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OSHA to Launch New Training Cards
In a move aimed at reducing fraud and improving efficiency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is rolling out more durable and secure completion cards for its 10-hour and 30-hour voluntary safety classes.
After Feb. 29, the Outreach Training Program completion cards will resemble credit card stock—with authorizing logos, a watermark when copied and a QR code for authentication.
The new cards for students and trainers will be more difficult to copy, and will include verifiable information including ways to contact the trainer who conducted the course, the agency announced Thursday (Jan. 14).
The agency also noted that the new process will reduce the number of days it takes to request and process cards.
OSHA Training at a Glance
OSHA has created 10- and 30-hour basic safety courses tailored to construction, maritime, and general industry, as well as 15-hour classes for disaster site workers.
The courses cover the basics of workers' rights and OSHA protections, and describe how to identify, avoid and prevent workplace hazards.
While not required by OSHA, some states and employers require workers to complete the training. More than 830,000 students were trained under the program in fiscal year 2015, OSHA said.
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Many states and general contractors require an OSHA 10-hour or 30-hour card on certain construction sites. OSHA says that the new cards will be issued for in-person training sessions only. |
The classes are taught by independent consultants authorized by OSHA and trained through the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. At the conclusion of each course, students receive completion cards, which are currently printed on paper.
New Additions
The updated trainer cards will include the trainer name, trainer ID number, expiration date, and OTI Education Center where the trainer was authorized. Student cards will have student name, trainer name, date of issue, and the OTI Education Center which produced the card.
OSHA notes that the new cards will be issued for in-person training sessions only. Online courses will continue to be offered by authorized providers, but students who complete online training will continue to receive paper cards at this time.
The OTI Education Centers will maintain an electronic database of authorized trainers and students who have completed the 10- and 30-hour classes, according to OSHA. This will allow employers and workers to authenticate their card with the use of a QR code on each card. OTI Education Centers will charge $8 each for the new cards, compared to $5 for the current paper cards.
Workers who already have 10-hour and 30-hour paper cards are not required to change over to the new cards. Workers may choose to purchase a new card by contacting the trainer who conducted the class, but only if the course was taken within the past three years, according to the agency.
