Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes. Geigle Safety Group, the parent company of OSHAcademy, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Geigle Safety Group, Inc. has been an accredited business since October 1st, 2009. The BBB has determined Geigle Safety Group, Inc. meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints.

No. OSHAcademy Occupational Safety and Health Training is a division of Geigle Safety Group, Inc., and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

No. OSHAcademy does not issue DOL cards at this time. The cards we issue are for completion of OSHAcademy 10- and 30-hour programs that are similar in content to OSHA 10- and 30-hour outreach training. We also issue cards for completion of requirements for many other online courses and multi-course programs.

Authorized Training Providers (ATPs) who conduct training internationally are not authorized by OSHAcademy to issue certificates or cards by DOL or OSHA upon completion of OSHAcademy-specific training.

For more information on obtaining OSHAcademy program cards visit OSHAcademy's Professional Training Program Webpage.

Note: OSHA outreach training is voluntary and does not fulfill the training requirements found in OSHA standards. OSHA recommends outreach courses as an orientation to occupational safety and health for workers. However, some states have enacted laws mandating the training. Also, some employers, unions, organizations or other jurisdictions may also require this training. Employers are responsible for providing additional training for their workers on specific hazards of their job as noted in many OSHA standards. For more information on obtaining DOL cards visit OSHA's Outreach Training Program Webpage.

OSHAcademy has gone through several changes over the last several years that may have affected the way your certificates look.

On October 1st, 2012, OSHAcademy's website was upgraded. This upgrade provided many enhancements over our previous website and increased the quality of our certificates.

On May 18th, 2015, OSHAcademy's logo was updated. As a result, our website, certificates, embossed seals, and several other of our documents were updated to reflect this change to our logo.

On August 1st, 2018, OSHAcademy added a number of new features to our certificates, these include an OSHAcademy Hologram on original program certificates, a verified training badge on all course certificates and PDF program certificates, and an improved unique QR code on all the certificates.

On April 15th, 2019, OSHAcademy began issuing new training record cards. The new OSHAcademy training record cards replace the old OSHAcademy program cards. The training record cards are durable high-quality PVC cards with a unique QR code, trademarked verified training badge, and a holographic security laminate.

On August 7th, 2023, OSHAcademy upgraded our website again.

Continual improvement is vital to every organization and we believe these changes have improved the quality of our website and the certificates we offer to students. All versions of our certificates remain valid.

Though not required, you are welcome to request updated certificates. Depending on the certificate package (PDF, originals, or both) you purchased previously, a small reprint fee may apply. Contact us directly if you would like to receive a quote or if you have any questions or concerns. Please be sure to have your student #, the program or course package you would like to receive readily available so we can better assist you.

Please click on the following link to learn more about translating OSHAcademy to another language: Translate OSHAcademy.

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OSHAcademy provides FREE access to all of the safety training material on our learing platform! You can audit any course for free; completing the knowledge checks and final exam without any cost to you. Most computer-based training (CBT) organizations require you to pay a fee up front before you can access their material. We only charge a fee if you want to document your training with our high quality certificates and transcripts.

Our training system is designed to be compatible with any device running a modern web browser. You can access our training through our website or by downloading one of our free PDF study guides and train wherever and whenever you want. You can use almost any device you have, including computers, tablets, smart phones, and even most eReader devices. OSHAcademy provides accessibility and convenience, which are important characteristics of successful CBT programs.

And, unlike other CBT training organizations, we want you to email or call our office if you have questions about either the course content or how to use our website. We are here to help!

OSHA compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) are responsible for checking and verifying that employers have provided training to employees in a format that employees being trained can understand. They will determine if the training meets the requirements and intent of the specific standard, considering the language of the standard, and all of the facts and circumstances of the particular workplace. For example, CSHOs will verify that safety training and workplace job instructions are provided in a language that can be comprehended by the employee.

Please review our Translation Information to learn which languages are supported on our website.

