A beginner course for anyone heading onto a construction site, a shop floor or an engineering field visit. You will learn what OSHA requires of employers and what rights you have as a worker; how to run a hazard walk-around and use the hierarchy of controls; how to match PPE to electrical, noise and fall hazards; the lockout/tagout sequence and basic electrical safety (shock, arc flash, approach boundaries); ladder, fall and confined-space awareness; how to identify, inspect and use common hand and power tools; how to read a tape measure, caliper and micrometer; and how to plan the OSHA 10/30 and other safety cards employers ask for. Everything here is awareness level: real work needs your employer's or school's training and supervision. Practical tasks are safe to do at home with ordinary household items, paper and a pencil.

Learn your OSHA rights, spot hazards, choose PPE, understand lockout/tagout and electrical safety, and use hand tools, power tools and measuring tools safely.

Workplace Safety & Tools

## Why it matters

Construction, manufacturing and maintenance are among the most dangerous kinds of work in the United States. Falls, being struck by objects, being caught in machinery and electrocution kill workers every year. Almost all of these deaths are preventable, and the law says preventing them is mainly the employer's job. Knowing the rules on your first day helps you spot an unsafe site and speak up without fear.

## What OSHA is

The **Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970** created the **Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)**, part of the US Department of Labor. OSHA writes safety standards, inspects workplaces, and can fine employers who break the rules.

- **Standards** are published in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29. The two you will hear most are **29 CFR 1910** (general industry: factories, plants, warehouses) and **29 CFR 1926** (construction).
- Where no specific standard covers a hazard, the **General Duty Clause** (Section 5(a)(1) of the Act) still requires employers to keep the workplace free from recognised hazards that are likely to cause death or serious harm.
- About half of the states run their own OSHA-approved **State Plan**. A State Plan must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and can be stricter. If you work in a State Plan state, your state agency may be the one that inspects your site.

Outside the US, other countries have similar bodies (for example the HSE in Great Britain or provincial agencies such as WorkSafeBC in Canada). The ideas in this course carry over, but the exact rules differ.

## What employers must do

In plain terms, an employer must:

1. Provide a workplace free from serious recognised hazards and follow OSHA standards.
2. Find and fix hazards, and prefer fixing the hazard itself over handing out PPE.
3. Provide required safety equipment and PPE, generally at no cost to workers.
4. Train workers on hazards and procedures **in a language and vocabulary they understand**.
5. Tell workers about hazardous chemicals (labels and Safety Data Sheets).
6. Keep injury and illness records where required, and report severe injuries to OSHA: a work-related death within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalisation, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
7. Display the OSHA "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" poster.
8. Not retaliate against a worker who uses their safety rights.

## Your rights as a worker

You have the right to:

- **Working conditions free from serious hazards.**
- **Training** you can understand, about the hazards and the safety rules of your job.
- **Information**: copies of tests done to find hazards, your workplace's injury and illness records, and your own medical and exposure records.
- **File a confidential complaint** with OSHA and ask for an inspection.
- **Take part in an inspection** and talk privately with the inspector.
- **Be protected from retaliation.** If you are fired, demoted or punished for raising a safety concern, you can file a whistleblower complaint. The deadline is short (30 days for most OSHA safety complaints), so act quickly.

### Refusing dangerous work

You may refuse a task in a narrow set of conditions: you believe in good faith that it poses an **imminent danger** of death or serious injury, you have asked your employer to fix it and they did not, a reasonable person would agree, and there is not enough time to get an OSHA inspection. Stay at the site, tell your supervisor clearly why you are refusing, and offer to do other safe work. Rules on this are precise, so read OSHA's guidance before you rely on it.

## Worked example: a first week on site

Maya starts as an electrical apprentice. On day two she is asked to carry conduit up a ladder that has a cracked side rail.

- **Employer duty:** the contractor must provide a safe ladder (29 CFR 1926 has a ladder section) and should have tagged this one out of service.
- **Maya's options:** tell her foreman ("This ladder has a cracked rail; can we tag it out and get another?"). If the problem is ignored, she can raise it with the site safety lead, a union steward if there is one, or OSHA.
- **What she should not do:** climb it anyway to avoid looking difficult. Good employers want these reports.

## Common mistakes

- **Thinking safety is only the safety manager's job.** Everyone on site watches for hazards, but the employer carries the legal duty.
- **Assuming a training card means you are "OSHA certified".** OSHA does not certify workers. An OSHA 10 card shows you took an awareness course (lesson 10 covers this).
- **Waiting too long to report retaliation.** The deadline is short.
- **Treating unfamiliar tasks as normal.** If you have not been trained on it, say so before you start.

## Official sources

Rules and procedures change. Use the official pages:

- OSHA worker rights: https://www.osha.gov/workers
- File a complaint: https://www.osha.gov/workers/file-complaint
- State Plans: https://www.osha.gov/stateplans

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- OSHA sets and enforces federal safety standards (1910 general industry, 1926 construction); about half the states run their own State Plan.
- Employers must remove serious hazards, provide PPE and training you understand, keep records and report severe injuries.
- You can get information, file a confidential complaint, join an inspection and be protected from retaliation.
- Refusing work is allowed only for imminent danger under specific conditions.


Explain what OSHA requires of employers and which safety rights every worker has.

OSHA and your rights

Workers’ Safety and Health Rights on the Job

OSHA: Young Workers’ Rights

Make a checklist on paper or in a spreadsheet with the seven categories from the reading: falls and walking surfaces, struck-by/caught-in, electrical, chemical, physical, ergonomic, fire.

Make a results table with columns: hazard, location, likelihood (1-3), severity (1-3), score, proposed control, hierarchy level.

Walk the area slowly. Look up, look down, then look around. Note at least five hazards with exact locations.

Score each hazard (likelihood x severity) and mark any that score 6 or more.

For each hazard, propose a control. Try to use a level above PPE for at least three of them.

Check one item against an official source (for example, the label on a cleaning product or the manual for an appliance) and note what it says.

Share your top-scoring hazard with the person responsible for the space and agree on a fix.

## Why it matters

Most injuries happen around hazards that someone could have seen: a cord across a walkway, an unguarded edge, a ladder on loose gravel. Experienced workers are not braver; they have trained their eyes. A short, structured walk-around before work starts is one of the cheapest safety tools there is.

## Hazard, risk and control

- A **hazard** is anything that can cause harm: a moving belt, a 3 m drop, a solvent, noise, a live conductor.
- **Risk** combines how likely harm is and how bad it would be.
- A **control** is what you do to reduce the risk.

