OSHA 30 Maritime

OSHA 30-Hour Maritime Outreach Training

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About this exam

The OSHA 30-Hour Maritime Outreach Training is a voluntary awareness course delivered by OSHA-authorized trainers for workers and employers in the maritime industry. According to OSHA, the program covers the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in maritime workplaces, and also provides information on workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint. OSHA states that the 10-hour class gives workers awareness of common job-related hazards, while the 30-hour class is more appropriate for supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility. OSHA also notes that the program does not fulfill an employer's obligation to provide training under specific OSHA standards, that none of the Outreach courses is considered a certification, and that although some states, municipalities, or others may require outreach training as a condition of employment, it is not an OSHA requirement. Students receive a course completion card at the end of the training. Maritime student course completion cards do not expire as of April 1, 2019, and training completed before that date remains valid without a replacement card. To prepare, study the four content areas OSHA lists: Introduction to OSHA, maritime hazard recognition and abatement, workers' rights and employer responsibilities, and filing a complaint. Use the OSHA Maritime and Outreach Training Program pages as your primary references.

What you'll study

Common questions

About OSHA 30 Maritime preparation

Is the OSHA 30-Hour Maritime course an official certification?

No. OSHA states that none of the courses within the Outreach Training Program is considered a certification. It is a voluntary training program that provides basic safety and health information and education. You receive a course completion card, not a certification, and the course does not fulfill an employer's training obligation under specific OSHA standards.

Who should take the 30-hour class instead of the 10-hour class?

OSHA describes the 10-hour class as intended to give workers awareness of common job-related safety and health hazards, while the 30-hour class is more appropriate for supervisors or workers with some safety responsibility. If you lead crews, conduct inspections, or influence safety decisions on a maritime site, the 30-hour course matches that role.

Do I need this training by law to work in maritime jobs?

Not under OSHA. OSHA states the program is voluntary and does not meet the training requirements for any OSHA standards. OSHA does note that some states, municipalities, or others may require outreach training as a condition of employment, so check your local requirements and your employer's policy before assuming it is mandatory.

Does my Maritime completion card expire?

No. OSHA states that as of April 1, 2019, Maritime student course completion cards do not expire, that training completed before this date remains valid, and that cardholders are not required to obtain a replacement. If you do want a replacement card, the Maritime class must have been completed within the past five years.

How do I get a replacement card or a card I never received?

Contact the trainer who conducted your class, or the online provider if you trained online. OSHA states that trainers have 90 days after course completion to issue cards, that OSHA does not keep records of Outreach classes conducted by authorized trainers, and that trainers and online providers maintain student records for five years. If training was completed over five years ago, OSHA says you must retake the class.

What topics should I study first?

Start with Introduction to OSHA and workers' rights and employer responsibilities, because those concepts frame everything else on the course. Then move to maritime hazard recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention, and finish with how to file a complaint. OSHA lists these as the four content areas the Maritime Outreach Training Program provides.

What is the most common mistake candidates make in preparation?

Treating the card as a certification or as proof that the employer's standard-specific training is complete. OSHA explicitly says the program does not fulfill an employer's training requirement under specific OSHA standards. Candidates who assume otherwise misanswer rights-and-responsibilities items, so read the Outreach Training Program pages carefully rather than relying on memory.

Where can I find an authorized trainer or confirm program details?

Use OSHA's Outreach Training Program pages. OSHA provides a Find a Trainer tool, program information, program requirements, and Maritime Industry procedures on its site. OSHA does not keep records of classes run by authorized trainers, so keep your own documentation of the trainer or online provider, the completion date, and your card.