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State Cert Guide

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Do I need OSHA 10 in New York?

Only for some jobs. On New York public work contracts costing at least two hundred fifty thousand dollars, the contract has to require every laborer, worker and mechanic on the work site to finish a construction safety course before starting. The course must be OSHA-approved and at least ten hours long.

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The rule, fact by fact

Who needs it
All laborers, workers and mechanics on the public work siteThat includes the contractor's own crew and any subcontractor's crew.
Verified. www.nysenate.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Rule
Public work contracts of at least two hundred fifty thousand dollarsThe work can be building, rebuilding, upkeep or repair, and the state or a municipality has to be a party to the contract.
Same source and date as above
Course hours
A construction safety and health course of at least ten hoursThe course has to be one that OSHA has approved.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the contract. If the state or a municipality is a party and the work costs at least two hundred fifty thousand dollars, the rule covers every laborer, worker and mechanic on the site, a subcontractor's crew included.

  2. Step 2. Pick a trainer and ask to see the current Authorized Trainer card before you sign up. If you would rather train online, OSHA keeps a list of accepted online 10- and 30-hour providers.

  3. Step 3. OSHA says the 10-hour class is meant for workers, and the 30-hour class suits supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility. New York's rule asks for at least ten hours.

  4. Step 4. Your trainer has to issue your card within 90 days of the class, no matter who paid. The law asks for certification before work starts, so ask for the card as soon as the class ends.

Before you pay

Ask the contractor or the contracting agency what proof they want before you pay for a class. The statute doesn't say how a worker shows completion, or whether an online class counts.

Trainers are independent providers, so their schedules and fees vary. Compare more than one.

Questions

Does OSHA itself require the class?

No. OSHA says its Outreach program is voluntary. Some states, municipalities, employers, unions and other groups require it, and the group that sets the rule decides what it accepts.

Is the card a certification?

No. OSHA says an OSHA card is not a certification or license. New York's law uses the word certified, so ask the contractor which paper it takes as proof.

Does the card expire?

No. OSHA says construction student course completion cards have no expiration date.

What if I lose my card?

Ask the trainer who taught the class. OSHA allows a replacement only if the class was taken within the last five years, and only one per student per class.

Do I need a job or a minimum age to take the class?

No to both. OSHA says there is no minimum age for Outreach classes, and participants don't have to be employed.

What to do next

Start with the safety provision in your contract, then pick a trainer from OSHA's Find a Trainer page. The rule itself is in New York's Labor Law public work article.

www.nysenate.gov

Sources we read