## Hazard categories to scan for

Use categories so you do not miss whole families of hazards:

| Category | Examples on a site or shop floor |
|---|---|
| Falls and walking surfaces | open edges, floor holes, ladders, wet or cluttered floors |
| Struck-by / caught-in | moving vehicles, swinging loads, rotating shafts, trench collapse |
| Electrical | damaged cords, open panels, overhead lines, wet locations |
| Chemical | solvents, dust (silica), fumes, unlabelled containers |
| Physical | noise, heat, cold, vibration, poor lighting |
| Ergonomic | heavy lifting, awkward reaching, repetitive tasks |
| Fire | hot work near combustibles, blocked extinguishers or exits |

In US construction, OSHA calls falls, struck-by, caught-in/between and electrocution the **Focus Four hazards** because they cause most deaths.

## The hierarchy of controls

NIOSH ranks controls from most to least effective:

1. **Elimination**: remove the hazard (assemble the roof truss on the ground instead of at height).
2. **Substitution**: replace it with something less hazardous (a water-based cleaner instead of a solvent).
3. **Engineering controls**: isolate people from the hazard (guardrails, machine guards, local exhaust ventilation).
4. **Administrative controls**: change how people work (procedures, signs, training, job rotation, permits).
5. **PPE**: protect the individual (hard hat, gloves, harness, hearing protection).

PPE is last because it depends on every person wearing it correctly every time, and it does nothing to the hazard itself. Good fixes often combine levels.

## How to run a walk-around

1. **Pick the area and the task.** "Bay 3 during the pump change" beats "the whole plant".
2. **Use a checklist** built from the categories above. Walk slowly. Look up (overhead loads, lines), down (holes, cords, spills) and around (vehicles, moving parts).
3. **Write down what you see**, where it is, and why it is a hazard. A phone photo helps if your site allows it.
4. **Rate each item.** A simple scale: likelihood 1–3 × severity 1–3. Anything scoring 6 or 9 needs action before work starts.
5. **Propose a control**, starting at the top of the hierarchy.
6. **Report it** to the person who can fix it, and follow up.

### Worked example

A walk-around of a small maintenance shop found:

| Hazard | Where | L | S | Score | Proposed control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extension cord across aisle | by bench grinder | 3 | 2 | 6 | Move the grinder next to an outlet (elimination); cord cover until then |
| Grinder tool rest gap too wide | bench grinder | 2 | 3 | 6 | Adjust per the manual (engineering); add to the weekly check |
| Extinguisher blocked by pallets | north wall | 2 | 3 | 6 | Clear and mark a keep-clear zone (administrative) |
| Loud compressor | corner | 3 | 1 | 3 | Hearing protection sign and earplugs (PPE) while an enclosure is quoted |

Notice that "wear PPE" appears only once, and as a stop-gap.

## Common mistakes

- **Only looking at eye level.** Many serious hazards are overhead or underfoot.
- **Writing vague notes** like "messy". Write what, where and why.
- **Jumping straight to PPE.** Ask "can we remove this?" first.
- **Fixing it yourself when you are not trained.** Report electrical, pressure or machine faults; do not repair them.
- **Never closing the loop.** A list nobody acts on is worse than none, because people stop reporting.

## Official sources

- NIOSH hierarchy of controls: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hierarchy-of-controls/about/index.html
- OSHA hazard identification (Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs): https://www.osha.gov/safety-management

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- Hazard = source of harm; risk = likelihood × severity; control = what reduces it.
- Scan by category and look up, down and around.
- Rank fixes with the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE.

## Try it

Open the **Do** tab and run a hazard walk-around of a room at home, a garage or a school workshop (with your instructor's permission).


Run a hazard walk-around with a checklist and rank fixes with the hierarchy of controls.

Recognising hazards

Hazard Recognition Safety Meeting Video

## Why it matters

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defence: it protects you when the hazard is still there. Wearing the wrong kind can be as bad as wearing none. A standard hard hat does not protect against electricity, ordinary cotton gloves can get pulled into a drill, and a harness that is not tied off arrests nothing.

> **Awareness level only.** This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them on day one. It does not qualify you to do the work. Your employer, apprenticeship or school must train you on its own procedures and equipment, and you must work under supervision until they say you are qualified.

## How PPE is chosen

Employers must do a **hazard assessment** for each task and pick PPE that matches it (29 CFR 1910.132 for general industry; construction has similar rules). They must train you on when to wear it, how to put it on and take it off, its limits, and how to care for it. Most PPE must be provided at no cost to you.

PPE is selected by **hazard**, and good PPE is marked with the standard it meets. Learn to read the markings.

## Head protection

Hard hats sold in the US are tested to **ANSI/ISEA Z89.1**:

- **Type I** protects from blows to the top of the head; **Type II** also protects from side impacts.
- **Class G** (general) is tested to 2,200 volts, **Class E** (electrical) to 20,000 volts, and **Class C** (conductive) gives no electrical protection.

An electrician or anyone near energised equipment needs Class E. Replace a hard hat after any significant impact, or if the shell is cracked or chalky. The date of manufacture is moulded inside the shell.

## Eye and face protection

Safety glasses, goggles and face shields are marked **Z87** (ANSI/ISEA Z87.1); **Z87+** means high-impact rated. Use goggles for dust and splashes, and a face shield **over** safety glasses for grinding. A face shield alone is not primary eye protection.

## Hearing protection

Noise damage is permanent and painless, so it is easy to ignore. OSHA requires a hearing conservation programme when 8-hour average exposure reaches **85 dBA** (the action level) and sets the permissible limit at 90 dBA. A rule of thumb: if you have to raise your voice to talk to someone an arm's length away, it is probably over 85 dBA. Earplugs and earmuffs have a **Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)**; real-world protection is usually lower than the label, so fit matters. Roll foam plugs thin, pull the ear up and back, and hold the plug while it expands.

## Hand protection

Match the glove to the hazard: cut-resistant (rated A1 to A9 under ANSI/ISEA 105), chemical-resistant (check the chemical's Safety Data Sheet), leather for heat and abrasion. **Do not wear loose gloves near rotating parts** (drill presses, lathes) where they can be caught. Electrical work uses **rubber insulating gloves** rated by voltage class (Class 00 to 4) with leather protectors on top. They must be air-tested before each use and lab-tested on a schedule.

## Foot protection

Safety footwear rated to **ASTM F2413** shows its protections on a label: I/C for impact and compression (toe caps), **EH** for electrical hazard (helps protect against contact with live circuits up to a rated voltage when dry), PR for puncture resistance.

