What is OSHA 10 and who needs it?
OSHA 10 is a 10-hour entry-level safety awareness course from the US Department of Labor's OSHA Outreach Training Program, in one of two versions: Construction (29 CFR 1926) or General Industry (29 CFR 1910). It is for workers rather than supervisors, who take the 30-hour course instead. There is no federal mandate and the card carries no federal expiry, but New York City requires OSHA 10 for site workers under Local Law 196, several states require it on public works, and most contractors treat it as a condition of site access. Online courses from OSHA-authorized providers run about $59 to $120.
- OSHA 10 is the 10-hour DOL Outreach course for entry-level workers, in a Construction (29 CFR 1926) or General Industry (29 CFR 1910) version.
- Online courses from OSHA-authorized providers cost about $59 to $120; the DOL wallet card arrives in roughly 2 to 3 weeks.
- There is no federal mandate or federal expiry, but NYC Local Law 196 requires it for site workers and many employers want proof from within 5 years.
- Supervisors and foremen need OSHA 30 instead, which is the card that carries an actual rate premium on industrial and EPC work.
OSHA 10 at a glance
| Cost | About $59-$120 (online, OSHA-authorized provider) |
| Duration | 10 hours |
| Issued by | U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA-authorized trainer) |
| Format | Online self-paced or in-person; Construction or General Industry version |
| Card delivery | Typically 2-3 weeks after the trainer submits completion |
| Expiry | No federal expiry; many employers and jurisdictions want it within 5 years |
| Who needs it | Entry-level workers on construction sites, in plants and in warehouses |
| NYC requirement | Workers must hold OSHA 10 under Local Law 196 (supervisors need OSHA 30) |
Sources: OSHA Outreach Training Program · OSHA-Authorized Online Outreach Training Providers · NYC Department of Buildings, Local Law 196 site safety training · OSHA Outreach Training Program; NYC DOB Local Law 196. Reviewed July 2026 by the GlobalCybers team.
OSHA 10 Format, Is There a Test?
Completion-based, like all Outreach training
OSHA 10 is a completion course, not a pass/fail certification exam. You work through the required modules with short end-of-module knowledge checks, and the DOL wallet card is issued once all 10 hours are completed and the authorized trainer submits your record. Online courses are capped at 7.5 hours per day under OSHA's rules, so the 10 hours run across at least two days.
Which version, and how it runs
Does OSHA 10 increase your pay as a worker?
OSHA 10 has no BLS-reported salary effect of its own, because OEWS tracks occupations rather than certifications. What it does is decide whether you can start at all, and how quickly:
GlobalCybers pays OSHA course fees after a successful permanent placement through our network.
What OSHA 10 Covers, Core Topics
Introduction to OSHA
The required opening module in both versions: worker rights, employer responsibilities, how to file a complaint, and how OSHA inspections and citations actually work.
Construction Focus Four
The four hazards that cause most construction deaths, falls, struck-by, caught-in/between and electrocution, and the mandatory curriculum core of the Construction version.
Personal Protective Equipment
Selecting, inspecting and using PPE: eye and face protection, head protection, hearing protection, respirators and fall-arrest equipment.
Hazard Communication
GHS labels, safety data sheets and chemical hazard communication under 29 CFR 1910.1200, one of OSHA's most-cited standards year after year.
Machine Guarding & Plant Hazards
In the General Industry version: machine guarding, walking and working surfaces, exit routes and materials handling, the hazards that dominate plant and warehouse work.
Worker Rights & Retaliation
The right to a safe workplace, to see injury records, to request an inspection, and protection from retaliation for raising a hazard, which OSHA requires every Outreach course to cover.
How do you get OSHA 10 certification, step by step?
Pick the right version
Take the Construction (29 CFR 1926) course if you work on sites, and the General Industry (29 CFR 1910) course if you work in a plant, warehouse or distribution center. They are different cards and employers check which one you hold; taking the wrong one means paying twice.
Buy only from an OSHA-authorized trainer
OSHA publishes the list of authorized online Outreach providers, which includes 360training (OSHAcampus), ClickSafety, CareerSafe, HSI and Vector Solutions. Cards from anyone else are not DOL cards and get rejected at the gate. Online prices from authorized providers run about $59 to $120.
Complete the 10 hours
OSHA caps online training at 7.5 hours per day, so the course runs across at least two days; in-person classes typically run two consecutive days. Complete every module, including the required Introduction to OSHA and the Focus Four (Construction) or plant-hazard (General Industry) content.
Receive and keep your DOL card
The authorized trainer submits your completion to DOL, and the wallet card follows, typically in 2 to 3 weeks. It shows your name, the course type and the trainer. There is no federal expiry, but keep the completion record: many employers and public-works contracts want proof from within the last 5 years.
NYC Local Law 196 and Public-Works Rules
OSHA 10 is not federally mandated, but it is legally required in specific places. Under New York City's Local Law 196, workers on major construction sites must hold OSHA 10 while their supervisors hold OSHA 30, enforced by the NYC Department of Buildings. Several states, including Connecticut, Missouri, Nevada, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, require OSHA 10 or 30 on certain public-works projects. Everywhere else it is employer policy, and in practice most contractors, plants and warehouses will not let an uncarded worker onto the floor.
OSHA 10, Frequently Asked Questions
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