OSHA Isn’t Optional: Construction Certifications You Must Track to Stay Legal
- LMSPortals
- Sep 2, 2025
- 5 min read
In construction, cutting corners isn't just risky—it’s illegal. When it comes to worker safety and compliance, there’s no gray area. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t operate on suggestions. It sets federal requirements you’re expected to follow. Fail to track the right certifications, and you’re looking at serious fines, shutdowns, or worse—a preventable injury or death.
Here’s what you need to know about the construction certifications you must track to stay compliant and keep your crews safe.
Why Certification Tracking Isn’t Just a "Nice to Have"
Tracking certifications is more than good business practice—it's a legal requirement. In construction, your workforce is exposed to risks daily: falls, heavy machinery, electrical hazards, confined spaces. OSHA regulations exist to minimize those risks. Certifications prove your team has been properly trained to handle them.
Neglecting to track them can result in:
Fines: OSHA penalties can run over $16,000 per violation—and multiply fast.
Work Stoppages: If an inspector sees untrained workers on site, expect delays.
Legal Liability: In case of an accident, lack of certification becomes legal ammunition.
Insurance Issues: Many insurers won’t pay claims if compliance can’t be proven.
Let’s break down the key certifications and training records you need to monitor.
OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: The Basics
What They Are
OSHA 10: A 10-hour safety training course for entry-level workers.
OSHA 30: A 30-hour version geared toward supervisors and safety leads.
Who Needs Them
OSHA 10 is typically required for all general laborers.
OSHA 30 is required for foremen, site supervisors, and safety officers.
Why It Matters
Many state and municipal contracts require all workers on a job site to have completed OSHA 10 or 30. Some jurisdictions won’t even let you pull a permit unless you can prove it.
Keep Track Of:
Employee name
Course type (10 or 30)
Completion date
Expiration date (some employers enforce renewals every 5 years, even though OSHA cards technically don’t expire)
Fall Protection Training
The Risk
Falls are the leading cause of death in construction. Period.
The Requirement
Per OSHA standard 1926.503, employers must provide fall protection training to any worker exposed to fall hazards. This includes workers using scaffolds, ladders, lifts, or working on rooftops and edges.
Certification Includes:
Proper use of fall arrest systems
Ladder safety
Guardrail systems
Harness inspection and fitting
Track It If:
Your team works six feet or higher off the ground
You use scaffolding, roofing, or aerial lifts
Confined Space Entry Training
High Risk, High Regulation
Confined spaces—like tanks, crawl spaces, manholes—pose unique risks: limited exits, hazardous atmospheres, and the potential for engulfment or asphyxiation.
What OSHA Requires
Under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA, construction employers must:
Identify all permit-required confined spaces
Train workers on safe entry procedures
Ensure rescue teams are trained and available
Track the following:
Entrant training
Attendant/rescue team training
Entry permit records
Miss this, and you’re one serious incident away from criminal liability.
Scaffold Competent Person Training
Who Is a Competent Person?
OSHA defines a “competent person” as someone who can identify hazards and has the authority to correct them. Scaffolding is one area where this is mandatory.
Regulation: 1926.451(f)(7)
If scaffolds are used, you must have at least one trained competent person overseeing setup, inspection, and safety monitoring.
Track:
Competent person designation
Training completion date
Equipment-specific knowledge
Not having a qualified person on site during scaffold use is a common and costly violation.
Forklift & Heavy Equipment Certifications
What’s Covered
This includes training for:
Forklifts
Bulldozers
Backhoes
Cranes
Aerial lifts
OSHA Standard: 1910.178
Operators of powered industrial trucks must receive formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation before driving any equipment.
You Must Track:
Type of equipment certified
Date of training
Evaluation results
Refresher/recertification dates (usually every 3 years)
Also note: Certifications are not transferable between employers unless specific documentation is provided.
Electrical Safety & Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
The Risk
Live wires, arc flashes, and accidental startups kill workers every year. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) training is required for anyone servicing machines or exposed to hazardous energy.
What OSHA Requires: 1910.147
Employees must be trained on:
Locking out power sources
Applying and removing tags
Verifying isolation
Certifications to Track:
LOTO authorized employee training
Electrical safety awareness
Annual refresher dates
First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response
OSHA’s View
While OSHA doesn’t require every employee to be CPR-certified, it does require that trained personnel be available if there’s no nearby medical facility.
When It's Required
Remote job sites
High-risk environments
Confined space entry operations
Track for:
Crew leads
Safety officers
Confined space entry teams
Also track Bloodborne Pathogen Training if there's potential for exposure (e.g., from injury cleanup).
Hazard Communication (HazCom) and HAZWOPER
Two Similar-Sounding, But Very Different Certifications
HazCom: Required if your site uses or stores chemicals. Workers must understand labels, SDS sheets, and handling protocols.
HAZWOPER: Required for sites with hazardous waste operations or emergency response involving hazardous substances.
Regulations:
HazCom: 1910.1200
HAZWOPER: 1910.120
Track for:
Workers handling chemicals
Anyone involved in spill response
Site cleanup crews
Silica and Asbestos Awareness Training
Silica: 1926.1153
Construction activities like cutting concrete, grinding, or jackhammering expose workers to respirable crystalline silica. OSHA requires training and, in some cases, a written exposure control plan.
Asbestos: 1926.1101
If your team might disturb asbestos-containing materials, you need certified asbestos awareness training—and in some states, a licensed abatement contractor.
Track:
Exposure control training
Respirator fit testing (where applicable)
Monitoring data and certifications
How to Track Certifications the Smart Way
Tracking certifications in a spreadsheet might work for a five-person crew. But for multiple crews, sites, or subcontractors, it quickly falls apart.
Better Options:
Certification Management Software: Tools like Safesite, SiteDocs, or Contractor Compliance help automate tracking, flag expirations, and store records securely.
Digital Wallets: Allow employees to carry digital versions of their certifications on their phones.
QR Code Badges: On-site verifiers can instantly scan and verify training status.
Must-Have Features:
Alerts before expirations
Role-based access
Audit-ready export formats
Staying Legal Is Cheaper Than Getting Caught
Cutting costs by ignoring certification tracking doesn’t save you money—it increases your risk exposure. OSHA doesn’t accept ignorance as an excuse, and neither do courts or insurance carriers.
Keeping up with certifications:
Shows you care about safety
Protects your crew
Shields your business from lawsuits and shutdowns
Summary: Compliance Isn’t Just a Box to Check
You don’t train your crew just to avoid fines. You train them so everyone makes it home. Certification tracking isn’t about bureaucracy—it’s about accountability. And in construction, accountability can mean the difference between a thriving business and a fatal accident.
So treat certification like the safety net it is. Review your records. Get a system in place. Stay legal. Stay safe.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a mobile-responsive, SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and our Reseller partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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