The demand for OSHA 10 & 30 hour training grew exponentially in the mid to late 2000’s. The growth was fueled by the introduction of the online training format, allowing trainees to work at their own pace, as well as newly passed state laws requiring the training for specific government-funded jobs.
If you were in the industry at that time, OSHA 10 & 30 hour training, particularly the online format, was the hot topic of safety training. It was a race for training providers to obtain approval from OSHA for their coursework, and safety professionals were keen on the benefits the outreach training programs provided their workplace.
Continued OSHA 10 & 30 Hour Growth
OSHA 10 & 30 hour training completion hasn’t slowed down. While there was a small dip in the number of trainees in the early 2010’s, since then the program has continued to grow year over year. In fact, a record number of over 1.2 million trainees completed the program in 2019 and over 5.21 million have obtained an OSHA 10 or 30 hour card in the last 5 years (OSHA).
But here’s the catch. OSHA 10 and 30 hour training doesn’t count as your mandatory annual OSHA compliance training. It doesn’t expire once you do take it, so it could be years since someone went through the training, and it isn’t a certification of any kind (despite some providers using that lingo).
So, is OSHA 10 & 30 hour training worth the hype?
The answer is ‘yes’. There are several advantages that OSHA 10 and 30 hour training provides you and your workforce.
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- Foundation for Safety
This is likely the most notable benefit of the program and the reason for which it was designed. The training provides the foundational worksite safety knowledge and skills that keep everyone safe from accidents and injuries on the job. It helps establish a universal language of safety and sets the foundation for a sustainable safety culture. - Surprise, it is Required
While it’s a voluntary program in OSHA’s eyes, several workplaces, unions, and governments or government-funded projects require the OSHA 10 or 30 hour training for all workers, including sub-contractors. In some instances, renewing your OSHA card, by retaking the training every 3-5 years, is also required. The fact that the training has become a requirement to work proves that completion of the training is seen as valuable. - Commitment to Safety
OSHA 10 and 30 hour training completion shows a commitment to safety. From attracting customers and forming partnerships with sub-contractors or other organizations to recruiting employees, safety matters. Showing that your entire team is OSHA 10 or 30 hour trained demonstrates that you take the health and safety of your workforce seriously.
- Foundation for Safety
Whether you’re an individual worker looking to boost your resume or a safety professional in an organization, adding OSHA 10 or 30 hour training to your curriculum is worth it. The completion of OSHA 10 and 30 hour training creates a groundwork for a safe work environment.
Learn which OSHA 10 or 30 hour training program is right for you and explore options with Evolved Safety.
Evolved Safety works as your buyer’s agent to help source safety training materials from the top vendors in the EH&S training market with no additional fees or up-charge. Our goal is to make sourcing, implementing, and managing safety training uncomplicated and assist customers through program changes, as necessary. Work for you, not the training providers.