exception to this rule is for maritime industry cards. If you earned your OSHA 10 card through this program, it expires after five years. You must complete an updated course prior to the training expiration date, which should be printed on the card.

How Long Is OSHA 30 Training Good For?

You can breathe a sigh of relief with this question’s answer as well. OSHA 30 cards do not expire. In some states, this training is voluntary. However, it is mandatory in several states for certain industries. If you are self-employed, be sure to find out if your state requires it. The training is highly beneficial even when it is not required. If you are an employee or a prospective hire, your employer may require it whether the state does or not.

It’s Important to Renew Your Training Anyway!

Although OSHA 10 and 30 training courses do not expire in their validity aside from those in the maritime industry, it is still important to renew your training. Your employer may even require refresher courses periodically. If this is not the case, you can still benefit yourself and others from refreshing your knowledge. The same is true if you are self-employed.

Here are a few of the benefits of renewing your training:

Since OSHA changes its standards frequently, renewing your training keeps your knowledge current.
It is easy to forget important rules or fall into dangerous habits without continuing training.
Employers and clients prefer individuals who have updated training.
You will help keep yourself and your coworkers safer on the job.
If you are a proactive safety role model, you are more likely to be promoted.

Letting your knowledge dissipate and not being aware of updated regulations can be just as dangerous as not receiving training at all.

In November 2016, OSHA released a news bulletin about a 23-year-old New York man who was killed earlier in May by a wood chipper. It was the man’s first day on the job, and his employer had not provided proper OSHA safety training. The man and other workers had not been taught how to avoid the machine’s dangerous rotating parts, and OSHA determined that safety training could have prevented the young man’s tragic death.

This is just one of many incident examples that reflect the need for not only initial training but updated training as well. When lives depend on safety, it must always be the top priority. If your employer does not ensure this, you can be proactive by updating your training and encouraging your coworkers to do so as well.

You should refresh your knowledge of the basic safety 10-hour course annually, and most training agencies and OSHA recommend updating your 30-hour training every few years.

How To Renew OSHA Training Quickly

We offer initial training and renewal training for OSHA 10 and 30 courses here.

If you need help deciding which course to take, we can assist you in finding state requirements or recommendations for your industry. Please contact us to learn more about OSHA 10 and 30 training as well as the other courses we offer.

References:
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=33414
https://www.osha.net/osha-training/osha10-hour-certification/
https://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/faqs.html