Sheet 54Side by side
STSC and the OSHA 30 card are different kinds of things
The OSHA 30-hour card shows you completed a 30-hour Outreach Training course; the STSC is a certification, earned by meeting BCSP's training and experience requirements and passing a 100-item proctored exam (BCSP, as of October 2026). OSHA is plain about its card: none of its Outreach courses “is considered a certification.”
- ExamSTSC
- UpdatedOct 12, 2026
What OSHA says about its own card
OSHA's Outreach FAQ goes further: OSHA “does not accredit organizations or individuals, does not certify organizations or individuals.” There is no “OSHA supervisor” credential either. The card comes from an OSHA-authorized trainer, who sets the schedule and the fee.
The program is voluntary, and OSHA notes it “does not meet the training requirements for any OSHA standards.” A 30-hour class does not replace the task training a standard such as 29 CFR 1926.503 (fall protection) requires.
Cards don't carry a federal expiry. OSHA states only that a card can't be issued or replaced for training completed more than five years ago; some states, cities and employers set their own refresher rules (OSHA Outreach page, checked Oct 12, 2026).
Course card and certification, side by side
| Point | STSC | OSHA 30 Construction |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A certification | A course completion card |
| Who issues it | BCSP | An OSHA-authorized trainer |
| How you get it | Meet training and experience rules, pass an exam at a Pearson VUE center | Attend the 30-hour class |
| Exam | 100 items, 2 hours, closed book | No certification exam |
| Cost | $120 application, $185 exam | Set by each trainer |
| Upkeep | $70 a year, 3 points every 5 years | No federal renewal; replacement only within 5 years of the class |
| Written for | Construction leaders at all levels | Supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility |
The 30-hour class is more appropriate for supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility.
OSHA Outreach Training Program, checked Oct 12, 2026
Holding both
An OSHA 30 Construction class is 30 hours of safety and health training. BCSP accepts “any safety and health courses” toward the STSC's 30 hours but doesn't name OSHA 30, so confirm with BCSP before you count it. STSC requirements spells out the training and experience rules.
Supervising outside construction? The same comparison holds for the general-industry credential, the STS; STS vs STSC covers how the two BCSP credentials differ.
OSHA 30 and the STSC
Is OSHA 30 a certification?
No. OSHA says none of the courses in its Outreach Training Program is considered a certification, and that OSHA does not certify individuals (OSHA, checked Oct 12, 2026). Call it an OSHA 30 card.
Do OSHA 30 cards expire?
OSHA sets no federal expiry for the construction card; it only refuses to issue or replace a card for training finished more than five years ago. Some states and employers require refreshers.
Sources
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