Okay so I've been putting off writing this but I know how discouraging it feels to keep hitting walls, so here goes. I work construction in Ohio and my contractor required the OSHA 30-hour card by end of Q1. I took the in-person course twice and both times I froze up on the written portions — especially the fall protection and hazard communication sections. Nobody tells you how specific the questions get.
What finally clicked for me was treating it like an actual exam instead of just sitting through the hours. I found a solid OSHA practice test online and did it every night for two weeks. The questions on recordkeeping requirements and PPE standards kept tripping me up, so I built a study guide around those weak spots specifically. Took probably 12-15 hours of focused prep outside the course material.
If you're studying for the OSHA 10 or 30, my biggest exam tip is don't skip the CFR 1926 subparts — especially subpart M (fall protection) and subpart P (excavations). Those showed up way more than I expected. Happy to answer questions if anyone's in the same boat I was.