Hiring complianceRead at source, 30 September 2026
OSHA 10 Requirements by State: Which States Require It for Construction Workers
No federal law requires OSHA 10. OSHA calls its 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training Program voluntary. The requirement comes from states: Nevada requires the card for every construction worker within 15 days of hire (OSHA 30 for supervisors), and Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia require it on public works construction. Pennsylvania has no statewide rule; Philadelphia does, and New York City requires a 40-hour Site Safety Training card that OSHA 10 can count toward.
Is OSHA 10 required? Federal vs state
Not by OSHA. The agency’s own FAQ answers the question directly: “Does OSHA require the 10- and 30-hour outreach courses? No, they are voluntary.” OSHA also says the program “does not meet the training requirements for any OSHA standards” and that “some states have enacted laws mandating the training” (OSHA Outreach Training Program; OSHA Outreach FAQ). So the card never replaces the training a standard requires of you, and it is mandatory only where a state, a city, a contract or your own policy says so.
Most of those laws follow public money: seven of the eight states below attach the requirement to public works contracts. Nevada is the exception that matters for private contractors, because it covers construction workers on any site.
State table: who’s covered, new-hire deadline and statute
A state not listed had no OSHA 10 statute that we found; an owner or general contractor can still write the card into your subcontract.
| State | Who’s covered | Deadline for new hires | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Public works projects covered by the state prevailing wage law (C.G.S. § 31-53(h)); every mechanic, laborer or worker | A copy of the completion card goes with the first certified payroll that lists the worker; a card issued more than 5 years before the project started is not accepted | C.G.S. § 31-53b (CT DOL bulletin) |
| Massachusetts | Public works and public building contracts over $10,000 (state, cities, towns, districts, housing authorities); all employees at the worksite | Before starting work; documentation filed with the first certified payroll; workers without it are removed | M.G.L. c. 30, § 39S |
| Missouri | Public works contracts with any public body; on-site employees of contractors and subcontractors | Within 60 days of beginning work on the project; 20 days to produce documentation before removal | RSMo § 292.675 |
| Nevada | All construction, public or private (routine upkeep of an occupied property excluded); OSHA 30 for supervisory employees | Card within 15 days of hire, or the employer must suspend or terminate | NRS 618.983, 618.987 |
| New Hampshire | Public works or buildings for a state agency or municipality with a total project cost of $100,000 or more; on-site employees | Before beginning work; a worker found without it is removed unless proof is given by the 15th day after | RSA 277:5-a |
| New York | Public work contracts of $250,000 or more where the state or a municipality is a party; all laborers, workers and mechanics | Before performing any work on the project | Labor Law § 220-h |
| Rhode Island | Municipal and state construction projects of $100,000 or more; on-site employees | Card carried on the person at all times while work is performed | R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-23-1 |
| West Virginia | Public improvement contracts over $50,000 (entered on or after July 1, 2014); anyone assigned to the site | Within 21 calendar days of being employed at or assigned to the site; workers there under 21 consecutive days are exempt | W. Va. Code § 21-3-22 |
Pennsylvania, New York City and Philadelphia
Pennsylvania appears on many lists as a public works state, but we found no Pennsylvania statute. The rule you will meet there is local: the City of Philadelphia says “all workers on a construction or demolition site must complete a basic training course,” OSHA 10 Construction or an approved alternative, and licensed contractors must name at least one supervisor with OSHA 30 completed within the five years before the license application or renewal (Philadelphia L&I contractor requirements). New York City goes further under Local Law 196 of 2017: workers on sites with a construction superintendent or site safety coordinator or manager need a 40-hour Site Safety Training card (62 hours for supervisors) that counts OSHA 10 toward the total, valid for five years (NYC Department of Buildings).
Nevada also covers entertainment and convention work
Nevada applies a similar 15-day rule to entertainment production workers (NRS 618.9901 to 618.9913), counted from the first day on a site, and to convention services workers (NRS 618.9920 to 618.9931); cards used for either expire five years after they are issued (NRS chapter 618).
OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30
Both are Outreach Training Program classes taught by OSHA-authorized trainers. OSHA describes the 10-hour class as “intended for entry level workers” and the 30-hour class as intended for supervisors “or for workers with some safety responsibility,” with “a greater depth and variety of training on an expanded list of topics” (OSHA card hierarchy). Neither is a certification. Of the states above, only Nevada requires OSHA 30 by name, for supervisors.