## Fall protection

In construction, fall protection is generally required at **6 feet** (1.8 m) above a lower level; in general industry it is 4 feet. Guardrails and covers come first (engineering controls). When a **personal fall arrest system** is used, it has three parts, the "ABCs":

- **Anchorage** rated for the load (5,000 lb per worker or engineered by a qualified person),
- **Body wear**: a full-body harness (never a waist belt for fall arrest),
- **Connector**: a shock-absorbing lanyard or self-retracting lifeline.

Workers must be trained, and there must be a **rescue plan**: hanging in a harness for long becomes dangerous within minutes.

## Arc flash PPE

An **arc flash** is an explosive release of energy from an electrical fault that can reach temperatures several times hotter than the surface of the sun. **NFPA 70E** sets how employers assess the risk and choose **arc-rated (AR) clothing**, rated in **cal/cm²**. The rating on the garment must meet or exceed the incident energy for the task. Everyday clothes made of synthetics can melt onto skin. Arc flash PPE is chosen by a qualified person from the employer's risk assessment or equipment labels, never guessed.

## Worked example: matching PPE to a task

**Task:** an apprentice helps a journeyman pull wire in a new (de-energised) building, on a 6-foot stepladder, while a concrete saw runs nearby.

| Hazard | PPE |
|---|---|
| Falling objects, bumps | Type I Class E hard hat |
| Concrete dust, flying chips | Z87+ safety glasses |
| Saw noise (well over 85 dBA) | Earplugs or muffs |
| Cuts from wire ends | Cut-resistant work gloves |
| Dropped conduit | ASTM F2413 I/C EH boots |

The ladder itself is controlled by setup and inspection (lesson 6), not by a harness.

## Common mistakes

- Wearing a hard hat backwards when it is not marked as reversible.
- Using sunglasses or prescription glasses that are not Z87 as safety glasses.
- Pushing foam earplugs in without rolling them, so they protect very little.
- Wearing gloves near a drill press or lathe.
- Treating PPE as permission to skip better controls.

## Official sources

- OSHA PPE: https://www.osha.gov/personal-protective-equipment
- OSHA noise: https://www.osha.gov/noise
- OSHA fall protection: https://www.osha.gov/fall-protection
- NFPA 70E: https://www.nfpa.org/70E

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- PPE is chosen from a hazard assessment and must carry the right rating.
- Class E hard hats, Z87+ eyewear, NRR-rated hearing protection, ANSI 105 cut gloves, ASTM F2413 boots.
- Fall arrest = Anchorage, Body harness, Connector, plus a rescue plan.
- Arc-rated clothing (cal/cm²) is selected by a qualified person under NFPA 70E.


Match personal protective equipment to electrical, noise, fall, eye and head hazards.

PPE for trades

Personal Protective Equipment | Construction Safety

Arc Flash vs. PPE

What OSHA requires of employers, your rights as a worker, how to spot hazards and how to choose the right PPE.

Safety on Sites and Shop Floors

Pick the appliance and write its name at the top of a sheet of paper.

List every energy source you can think of: electrical (mains cord), mechanical (blades or gears that coast after power off), gravity (a raised mixer head) or thermal (a warm motor).

Write the isolation method for each source. For the cord, write how you will keep the plug under your exclusive control.

Write the shutdown steps in order: notify others, normal stop, unplug, wait for moving parts to stop, lower or secure raised parts.

Write a verification step: with the plug in your hand, press the ON switch and confirm nothing happens, then return the switch to OFF.

Write the restore steps: check the area, replace covers, tell others, plug in and test.

Walk through your written procedure with the real appliance, doing only the safe parts (switch off, unplug, keep the plug in your hand, try the switch).

Make a simple paper tag with your name, date and reason, and attach it with string to the unplugged cord while you do the walk-through.

## Why it matters

Machines hurt people most often not while running normally, but while someone is cleaning, clearing a jam or repairing them, and the machine starts or moves unexpectedly. **Lockout/tagout (LOTO)** is the procedure that makes sure the energy is off, stays off, and is proven off before anyone puts a hand inside.

> **Awareness level only.** This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them on day one. It does not qualify you to do the work. Your employer, apprenticeship or school must train you on its own procedures and equipment, and you must work under supervision until they say you are qualified.

## The standard

In US general industry, LOTO is covered by **29 CFR 1910.147, The Control of Hazardous Energy**. Employers must have a written energy control programme, machine-specific procedures, training, and periodic inspections of the procedures. Electrical work also follows NFPA 70E and the electrical safety rules in 1910 Subpart S.

## Hazardous energy is more than electricity

Look for every source:

- **Electrical** (mains, batteries, capacitors that hold charge after power is off),
- **Mechanical** (flywheels still spinning, springs under tension),
- **Hydraulic and pneumatic** (pressure trapped in lines and accumulators),
- **Gravity** (a raised ram, a lifted load that can drop),
- **Thermal** (hot surfaces, steam),
- **Chemical** (process lines).

## Who is who

- **Authorized employee:** trained to lock out the machine and do the work.
- **Affected employee:** operates or works near the machine; must be told and must never remove a lock.
- **Other employees:** need to recognise a lock and tag and leave them alone.

## The LOTO sequence

Every site's written procedure is the one you follow. Most follow this pattern:

1. **Prepare.** Read the machine's procedure. Identify every energy source and its isolation point (breaker, disconnect, valve).
2. **Notify** affected employees that the machine will be shut down and locked out.
3. **Shut down** the machine using its normal stop.
4. **Isolate** each energy source: open the disconnect, close the valve, block the ram.
5. **Apply locks and tags.** Each authorized worker puts on **their own** personal lock (one person, one lock, one key) using a hasp if several people work on it. The tag says who locked it and why. A tag alone is a warning, not a barrier.
6. **Release or restrain stored energy:** bleed pressure, block or lower raised parts, let flywheels stop, discharge capacitors (by a qualified person).
7. **Verify isolation.** Check nobody is exposed, then try the normal start controls; the machine must not start. For electrical isolation, a qualified person tests for absence of voltage with a meter that has been checked on a known live source before and after ("test before touch"). Return the controls to off.
8. **Do the work.**

### Restoring the machine

1. Remove tools, check that guards are back on.
2. Make sure everyone is clear and notify affected employees.
3. **Each person removes only their own lock.** Removing someone else's lock is allowed only under a strict written procedure when that person cannot be found.
4. Re-energise and test.

## Cord-and-plug equipment

For equipment that plugs in, unplugging it and keeping the plug under your **exclusive control** (in your hand or locked in a plug lockout) counts as isolating it. Leaving the plug on the floor where someone could plug it back in does not.

