Under federal rules, an OSHA 30 card does not expire in Connecticut or anywhere else. But Connecticut effectively puts a five-year clock on the card for anyone working on a qualifying state-funded construction project: your card must have been issued within five years of the day you start work on that project, or it will not satisfy state law.
Federal Rule: The Card Itself Never Expires
OSHA outreach training cards, including the 30-hour card, carry no expiration date at the federal level. Once you complete the course and receive your card, OSHA treats it as valid indefinitely.1Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Outreach Training Program FAQs OSHA also does not offer a refresher or renewal version of the course; any additional training beyond the original program is left to you and your employer.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Outreach Training Program (OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Cards)
Worth knowing before you rely on the card too heavily: OSHA explicitly says the outreach program is not a certification.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Outreach Training Program (OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Cards) The card shows you completed a safety and health awareness course. It does not replace any employer-specific training OSHA standards may require for your particular job duties.
States are free to set stricter rules on top of that federal baseline, and Connecticut has.
Connecticut’s Five-Year Rule for Public Works
Connecticut General Statutes § 31-53b requires workers on qualifying public works projects to hold an OSHA training card issued within five years of the date they begin work on the project.3Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 31 – Chapter 557 – Section 31-53b If your card was issued more than five years before you personally start on that job, it does not satisfy the statute, even though it is still federally valid and looks fine on paper.
The clock is tied to when you begin work on that specific project, not when the contract was signed or when the crew broke ground. Contractors have to furnish proof of each worker’s training card with the weekly certified payroll for the first week that worker starts on the site.3Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 31 – Chapter 557 – Section 31-53b A card that falls outside the five-year window at that moment can mean fines for the contractor and removal from the project for you.
Which Projects Are Covered
The statute applies to projects entered into by the state, its political subdivisions, or their agents. The project must also meet the dollar thresholds in Connecticut’s prevailing wage statute, § 31-53: $100,000 or more for repair and renovation work, or $400,000 or more for new construction.4Connecticut General Assembly. An Act Concerning Construction Safety Projects below those thresholds are not covered by the training requirement, and neither is private work.
The baseline card required under § 31-53b is a course of at least 10 hours in construction safety and health.3Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 31 – Chapter 557 – Section 31-53b An OSHA 30 satisfies that floor because it exceeds 10 hours. The five-year validity window applies the same way to both the 10-hour and 30-hour cards.
Two categories of workers sit outside the statute entirely. Employees of public service companies, as defined under Connecticut’s utility statutes, do not need an OSHA card on covered projects. Neither do commercial motor vehicle drivers whose only role is delivering or picking up cargo.3Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 31 – Chapter 557 – Section 31-53b Everyone else performing covered work needs a qualifying card.
Construction Card, Not General Industry
OSHA offers the 30-hour outreach course in two main tracks: Construction and General Industry. Section 31-53b specifically calls for construction safety and health training, so a General Industry 30-hour card will not satisfy the Connecticut public works requirement even if it is well within five years.3Justia Law. Connecticut Code Title 31 – Chapter 557 – Section 31-53b
The Construction 30-hour course covers hazards under 29 CFR 1926: fall protection, scaffolding, electrical safety, excavation, cranes and rigging, and personal protective equipment. The General Industry course covers 29 CFR 1910 and focuses on manufacturing, warehousing, and healthcare settings. Each card is course-specific. If your only 30-hour card is General Industry, you need to take the Construction course before working on covered Connecticut projects.
Private Job Sites Set Their Own Windows
Outside of public works, the five-year rule does not apply as a matter of state law. Private employers and general contractors in Connecticut can still set their own training standards, and many do. A private developer or general contractor can require all on-site personnel to hold an OSHA 30 card issued within a specific timeframe, commonly three to five years.
These requirements usually appear as conditions in subcontracting agreements or site access policies, and they vary by project. A card that is federally valid but falls outside a particular site’s window can still get you turned away until you retrain. Before starting a new job, check with the general contractor or site safety manager what documentation they accept and how recently it must have been issued.
Retraining When Your Card Is Too Old
When your card falls outside the five-year window for Connecticut public works, or outside whatever window a private employer requires, you retake the entire course. OSHA does not offer a shortened refresher or renewal.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Outreach Training Program (OSHA 10-Hour and 30-Hour Cards) The full 30 hours must be repeated to get a new card with a current issuance date.
Only an OSHA-authorized trainer can issue a valid card. Courses from unauthorized providers will not produce a card that state inspectors or contractors recognize.5Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Facts About Obtaining an OSHA Card Before enrolling, ask to see the trainer’s current Authorized Trainer card, which lists the trainer’s name, authorization expiration date, and the Authorizing Training Organization backing them.1Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Outreach Training Program FAQs
Courses are available in person and through live online video conferencing. For online delivery, current federal requirements mandate that both the trainer and every student use camera and audio for the full session, and classes by video conference are capped at 20 students unless a proctor is present throughout. Costs vary widely by format and provider, generally from under $100 for self-paced online programs to several hundred dollars for in-person instruction.
Also worth planning around: after you finish the course, your trainer has up to 90 days to issue the official card.1Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Outreach Training Program FAQs OSHA encourages trainers to hand out a completion certificate you can show in the meantime, but does not require it. Whether a site accepts a temporary certificate in place of the card is up to that employer. If you have a public works start date on the calendar, retrain well before your card’s five-year anniversary so you have a current card in hand when you show up.