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OSHA training requirements finder

Pick your industry and the work your crew does. The finder lists the OSHA training rules that apply, links each one to the exact paragraph, shows how often the standard asks for it, and points you to a free talk or kit.

This list covers common tasks, not every OSHA rule, and it is not legal advice. Read the cited paragraphs. If your state runs its own OSHA program (a State Plan), check its rules too.

1. Your industry

Construction work follows 29 CFR 1926.

2. What your crew does

2. What your crew does

3. Your list: trainings (7)

Construction

Every construction crew: the general training duty

“The employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.”

29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)

HOW IT WORKS

How OSHA training rules work

  • Construction has a general training duty.

    The employer must instruct each employee “in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment” (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)).

  • Many standards add their own training paragraph.

    Examples: fall protection (29 CFR 1926.503(a)(1)), forklifts (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i)) and lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)).

  • Some set how often.

    Respirator retraining is annual (29 CFR 1910.134(k)(5)). Bloodborne pathogens training is at least annual (29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(ii)(B)). Forklift operators get a performance evaluation at least once every three years (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii)).

  • Some say when to retrain.

    For fall protection, retraining is required when changes in the workplace or in the equipment make the training obsolete, or when a worker shows they did not keep the skill (29 CFR 1926.503(c)).

  • Some require a written record.

    Fall protection training needs a written certification record with the worker's name, the date and the trainer's or employer's signature (29 CFR 1926.503(b)(1)).

  • Each employee counts.

    In construction, a training rule creates a separate duty for each employee it covers (29 CFR 1926.20(f)(2)).

PUT IT TO WORK

How to use your list

  1. 01Print the list and mark who on the crew has had each training.
  2. 02Open each cited paragraph to see exactly what the training has to cover.
  3. 03Use a toolbox talk as a refresher between full trainings. A talk does not replace the full training a standard requires.
  4. 04Keep a signed record of every session. Our free sign-in sheet generator makes one in seconds.

Make a sign-in sheet

QUESTIONS

Questions about OSHA training requirements

Does OSHA require annual safety training?

Not for everything. Some standards set a yearly cycle, such as respirators (29 CFR 1910.134(k)(5)), bloodborne pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(ii)(B)) and fire extinguishers (29 CFR 1910.157(g)(2)). Others tie training to the start of the work or to changes. Hazard communication training is due at initial assignment and when a new chemical hazard comes into the work area (29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1)).

What training does OSHA require for construction workers?

Every construction employer must instruct each employee on the unsafe conditions and the rules for their work (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)). Specific standards add training for fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, cranes and more. Pick construction and your tasks above to see the list.

Do I have to keep training records?

Some standards require a written record. Examples: fall protection (29 CFR 1926.503(b)(1)), forklifts (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6)), lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(iv)) and permit-required confined spaces (29 CFR 1910.146(g)(4)). Even when it is not required, a signed sheet shows who was trained and when.

Who is allowed to give the training?

It depends on the standard. Construction fall protection training must come from a competent person (29 CFR 1926.503(a)(2)). In general industry, fall protection training must come from a qualified person (29 CFR 1910.30(a)(2)).

Is this list complete?

No. It covers common tasks and the main training paragraphs. Your work may fall under other standards too. Read the cited text, and ask a safety professional when in doubt.

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