## Worked example: a conveyor jam

A belt conveyor has a 480 V motor and a gravity take-up weight that tensions the belt.

| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Energy sources | Electrical (motor), gravity (take-up weight), mechanical (belt tension) |
| Isolate | Open the motor disconnect; lock and tag it |
| Stored energy | Block the take-up weight so it cannot drop; release belt tension per procedure |
| Verify | Press START at the local station: nothing; qualified electrician tests for absence of voltage at the motor terminals |
| Work | Clear the jam |

Notice that turning off the motor was only one of three energy controls.

## Common mistakes

- Using the machine's STOP button or a control switch as the isolation point. Control circuits can fail or be bypassed.
- Sharing one lock among a crew.
- Forgetting stored energy: springs, pressure, gravity.
- Skipping the verify step ("I know it's off").
- Leaving locks on at shift change without a proper handover procedure.

## Official source

- OSHA control of hazardous energy: https://www.osha.gov/control-hazardous-energy

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- LOTO isolates **all** hazardous energy and proves it is off.
- Sequence: prepare, notify, shut down, isolate, lock and tag, release stored energy, verify, work; then restore in order.
- One person, one lock, one key. Only the person who applied a lock removes it.

## Try it

The **Do** tab has you write and walk through a paper LOTO procedure for a plug-in household appliance. You do not open or repair anything.


Walk through the lockout/tagout sequence for isolating hazardous energy before maintenance.

Lockout/tagout

The Six Steps of a Lockout Tagout Procedure

Lockout Tagout Procedure - Control of Hazardous Energy

## Why it matters

Electrocution is one of construction's Focus Four hazards (falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, electrocution). It is invisible, silent and fast. Electricians are not the only people at risk: labourers touch overhead lines with ladders, mechanics reach into panels, and engineers open cabinets on site visits. Knowing how electricity injures people, and which rules keep you out of harm's way, is basic literacy for every trade and engineering career.

> **Awareness level only.** This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them on day one. It does not qualify you to do the work. Your employer, apprenticeship or school must train you on its own procedures and equipment, and you must work under supervision until they say you are qualified. Never work on or near exposed live parts unless you are a trained, qualified person following your employer's procedures.

## How electric shock hurts you

Current, not voltage alone, does the damage. Your body becomes part of a circuit when it bridges two points at different voltages, for example a live wire and the ground. Ohm's law (I = V / R) tells you why wet skin and household voltages are dangerous: lower resistance means more current.

Approximate effects of 60 Hz AC current passing through the body:

| Current | Typical effect |
|---|---|
| about 1 mA | Faint tingle |
| about 5 mA | Painful shock; a GFCI is designed to trip around here |
| about 10–20 mA | Muscles clamp, you may not be able to let go |
| about 50–100 mA and above | Ventricular fibrillation (the heart stops pumping) possible |

Worked example: 120 V across a wet hand-to-hand path of about 1,000 ohms gives I = 120 / 1,000 = 0.12 A = 120 mA, well into the lethal range. Dry skin raises the resistance, but you cannot count on dry skin.

Shock also causes **burns** inside the body along the current path, and **falls** when the jolt throws someone off a ladder.

## Arc flash and arc blast

An **arc fault** happens when current jumps through air between conductors, often because a tool slips, a part fails or dust and moisture build up. The result:

- **Arc flash**: intense heat and light that can cause severe burns several feet away and ignite clothing.
- **Arc blast**: a pressure wave that throws people and turns molten copper into shrapnel, plus a sound loud enough to damage hearing.

Arc flash can happen without anyone touching anything, simply by opening or operating equipment.

## Approach boundaries (NFPA 70E)

NFPA 70E, the **Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace**, defines boundaries around exposed energised parts:

- **Arc flash boundary**: the distance at which incident energy drops to 1.2 cal/cm² (enough for a second-degree burn). Inside it you need arc-rated PPE.
- **Limited approach boundary**: unqualified people may not cross it unless escorted by a qualified person.
- **Restricted approach boundary**: only qualified people with the right PPE and a plan may cross it.

The distances depend on voltage and the equipment, and appear on equipment labels or in the employer's study. You do not need to memorise them; you need to recognise the labels and stay out.

## Overhead power lines

Assume every overhead line is energised and uninsulated. OSHA's general rule is to keep yourself and any conductive object (ladders, scaffolds, booms, pipes) at least **10 feet** from lines up to 50 kV, and further for higher voltages. Cranes and boom equipment have their own, larger clearances. Look up before you raise anything.

## The rules that prevent most injuries

1. **De-energise first.** NFPA 70E's default is to establish an **electrically safe work condition**: isolate, lock out and **test for absence of voltage** before work. Working live is allowed only when de-energising creates a greater hazard or is infeasible, and it needs a written permit.
2. **Qualified versus unqualified.** A qualified person has the training and knowledge to recognise and avoid the hazards of that equipment. New apprentices are not qualified for live work.
3. **Use GFCI protection** for portable tools on construction sites and in wet locations.
4. **Inspect cords and tools** before use; remove damaged ones from service (lesson 8).
5. **Keep panels closed** and the 36-inch working space in front of them clear.
6. **Never** bypass a ground pin or use a cheater plug on a site tool.

## Worked example: spotting an unsafe situation

On a site visit, an engineering intern sees a worker reaching into an open 480 V panel with a screwdriver, wearing a cotton T-shirt, to "tighten one loose lug". Problems: the panel was not put in an electrically safe work condition, no permit, no arc-rated PPE, and no test for absence of voltage. The intern should not intervene physically; they should stay back, tell their supervisor or the site safety lead immediately.

## Common mistakes

- "It's only 120 volts." 120 V kills people every year.
- Trusting that a breaker is off because someone said so. Test before touch.
- Using a metal ladder near electrical work.
- Reaching into a panel "just to look" without PPE.

## Official sources

- NFPA 70E: https://www.nfpa.org/70E
- OSHA electrical safety: https://www.osha.gov/electrical

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- Current through the body causes shock; a few tens of milliamps can be fatal.
- Arc flash (heat) and arc blast (pressure) can injure people who touch nothing.
- NFPA 70E: de-energise and test first, respect approach boundaries, use arc-rated PPE.
- Stay at least 10 feet from overhead lines up to 50 kV.


Explain electric shock, arc flash and arc blast, and the safe distances and work rules that prevent them.

Electrical safety basics

Electrical Safety Basic Training for Non-Electricians | Schneider Electric

What Is NFPA 70E? Electrical Safety Standard Explained | Free Training

Find and photograph or copy the label: ladder type, duty rating in pounds, material and height. Write down whether it is suitable for your weight plus 20 lb of tools.

Inspect side rails, steps, feet and spreader braces using the seven-point checklist in the reading. Write pass or fail for each point.

