OSHA 30 Construction Study Guide
The OSHA 30-Hour Construction course prepares supervisors to spot and control job-site hazards. This guide covers the key federal rules beyond OSHA 10, each tied to its section of 29 CFR 1926.
Start Here
- OSHA 30 Construction Practice Test (Adaptive Mock)
201 original questions, adaptive 15–20 question tests with explanations and CFR references.
- OSHA 10 Construction Study Guide
Entry-level Focus Four, fall protection, scaffolds and excavations.
What the OSHA 30 Course Is
The 30-hour construction course is part of OSHA's Outreach Training Program and is delivered by OSHA-authorised trainers. It repeats the Focus Four hazards from OSHA 10 (falls, electrocution, struck-by and caught-in or between) and then goes further into the standards a supervisor is expected to apply. It is awareness training, not a certification.
Confined Spaces (Subpart AA)
- A confined space can be bodily entered, has limited entry or exit and is not designed for continuous occupancy (1926.1202).
- A permit space has a hazard such as a hazardous atmosphere, engulfment or a trapping shape. Oxygen below 19.5% or above 23.5%, or flammable gas over 10% of the LFL, is hazardous.
- The attendant stays outside and monitors entrants. The entry supervisor authorises and ends entry.
Steel Erection and Concrete (Subparts R and Q)
Steel erectors need fall protection above 15 feet, connectors above two stories or 30 feet, and a controlled decking zone is limited to 15–30 feet (1926.760). No more than four floors or 48 feet of unfinished bolting or welding is allowed (1926.754). In concrete work, protruding rebar must be guarded against impalement, nobody rides concrete buckets, and only essential workers stand behind a post-tensioning jack (1926.701).
Cranes, Rigging and Materials (Subparts CC and H)
Crane operators must be trained, certified and evaluated (1926.1427), and swing-radius areas must be barricaded (1926.1424). A loaded personnel platform must not exceed 50% of rated capacity (1926.1431). Rigging is inspected before each shift, and wire rope is retired when broken wires exceed 10% in eight diameters (1926.251). Brick stacks top out at 7 feet (1926.250).
Welding, Tools and Stairways (Subparts J, I and X)
Stored oxygen cylinders sit 20 feet from fuel gas or behind a 5-foot noncombustible barrier, and fuel-gas valves open no more than 1½ turns (1926.350). Hand-held drills, grinders and saws need momentary-contact switches (1926.300). Stairways with four or more risers or rising over 30 inches need a handrail and stairrails (1926.1052).
Health Hazards and Reporting
The construction lead limit is 50 µg/m³ with a 30 µg/m³ action level (1926.62). Silica is limited to 50 µg/m³ and needs a competent person (1926.1153). A death must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours, and a hospitalisation, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours (1904.39).
How to Use This Section
Read this guide, then take the OSHA 30 practice test. Every answer cites the CFR section behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between OSHA 10 and OSHA 30?
OSHA describes the 10-hour course as entry-level awareness training for workers and the 30-hour course as more in-depth training for supervisors and workers with safety responsibility. Both end with a Department of Labor completion card.
Is the OSHA 30 card a licence?
No. Outreach courses are voluntary awareness training. Some states, cities and employers require the card, but it is not an OSHA certification.
Who issues OSHA 30 cards?
Only OSHA-authorised outreach trainers, in person or through OSHA-accepted online providers. Trade Exam Hub does not issue cards.
What extra topics does OSHA 30 cover?
On top of the Focus Four, the 30-hour course adds elective topics such as confined spaces, cranes and rigging, steel erection, concrete, welding, materials handling, tools, stairways and health hazards like lead and silica.