Neither card replaces the training a specific standard puts on you. A worker with OSHA 10 still needs the employer-delivered training for the equipment and hazards of the job — forklift operator training and evaluation is the example most contractors meet, and summer work brings heat illness prevention rules in several states.
Hiring implication: recruit carded workers or train new hires
The deadline column decides this. On New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island public work and Philadelphia permitted sites, training comes before the first shift. Nevada allows 15 days from hire, West Virginia 21 days on site and Missouri 60 days, which leaves room to hire first and train in the first weeks.
- Recruiting carded workers is the fast route. Put the card in the ad’s requirements line and ask “Do you hold an OSHA 10 Construction card?” as a yes-or-no screening question.
- Training new hires widens the pool. Budget for a 10-hour class and paid time; OSHA gives trainers 90 days to issue cards, so keep the trainer’s course documentation until the card arrives.
The pool is large. The BLS counts 1,489,300 construction laborers in 2025 with about 120,000 openings a year projected through 2035 and a median annual wage of $47,120 (BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; BLS, May 2025 median annual wage). In Boostpoint’s 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, the Skilled trades role family ran a median of $14.14 per applicant, with the middle half of 35 campaigns between $7.58 and $21.49; Boostpoint does not report construction laborers separately, and cost per applicant is not cost per hire. Our guide to recruiting construction workers covers the ad and the application, and prevailing wage by state covers the other rule that usually comes with a public works contract.
Where to verify a card
OSHA will not do it for you: “For privacy reasons, OSHA does not provide individual verification of student course completion cards,” and it does not run or recognize any national verification database. For a plastic card, OSHA says to “scan the QR code on the back of the card,” which gives contact details for the OTI Education Center that processed it. Otherwise ask for the trainer’s contact details; trainers must keep records for five years (OSHA Outreach FAQ). Replacement cards can be issued only for training in the last five years, through the original trainer (OSHA program overview). Nevada requires its Division of Industrial Relations to keep a public online registry of workers who have completed approved courses (NRS 618.977). Keep a copy of each card on file; Connecticut and Massachusetts want one with the certified payroll anyway. Our hiring compliance hub lists the other checks that belong in the same file.
Frequently asked questions
Which states require OSHA 10?
By statute, Nevada requires OSHA 10 for all construction workers within 15 days of hire, and Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia require it on public works construction, most above a contract threshold. Philadelphia and New York City add local rules; Pennsylvania has no statewide one.
Is OSHA 10 required by federal law?
No. OSHA says its 10- and 30-hour outreach courses are voluntary and do not meet the training requirements of any OSHA standard. It is mandatory only where a state or city law, a contract or your own policy requires it (OSHA Outreach FAQ).
Do new hires need OSHA 10 before starting?
It depends on the state. New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire public works, Rhode Island public projects and Philadelphia permitted sites require the training before work starts. Nevada allows 15 days from hire, West Virginia 21 days on site, and Missouri 60 days. Elsewhere, your policy or contract decides.
What's the difference between OSHA 10 and OSHA 30?
OSHA 10 is a 10-hour awareness class OSHA describes as intended for entry-level workers. OSHA 30 is a 30-hour class for supervisors or workers with safety responsibility, covering more topics in more depth. Nevada requires OSHA 30 for construction supervisors.
Does OSHA 10 expire?
Federal OSHA cards have no expiration date. Some local rules add one: Connecticut will not accept a card issued more than five years before the project started, Nevada entertainment and convention services cards expire after five years, and New York City Site Safety Training cards are valid for five years.
Reach carded crews before the job starts
Boostpoint Attract turns your construction openings into Facebook and Instagram job ads with a one-minute mobile application, and the software builds and optimizes the campaigns, so the card requirement sits in the ad and the screening question. For what it costs, see pricing.
Book a DemoSources: OSHA Outreach Training Program pages and FAQ (osha.gov); C.G.S. § 31-53b via the Connecticut Department of Labor bulletin; M.G.L. c. 30, § 39S; RSMo § 292.675; NRS 618.950 to 618.990, 618.9901 to 618.9913 and 618.9920 to 618.9931; RSA 277:5-a; N.Y. Labor Law § 220-h; R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-23-1; W. Va. Code § 21-3-22; City of Philadelphia L&I; NYC Department of Buildings; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; BLS, May 2025 median annual wage; Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark. General information, not legal advice. Last verified 30 September 2026. Read at source 30 September 2026.