Choose a firm, level spot clear of doors and walkways. Look up for lights, fans and anything overhead.

Open the ladder fully and check that the spreaders lock. Push gently on the top to check it does not rock.

Practise three points of contact by stepping onto the bottom step and back down three times, facing the ladder.

Mark the highest step you would be allowed to stand on (not the top cap and not the step below it) and work out your safe reach height.

For an extension ladder that rests against a wall at 12 feet, calculate how far out the base must be using the 4-to-1 rule and write it down.

Fold and store the ladder. If any check failed, label it 'Do Not Use' and tell the owner.

## Why it matters

Falls are the leading cause of death in US construction, and many happen from heights of under 10 feet, often from ladders. Confined spaces are rarer but deadly in a different way: the air inside can kill in minutes, and too often the victims include co-workers who rush in to help.

> **Awareness level only.** This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them on day one. It does not qualify you to do the work. Your employer, apprenticeship or school must train you on its own procedures and equipment, and you must work under supervision until they say you are qualified.

## Choosing the right ladder

- **Type and duty rating.** The label shows the maximum load (you plus tools and materials): Type III 200 lb, Type II 225 lb, Type I 250 lb, Type IA 300 lb, Type IAA 375 lb. Site work usually needs Type I or better.
- **Material.** Use **fibreglass** (non-conductive when clean and dry) for any work near electricity. Aluminium conducts.
- **Length.** A stepladder you can reach from without standing on the top cap or the step below it. An extension ladder long enough to extend **3 feet above** the landing you are stepping onto.

## Inspect before each use

Check, top to bottom:

1. Labels present and readable (type, rating).
2. Side rails straight, no cracks, dents or burns.
3. Rungs or steps tight, clean, not bent.
4. Feet present, with pads in good condition.
5. Spreader braces on a stepladder lock fully.
6. Extension ladder rung locks and rope work.
7. No oil, mud or paint hiding damage.

If anything fails, **tag it "Do Not Use"** and report it. Never repair a ladder yourself.

## Setting up safely

- **Stepladder:** fully open, spreaders locked, on firm level ground. Never use a folded stepladder leaned against a wall.
- **Extension ladder: the 4-to-1 rule.** For every 4 feet of height to the point where the ladder rests, the base goes 1 foot out from the wall (about 75 degrees). Worked example: the ladder touches the wall at 16 feet, so the base sits 16 / 4 = **4 feet** out. A quick check: stand with your toes at the feet, arms straight out; your palms should just reach a rung.
- Secure the top and bottom where possible, and keep the area at the base clear and barricaded in traffic.
- Look up for **power lines** before raising it.

## Using a ladder

- Face the ladder and keep **three points of contact** (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand).
- Carry tools in a belt or haul them up with a line, not in your hands.
- Keep your belt buckle between the side rails; do not overreach. Climb down and move the ladder instead.
- One person at a time unless the ladder is designed for more.

## Other fall hazards

Unprotected edges, floor openings, skylights and scaffolds need guardrails, covers (marked "HOLE" and secured) or personal fall arrest systems (lesson 3). In construction, fall protection generally starts at 6 feet. Scaffolds must be erected and inspected by a **competent person**.

## Confined spaces

A **confined space** is large enough to enter, has limited means of entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous occupancy. Examples: tanks, vaults, pits, manholes, silos, ductwork, crawl spaces.

A **permit-required confined space** also has, or could have, a serious hazard:

- a hazardous **atmosphere** (too little oxygen, flammable gas, toxic gas such as hydrogen sulfide or carbon monoxide),
- **engulfment** (grain, sand, liquid),
- an **entrapment** shape (inward-sloping walls),
- or another serious hazard (moving parts, heat, electricity).

Entry needs a written **permit**, atmospheric testing with a calibrated meter (oxygen first, then flammables, then toxics), ventilation, an **attendant** outside, an entry supervisor, and a rescue plan. OSHA's rules are 29 CFR 1910.146 (general industry) and 1926 Subpart AA (construction).

**The most important rule for a new worker:** never enter a confined space you have not been trained and authorised to enter, and never go in after someone who has collapsed. Call for help and the trained rescue team. Many confined-space deaths are would-be rescuers.

## Common mistakes

- Standing on the top cap of a stepladder.
- Using an aluminium ladder for electrical work.
- Leaning an extension ladder too steep or too shallow.
- Treating a short climb as too quick to bother with three points of contact.
- Looking into a vault and climbing in "for a second".

## Official sources

- OSHA ladders: https://www.osha.gov/ladders
- OSHA confined spaces: https://www.osha.gov/confined-spaces
- OSHA fall protection: https://www.osha.gov/fall-protection

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- Pick the right type, rating and material; inspect before every use.
- 4-to-1 rule, 3 feet above the landing, three points of contact.
- A confined space with atmospheric, engulfment or entrapment hazards needs a permit, testing, an attendant and rescue. Never enter or rescue untrained.

## Try it

The **Do** tab walks you through inspecting a household stepladder and practising the setup, staying on the ground or the bottom step.


Inspect and set up a ladder safely, and recognise a confined space you must never enter untrained.

Ladders, falls, and confined spaces

OSHA 5 Things to Know about Ladder Safety

Portable Ladder Safety Training | OSHA Rules, Fall Protection, Accessories, Workplace Safety

Lockout/tagout, electrical shock and arc flash awareness, and safe work with ladders, at heights and around confined spaces.

Energy Control

Gather the hand tools available to you (a household toolbox is enough). Lay them out on a clear table.

Make a table with columns: tool name, family (driver, pliers, wrench, striking, cutting, layout), what it is for, and condition.

Name each tool using the reading. Look up any you cannot name, and note one you do not have but would expect on a site.

Inspect each tool: handle cracks or looseness, mushroomed heads, worn jaws or tips, rust. Mark it OK or 'remove from service'.

Clamp a piece of scrap wood to the table or hold it in a vise. Put on safety glasses.

Drive three screws using a screwdriver whose tip exactly fits the screw head, then remove them. Note what happens if you try a tip that is one size too small (stop as soon as it slips).

If you have a wrench and a nut and bolt, tighten and loosen the nut by pulling the wrench toward you; with an adjustable, turn so force goes toward the fixed jaw.

Put the tools away with sharp edges covered or facing down.

## Why it matters

Hand tools seem harmless, which is why they cause so many cuts, crushed fingers and eye injuries. Most of those injuries come from three causes: the wrong tool for the job, a damaged tool, or a tool used the wrong way. On your first day, a journeyman will ask for a tool by name; knowing them helps you work faster and safer.

