OSHA 30 card - employer won't accept mine from 2016, is there any real regulatory basis for that?
I'm a site foreman with 14 years in commercial construction and my OSHA 30 card is from 2016. A new general contractor we're subbing under is telling their subs that any card older than 5 years won't be accepted on site. I've never heard of this as an official OSHA requirement — my understanding is the card doesn't expire. Is this the GC making up their own policy or is there actually a regulatory basis for it?
I've looked at the OSHA Outreach Training Program requirements and I can't find anything about expiration. The DOL website says cards don't have an official expiration date. But some states apparently have their own rules and some unions require renewal every 3-5 years as part of their internal standards. We're working in a state without explicit state-level requirements on this.
The practical problem is that redoing the full 30-hour course takes time and costs around $200-$350 depending on provider. I can do it online over a few weeks at my own pace, which is manageable, but I want to know if I have any pushback options before committing. If it's just the GC's policy, I'd like to document that so my boss can factor it into future bidding conversations.
Has anyone successfully pushed back on a GC's informal card expiration policy? Or is it just easier to retake the course and move on?
The GC is setting their own policy — OSHA cards officially don't expire. That said, you probably can't win that fight on a live jobsite. I'd document it in writing, have your PM flag it in the next contract negotiation, and just retake the course for now.
Some large GCs have started requiring refreshers every 3-5 years as part of their internal safety programs, especially after insurance pressure. It's becoming more common on union-heavy or publicly funded projects. It's not federal OSHA policy but it's not going away.
Online renewal takes about 3 weeks at 2 hours a day for the 30-hour version. Some providers let you test out of modules you clearly know.
Check whether the GC will accept a 10-hour refresher plus documentation of your original 30-hour. Some contractors accept that combination as proof of currency. It's shorter and cheaper if that's on the table.
I had the same issue two years ago. Ended up just doing the online course through an OSHA-authorized provider — got it done in 2.5 weeks doing evenings only. Not worth the argument when you're trying to keep a contract.