If you’re in the construction industry, you know that compliance with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards is essential. One option is to hire an OSHA consulting firm, which has many advantages. But, if you work or own a smaller business, an OSHA consultancy firm could be fiscally out of the question. Therefore, you may want to consider OSHA certification for either yourself or an employee in your organization. To get started, follow these tips on how to get OSHA-certified to improve the work safety in your building.
What it Means to be OSHA Certified
First, if you see references to either OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification, it means that the person has completed either a 10-hour or 30-hour OSHA Outreach Training Program.
Second, OSHA does not certify these workers because the courses are voluntary. Its purpose is to promote workplace safety and health as well as make workers more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and their rights.
OSHA Certification vs. Certificates
While OSHA certifications and certificates sound similar enough, OSHA views them differently. For example, when you complete an outreach course, such as OSHA 10 for the construction industry, you’ll receive a temporary certificate of completion until your official DOL card arrives.
However, earning a course certificate or DOL card is not the same as being certified. OSHA Outreach Training is what the institute calls an assessment-based certificate program. Also, these programs are narrower in scope than certification programs.
OSHA Certification
Next, let’s look at OSHA certification. It is possible to earn OSHA certification in a wide variety of industries and for numerous hazards. It could be that someone in your workplace requires one or several of them. While education centers mostly offer certificate programs, OSHA does provide certification in partnership with colleges and universities across the country.
These programs provide in-depth learning for safety and health professionals with years of experience. They dig much deeper than outreach courses. Some certificate programs range from 70 to 100 hours.
For example, OSHA certificate programs include:
- Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS)
- General Industry Certified Safety and Health Official
- Construction Certified Safety and Health Official
- Safety and Health Master Certification
- Environmental Master Certification
- Risk Management Master Certification
- General Industry Certified Safety and Health Specialist
- Construction Certified Safety and Health Specialist
As you can see, the benefits of OSHA training are priceless and include reduced workplace accidents, economic benefits, increased company standards, and a greater understanding of how to handle workplace hazards. We hope these tips on how to get OSHA-certified have helped you find the proper course guidance for you.
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