Find OSHA Certification Courses: 5 Trusted Sources (2026)

If you are Googling “find OSHA certification courses,” you have probably already run into a wall of confusion. You see ads for “$20 certifications,” official-looking government seals on sketchy websites, and courses that range from 1 hour to 40 hours.

You probably just want to get your team trained so you can get back to work. But in the safety world, clicking the wrong link doesn’t just waste your money—it can leave you with a fake card that gets you kicked off a job site.

Here is the hard truth that might save your budget: There is technically no such thing as “OSHA Certification.”

OSHA does not certify workers. They authorize trainers to issue cards. If a website promises to “certify” you as an OSHA expert overnight, run the other way. What you are likely looking for is either an OSHA Outreach Card (the famous 10-hour or 30-hour wallet card) or Compliance Training (training on specific hazards like forklifts or chemicals).

In this guide, we are going to cut through the scams and the noise. We will show you exactly how to find OSHA certification courses (or what you think are certification courses), where to go for ongoing training, and how to tell the difference so you don’t waste your budget on a piece of plastic that means nothing.

Table of Contents

• The “Certification” Myth: What Do You Actually Need?
• Source 1: OSHA OTI Education Centers (The Gold Standard)
• Source 2: Authorized Online Providers (For the 10/30 Hour Card)
• Source 3: Atlantic Training (For Real-World Compliance)
• Source 4: Trade Unions and Local Colleges
• Source 5: Employer In-House Programs
• Comparison: Card vs. Compliance
• Conclusion

The “Certification” Myth: What Do You Actually Need?

Before you find OSHA certification courses, you need to identify your goal. In the safety world, there are two distinct buckets. Mixing them up is the #1 reason safety managers waste money.

Bucket A: The “Department of Labor” Card

This is the plastic wallet card (10-Hour or 30-Hour) that many construction sites require just to walk through the gate. It proves you have taken a broad overview course on hazard recognition.

Go here if: Your boss said, “Get your OSHA 10 card or you can’t start Monday.”

Bucket B: Compliance Training

This is the training required by law for specific hazards. For example, the OSHA 10-hour card does not certify you to drive a forklift. It does not certify you to enter a confined space. For that, you need specific, topic-based training.

Go here if: You are a Safety Manager trying to keep your company legal and accident-free.

Source 1: OSHA OTI Education Centers (The Gold Standard)

If you want to go straight to the source to find OSHA certification courses, look for an OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center. These are non-profit organizations (usually universities) authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and health training.

Who is this for?

This is where you go if you want to become an instructor yourself. If you want to teach the 10-Hour class to your employees, you must first take the OSHA 500 or 501 course here.

Pros:

• Zero chance of a scam.

• High-quality, in-person instruction from veterans.

• Networking with other safety professionals.

Cons:

• It is not flexible. You usually have to travel to a campus and sit in a classroom for a week.

• It is expensive compared to online options.

Source 2: Authorized Online Providers (For the 10/30 Hour Card)

If you need that 10-Hour or 30-Hour card fast, and you don’t want to travel, you need an OSHA-Authorized Online Outreach Provider.

Warning: OSHA is extremely strict about who can offer these courses online. As of 2026, there are only a handful of approved providers (like 360training, ClickSafety, or University of South Florida). If you take a course from a random website not on OSHA’s Official List, your card might be fake.

How to Spot a Fake

If a website offers an “Instant Download” of your OSHA 10 card, it is a scam. Legitimate cards are issued by the Department of Labor and take weeks to process (though you usually get a temporary certificate immediately). Real OSHA certification courses force you to spend the full 10 or 30 hours in the software; you cannot skip ahead.

Source 3: Atlantic Training (For Real-World Compliance)

This is where we come in. While the 10-Hour card is a great overview, it doesn’t cover the specific, daily hazards your facility faces. You cannot run a safe factory on OSHA 10 alone.

Atlantic Training provides the compliance training that fills the rest of the gap. If you are trying to find OSHA certification courses because you need to train your team on Bloodborne Pathogens, Sexual Harassment, or Arc Flash, this is your source.

Why choose this over a “Card” provider?

• Engagement: Our courses are designed to keep people awake, not just satisfy a timer. We use high-end video production, not slide decks from 1995.
• Specificity: We offer courses on niche topics (like “Ammonia Safety”) that generic Outreach courses skip entirely.
• Management: We provide the WAVE LMS to track it all, ensuring you are audit-ready 24/7.

Source 4: Trade Unions and Local Colleges

Don’t overlook your local community. Many community colleges and trade unions (like the IBEW or Carpenters Union) offer free or low-cost safety training to their members.

What you get here:

• Hands-on training. Unlike online courses, these often involve actual equipment.

• Mentorship. You are learning from people who have done the job for decades.

Best For: Apprentices and trade workers who need practical skills verification (like rigging or scaffolding) that you simply cannot learn on a computer screen.

Source 5: Employer In-House Programs

Did you know your employer can issue training certificates? If your company has a qualified safety director, they can conduct training on topics like Lockout/Tagout or PPE and issue a certificate that is valid for OSHA compliance.

Note: They cannot issue the official Department of Labor 10-Hour wallet card unless they are an authorized Outreach Trainer, but they can certify that you have been trained on specific machinery. This is often the most valuable “certification” because it is specific to the actual machines you will be using daily.

Comparison: Card vs. Compliance

Still confused? Here is the breakdown of how to find OSHA certification courses based on your specific need:

Conclusion

Learning how to find OSHA certification courses is really about asking the right question. Are you looking for a plastic card to get on a job site? Go to an authorized Outreach provider.

But if you are looking to build a safety culture, reduce accidents, and meet the specific legal requirements for your facility, you need more than a generic card. You need a content partner. Whether you choose a university, a union, or a digital library like Atlantic Training, the goal is the same: getting everyone home safe at the end of the shift.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OSHA certification valid for life?

Technically, the Department of Labor (10/30 Hour) cards do not have an expiration date listed on them. However, most employers and job sites (especially in construction and New York City) require you to retake courses every 3 to 5 years to stay current. Specific compliance training (like Forklifts) must be renewed every 3 years by law.

Can I get OSHA certified online for free?

No. You can find free information on OSHA.gov, but you cannot get an official Department of Labor wallet card for free. Authorized providers are required to charge fees to cover the cost of the card and record-keeping.

How do I verify if an OSHA trainer is legitimate?

If you are taking an online course for a 10/30 hour card, check OSHA’s list of OSHA-Authorized Online Outreach Training Providers. If the website isn’t on that list, they cannot issue you a valid card. For in-person trainers, you can ask to see their Authorized Trainer card (which lists their authorization expiration date).

Does Atlantic Training offer OSHA 10-Hour cards?

Atlantic Training specializes in compliance training (Hazard Communication, Bloodborne Pathogens, etc.) and Learning Management Systems. While we offer “OSHA 10 Equivalent” packages that cover the same topics for knowledge purposes, for the official Department of Labor wallet card, we recommend visiting an OSHA-authorized outreach provider.