## Tools you will meet

### Screwdrivers and drivers

- **Slotted (flat)**, **Phillips**, **Torx** (star), **square (Robertson)** and **hex** tips. Match the tip size so it fills the screw head; a loose fit strips the screw and slips.
- **Insulated screwdrivers** are rated to 1,000 V and marked with a double triangle. They add protection but never replace de-energising and testing.
- A screwdriver is not a pry bar or chisel.

### Pliers

- **Lineman's (side-cutting) pliers**: electricians' all-rounder for gripping, twisting and cutting wire.
- **Needle-nose (long-nose)**: reach into tight spots, bend loops in wire.
- **Diagonal cutters (dikes)**: flush cuts on wire and cable ties.
- **Tongue-and-groove (slip-joint, "channel locks")**: adjustable jaws for pipes and nuts.
- **Locking pliers**: clamp and hold.

### Wrenches and sockets

- **Combination wrench**: open end on one side, box end on the other. The box end grips all six sides of a nut and slips less.
- **Adjustable wrench**: set the jaws snug, and turn so the force goes toward the **fixed jaw**. A loose adjustable rounds off nuts.
- **Socket set and ratchet**: fast and secure; use a **torque wrench** when a specification gives a tightening value (for example 25 N·m).
- **Hex keys (Allen keys)**: for socket-head screws; metric and inch sizes are not interchangeable.

Always **pull** a wrench toward you rather than push, so your knuckles do not hit something if it slips. Never extend a wrench with a pipe ("cheater bar").

### Striking and cutting tools

- **Claw hammer** for nails; **ball-peen hammer** for metal work and punches. Never strike two hardened tools together.
- **Chisels and punches**: grind off a **mushroomed head**, because chips can fly off it.
- **Utility knife**: cut **away** from your body and your other hand, use a fresh blade (dull blades need more force and slip), retract the blade when you put it down.
- **Hacksaw**: teeth point forward, away from the handle; it cuts on the push stroke.
- **Files**: always with a handle fitted.

### Layout and checking tools

Tape measure (lesson 9), **level** (bubble centred between the lines), **combination square**, **speed square**, chalk line, and a **non-contact voltage tester**, which an electrician uses only as a first warning, never as proof that a circuit is dead.

## Safe use, in five rules

1. **Right tool, right size.** If you are improvising, stop and get the right one.
2. **Inspect before use.** Look for cracked or loose handles, mushroomed heads, worn jaws, damaged insulation. Tag out damaged tools.
3. **Protect yourself.** Safety glasses are standard for striking, cutting and prying. Keep your other hand out of the line of the blade or the slip.
4. **Control the tool.** Stable stance, workpiece clamped in a vise, no working above your head without a plan.
5. **Carry and store safely.** Sharp edges down or covered, no screwdrivers in back pockets, tools off ladders and walkways.

## Worked example: removing a stubborn nut

A 13 mm nut on a pump bracket will not budge.

- **Wrong:** an adjustable wrench, pushed, with a pipe on the handle.
- **Right:** a 13 mm six-point socket on a ratchet, wrist straight, pulling toward you; apply penetrating oil and wait if it is seized. If it still will not move, ask: is it a left-hand thread? Is there a specification? Do not escalate force until you know.

## Common mistakes

- Using pliers on a nut (rounds the corners).
- Using the wrong screwdriver tip and stripping the screw.
- Cutting toward your hand or leg with a utility knife.
- Trusting an insulated tool on a live circuit.
- Leaving tools on the top of a ladder.

## Recap

- Know the families: drivers, pliers, wrenches and sockets, striking and cutting, layout tools.
- Match the tool and size, inspect it, wear eye protection, pull don't push, cut away from yourself.

## Try it

In the **Do** tab, inventory a home toolkit, inspect each tool and practise driving screws into scrap wood.


Identify the common hand tools of the trades and use them safely.

Hand tools

Basics of Hand Tool Safety

21 HAND TOOL TIPS, TRICKS & SECRETS!! (Hammer/Screwdriver/Tape Measure/Pliers...& MORE HAND TOOLS!)

With the battery out, write a checklist with eight items from the reading: housing, cord/plug or battery, switch, guards, accessory, chuck key, power supply, label/manual.

Inspect the drill against each item and record pass or fail. If anything fails, stop and tag it 'Do Not Use'.

Find the direction switch, speed range selector and clutch collar, and write down what each one does using the manual or the reading.

Clamp a scrap board to a bench with a second scrap piece underneath. Mark a hole position with a pencil and dimple it.

Put on safety glasses, remove rings and tie back long hair. Do not wear gloves.

Fit the bit with the battery out, insert the battery, set forward and low speed, and drill the hole holding the drill with both hands.

Release the trigger, wait for the bit to stop, lock the direction switch and remove the battery before removing the bit.

Note one thing you would do differently next time.

## Why it matters

Power tools multiply what your hands can do, and they multiply mistakes too. A drill that catches can twist your wrist; a grinder wheel that shatters sends fragments outward at high speed; a frayed cord on a wet slab can electrocute. The fix is mostly routine: inspect before use, set up the work properly, and keep hands and clothing out of the line of fire.

> Every site has rules on which tools you may use and when. Use a tool only after you have been shown how, and follow your supervisor's and the manufacturer's instructions.

## Power tool families

- **Electric (corded or cordless):** drills, impact drivers, saws (circular, reciprocating, jig), grinders, sanders.
- **Pneumatic:** nail guns, impact wrenches, sanders driven by compressed air.
- **Powder-actuated:** fasteners driven by a charge; operators must be specifically trained and certified by the manufacturer's programme.
- **Hydraulic:** jacks, crimpers, benders.

## Pre-use inspection

Do it every time, before you plug in or insert the battery:

1. **Housing:** no cracks, missing screws or melted plastic.
2. **Cord and plug (corded):** no cuts, exposed conductors, taped repairs or crushed sections; ground pin present on three-prong plugs. A **double-insulated** tool (marked with a square inside a square) has a two-prong plug by design.
3. **Battery (cordless):** no cracks, swelling or damage; contacts clean. Damaged lithium-ion batteries can catch fire; set them aside and follow the site's disposal rules.
4. **Switch:** works, and returns to off when released.
5. **Guards:** present, move freely and return (for example, a circular saw's lower guard).
6. **Accessory:** bit, blade or disc is the right type, sharp, undamaged and tight. Grinder discs must be rated for the tool's speed (rpm).
7. **Chuck key removed** before starting a keyed drill.
8. **Power supply:** on construction sites, corded tools are plugged into **GFCI**-protected outlets or cords.

If any check fails, tag the tool "Do Not Use" and report it.

## Setting up the work

- **Clamp the workpiece.** Holding a small part by hand while drilling is how hands get hurt when the bit catches.
- **Wear the right PPE:** safety glasses always; hearing protection for saws, grinders and impact tools; a dust mask or respirator where required (cutting concrete or stone releases silica, which has its own OSHA rules).
- **No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair** near rotating parts. Avoid gloves near drill bits and chucks.
- **Keep the area clear** and know where the cord runs.

## Using a cordless drill: a worked example

**Task:** drill a 6 mm hole through a 19 mm pine board.

1. Inspect the drill and battery (above). Fit a 6 mm wood bit and tighten the chuck firmly; tug the bit to check.
2. Set the **direction switch** to forward and the **speed range** to the low gear (1) for control. The numbered **clutch collar** slips at a set torque; for drilling use the drill symbol setting (no clutch).
3. Clamp the board to a bench with scrap wood underneath so the bit exits cleanly and does not hit the bench.
4. Mark the hole with a pencil and an awl dimple so the bit does not wander.
5. Put on safety glasses. Hold the drill with both hands, wrist straight, bit square to the surface.
6. Start slowly, then increase speed; let the bit do the work. Back out occasionally to clear chips.
7. Release the trigger, wait for the bit to stop, set the direction switch to the centre (locked) position, and remove the battery before changing bits.

## Rules that prevent most injuries

- Disconnect power (unplug or remove the battery) before changing bits, blades or discs, and before any adjustment.
- Never carry a tool by its cord or yank the cord to unplug.
- Never defeat a guard or tape down a trigger.
- Keep both hands on two-handed tools; keep your body out of the kickback path of saws.
- Let the tool stop completely before setting it down.

## Common mistakes

- Using a grinder without its guard, or with a disc rated below the tool's rpm.
- Holding the workpiece in one hand while drilling with the other.
- Wearing gloves near a spinning bit.
- Using a corded tool with a damaged cord because "it still works".
- Leaving the chuck key in the chuck.

## Official source

- OSHA hand and power tools: https://www.osha.gov/hand-power-tools

Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- Inspect housing, cord or battery, switch, guards and accessory before every use; use GFCI protection on site.
- Clamp the work, wear eye and hearing protection, keep loose items away from rotating parts.
- Disconnect power before changing accessories.

## Try it

The **Do** tab takes you through a written pre-use inspection of a cordless drill and a supervised practice hole in scrap wood.


Do a pre-use inspection of a power tool and use a cordless drill safely.

Power tools

Power Tool Safety — It's In Your Hands

How to Use a Cordless Drill FOR BEGINNERS!

Choose five objects with different sizes, for example a book, a door width, a coin, a pencil and a bolt or bottle cap.

Make a table with columns: object, feature, tool, unit, reading 1, reading 2, reading 3, average.

Measure the door width (an outside measurement) with the tape, letting the hook catch the edge. Then measure an inside width, such as a drawer, pushing the hook against one side. Note how the hook moves.

Measure the book's length and width to the nearest 1/16 inch or 1 mm. Write each inch reading as a simplified fraction.

Measure the coin's diameter and thickness. With a caliper: zero it first and take three readings at different spots. With a ruler: estimate to half a millimetre.

Practise reading the two micrometer examples in the reading without looking at the answers, and check yourself.

Calculate the average of each set of three readings and note the biggest spread between readings.

Convert two of your inch measurements to millimetres (1 in = 25.4 mm) and check them against a metric scale if you have one.

## Why it matters

"Measure twice, cut once" is true in every trade. A conduit run cut 1/2 inch short, a shaft machined 0.05 mm undersize or a bearing bore misread by a thimble turn wastes material and time, or causes a failure later. Choosing the right tool for the accuracy you need, reading it correctly and recording the result clearly are core skills for electricians, mechanics and engineers.

## Resolution and accuracy

- **Resolution** is the smallest step a tool shows: 1/16 inch on many tapes, 0.01 mm on a digital caliper, 0.001 inch or 0.01 mm on a micrometer.
- **Accuracy** is how close the reading is to the true value.
- A rule of thumb: pick a tool at least ten times finer than the tolerance you must check. To check a part toleranced ±0.05 mm, a caliper (0.01 mm resolution, accuracy about ±0.02 mm) is borderline; a micrometer is better.

## The tape measure

- **Inch tapes** divide each inch into 16 parts: the longest line in the middle is 1/2, then 1/4, 1/8, 1/16. Count sixteenths and simplify: 10/16 = 5/8.
- **Metric tapes** show centimetres with millimetre lines.
- The **hook** at the end is loose on purpose. It slides out by its own thickness for pull (outside) measurements and in for push (inside) measurements, so both start at true zero. Do not "fix" it.
- Many tapes mark **16-inch stud centres** (often in red) and small black diamonds for 19.2-inch joist spacing.

**Worked example:** the board ends 3 lines past the 1/2-inch line after 27 inches. 1/2 = 8/16, plus 3/16 = 11/16. Reading: **27 11/16 in**.

## The caliper

A caliper measures outside size (big jaws), inside size (small top jaws), depth (the rod that slides out of the end) and steps. Digital calipers are the most common today; dial and vernier types read the same way in principle.

1. Clean the jaws, close them and press **zero**.
2. Close the jaws on the part squarely, with light, steady pressure. Do not measure on the jaw tips if you can use the flats.
3. Read the display; check the unit (mm or in).
4. Take three readings at different positions and record all three.

## The micrometer

A micrometer is more accurate because its spindle is driven by a precise screw. Standard micrometers cover 25 mm or 1 inch (0–25 mm, 25–50 mm, 0–1 in, 1–2 in, and so on).

Use the **ratchet stop or friction thimble** to close the spindle so every reading uses the same force. Check zero on a clean closed micrometer (or a standard for larger sizes).

### Reading an inch micrometer

- The **sleeve** has numbered lines each worth **0.100 in**, with three small lines between them, each **0.025 in**.
- The **thimble** has 25 divisions, each **0.001 in**.

Worked example: the sleeve shows "2" fully visible (0.200), plus 3 small lines (3 × 0.025 = 0.075), and the thimble line 12 aligns with the sleeve's centre line (0.012).

Reading = 0.200 + 0.075 + 0.012 = **0.287 in**.

### Reading a metric micrometer

- The sleeve has 1 mm lines above the centre line and 0.5 mm lines below it.
- The thimble has 50 divisions, each **0.01 mm**.

Worked example: 7 mm lines visible, plus a 0.5 mm line showing below, and thimble line 23 aligned. Reading = 7 + 0.5 + 0.23 = **7.73 mm**.

## Recording measurements

Write the value, the unit, the tool and the conditions. A short table works:

| Part | Feature | Tool | Reading 1 | Reading 2 | Reading 3 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaft A | diameter | 0–25 mm micrometer | 19.98 mm | 19.97 mm | 19.98 mm | 19.98 mm |

Do not round in the record; report the precision the tool gave. If readings disagree a lot, check the tool, the part (is it out of round?) and your technique.

## Common mistakes

- Pressing a tape hook back in to "fix" it.
- Reading 5/8 when the mark is 9/16 (count lines carefully).
- Forgetting to zero a digital caliper or reading in the wrong unit.
- Squeezing a micrometer thimble directly instead of using the ratchet.
- Forgetting the 0.5 mm line on a metric micrometer, an error of exactly 0.5 mm.
- Measuring hot parts; metal grows with temperature.

## Recap

- Choose a tool at least ten times finer than the tolerance.
- Tape: sixteenths, sliding hook for true zero.
- Caliper: zero, square, light pressure, three readings.
- Micrometer: ratchet for consistent force; inch = 0.100 + 0.025s + thimble thousandths; metric = mm + 0.5 + thimble hundredths.

## Try it

In the **Do** tab you will measure household objects and record a proper measurement table.


Take and record accurate measurements with a tape measure, caliper and micrometer.

Measuring: tape, caliper, micrometer

How to Read a Tape Measure - REALLY EASY

How to Read a Micrometer

Write down your target job and the type of workplace (construction site, factory, utility, mine).

Find three real job ads or apprenticeship application pages for that job in your area. Copy every safety card or training they mention.

Decide whether you need OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, and Construction or General Industry, and write why.

Open OSHA's Outreach Training Program page (https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach) and note how to verify an authorized trainer or online provider.

Find two authorized options near you or online (for example a community college, union training centre or authorized online provider). Note cost, hours and schedule.

List the other credentials from the reading that your target job is likely to need, and mark which ones the employer usually provides after hiring.

Make a timeline with dates for each credential you will get before applying.

Add a 'Safety training' section to your résumé draft with the card type, provider and expected date.

## Why it matters

Many job ads for apprentices, technicians and field engineers say "OSHA 10 required" or "OSHA 30 preferred". Some states, cities, unions and general contractors require a card before you can step onto a site. Knowing what these cards are, what they are not, and where to get a real one saves money and helps you avoid scams.

## The OSHA Outreach Training Program

OSHA's **Outreach Training Program** is a voluntary programme that teaches workers to recognise and prevent common workplace hazards. Classes are taught by **OSHA-authorized trainers** (or authorized online providers), and on completion you get a **Department of Labor (DOL) card**.

- **OSHA 10-hour**: for entry-level workers. Covers worker rights, the Focus Four hazards (falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, electrocution), PPE, health hazards and more.
- **OSHA 30-hour**: for supervisors and workers with safety responsibilities. More depth and more topics.
- Versions exist for **Construction**, **General Industry**, **Maritime** and **Disaster Site** work. Electricians and site engineers usually take Construction; plant mechanics often take General Industry. If unsure, ask the employers you want to work for.

### What the card is and is not

- It **is** proof that you completed an awareness course.
- It is **not** an OSHA certification or licence. OSHA does not certify workers.
- It does **not** replace the task-specific training your employer must give you (LOTO, fall protection, confined space, forklift and so on).
- Federal OSHA cards do not expire, but some states, unions and employers require a refresher every few years. Check the requirement where you will work.

### Avoiding fake courses

Only authorized trainers and authorized online providers can issue DOL cards. Before you pay, check the provider on OSHA's Outreach page. Warning signs: courses that promise a card in less than the full hours, "OSHA certification" wording, or prices far below everyone else's. Online courses limit how many hours you can complete per day, so a 10-hour course takes at least two days.

## Other cards and credentials employers ask for

| Credential | Who it is for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First aid / CPR / AED | Many site roles | From recognised bodies such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association |
| Forklift (powered industrial truck) | Warehouse and plant workers | Employer must train and evaluate you; re-evaluation at least every 3 years |
| Fall protection (authorized or competent person) | Workers at height, supervisors | Employer or third-party training |
| NFPA 70E electrical safety | Electricians, electrical engineers, mechanics near equipment | Employer decides who is qualified |
| Confined space entrant / attendant | Plant, utilities, civil work | Site-specific |
| MSHA training | Anyone working at mines and quarries | Separate federal agency (Mine Safety and Health Administration) |
| TWIC | Workers at secure port facilities | TSA-issued ID |
| Site orientation | Everyone on a new site | Every large site runs its own |

Licences are separate again: an electrician's journeyman licence, a PE licence for engineers. Those are covered in later courses.

## Worked example: planning for a first apprenticeship

Jordan wants to apply to an electrical apprenticeship next spring.

1. **Research**: three local programmes' application pages list "OSHA 10 Construction recommended" and "valid driver's licence".
2. **Choose**: OSHA 10 Construction from an authorized provider (some community colleges and union training centres offer it free or cheaply). Budget the time: 10 hours over at least two days.
3. **Add**: First aid/CPR from a recognised provider.
4. **Record**: keep the card, a photo of it and the provider's name in a folder; list both on the résumé with the dates.
5. **Next**: NFPA 70E and fall protection training will come from the employer once hired.

## Common mistakes

- Paying for "OSHA certification" from an unauthorized website.
- Taking General Industry when the target job is construction (or the reverse).
- Listing a card on a résumé without the date or the type.
- Thinking the card means you can do any task. It means you know the hazards exist.

## Official sources

- OSHA Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour cards, authorized providers): https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach
- Apprenticeships (US Department of Labor): https://www.apprenticeship.gov/

Requirements and approved providers change. Checked on 2026-10-23.

## Recap

- OSHA 10 is for entry-level workers; OSHA 30 for supervisors. Pick Construction or General Industry to match your target job.
- The DOL card shows course completion, not certification; employers still owe you task training.
- Verify the provider is authorized; budget time and record the card on your résumé.

## Try it

The **Do** tab has you build your own safety-credentials plan.


Plan the OSHA Outreach cards and other safety credentials employers ask for.

Getting OSHA 10/30 and site cards

Is an OSHA 10 Card the Same as Being OSHA Certified? | Trade Training Explained

Identify and use hand and power tools safely, take accurate measurements, and plan the safety cards employers ask for.

Workplace Safety & Tools

About this course

Course content

Safety on Sites and Shop Floors

Energy Control

Tools and Measurement

Where this course leads

Next course on the path

Careers that use it