No. Employers are ultimately responsible for all hands-on safety training. Safety education is a three-phase process to ensure employees gain adequate knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs): Instruction to gain knowledge; hands-on practice to gain skills; and evaluation of skills on the job to determine abilities. OSHAcademy computer-based training (CBT), like all online learning, can be used to satisfy the knowledge component of the training. However, those topics that require hands-on practice using equipment to gain skills (such as confined space entry and fall protection), should be taught by an employer-designated competent person for the specific type of equipment the employees will be using on the job.

Typically, for hands-on training, employers will have their employees take our online courses to satisfy the knowledge component, and then finish up the hands-on component of the training in the workplace. No matter what method is used (online, classroom, or both) the employer is always held accountable by OSHA to ensure employees are given an opportunity to practice with the equipment in the learning environment to gain adequate skills. After the employer is satisfied that employees have gained adequate skills, employees must be evaluated on the job to verify they have gained adequate abilities to properly use equipment and perform tasks. To determine if a topic requires hands-on practice and demonstration of skills download OSHA's Publication 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA Standards.

A course is one focused unit of study, typically taking 2-6 hours to complete. You can view our course catalog to see a complete list of our courses.

A program is made up of several required courses, and is designed to ensure the student has a solid foundation for the broader program topics.

For example, OSHAcademy's 48-hour OSH Manager program is designed to ensure the student has a solid understanding of several topics, such as Introduction to Training and Effective Accident Investigation.

Students must finish all required courses in order to complete a program. You can view our program catalog to learn more about each program.

Knowledge checks are designed to allow students to self-check their understanding of course content. At the end of each section, students can complete the knowledge check activity and receive instant feedback. Because the knowledge check activities are designed to allow students to self-check their understanding, we do not receive or record your activity results.

There is no time limit to complete a knowledge check activity.

Course exams are used to formally document a student's understanding of the course content. At the end of each course, students are required to take the course exam and pass with a minimum score. Course exam results are recorded and maintained as part of each student's training record.

There is a two hour time limit when taking a course exam.

OSHAcademy does not provide students with missed exam questions in order to ensure the quality and security of our exams. After submitting a course exam, students automatically receive an email.

Students will only receive their detailed exam score and updated training transcript if they have paid for the course certificate or a program which requires the course.

If you buy a certificate for a course, or for a program which includes that course, prior to taking the final exam, you'll immediately receive access to your detailed exam results and a PDF of your course certificate.

If you haven't purchased a course certificate, your dashboard will display an icon to let you know that exam has been submitted or "Retake Exam."

You can purchase your certificate whenever you are ready, no rush or time limit. If you don't pass the final exam the first time, you can retake it after you have had a chance to study.

Official Documentation

OSHAcademy is unique because we provide free access to all of our training materials. This includes access to course exercises, videos, knowledge check activities, PDF study guides, and final exams. All of this for free!

OSHAcademy certificates and transcripts are recognized by OSHA, the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM), the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), and many other public and private organizations.

Once a student has successfully passed a final exam, a student cannot retake the exam to improve their score.

Students should be able to pass a course final exam within three attempts. The course exams are open book and are designed to ensure a reasonable knowledge of the course content. Students are allowed to submit a course final exam three times within a 48 hour period. If the student fails the exam all three times, they are required to wait a period of time before they can submit the exam again. Students should review the course material during this required wait period to ensure they have reviewed any concepts they did not understand.

We are here to help. If you have a question about course content, please email or call our office. We can't help you on a course final exam, but we would be happy to help explain any concepts you might be having difficulty within a course of study.

It's important to document your training for several reasons. It is a permanent record describing your hard work and accomplishments. Your prospective or current employer may want a copy for their records both for your career advancement and to verify training has been completed. OSHA will always want to see written documentation of training. An official OSHAcademy certificate will meet that requirement.

Student transcripts only display courses and programs when certificate packages have been purchased. If you would like course information on the transcript displayed immediately, consider purchasing a certificate package before you complete the course or program. After you pay the certificate package fee, your course and program information will automatically be displayed on the student transcript.

Many OSHA standards require that employees receive training so that work will be performed in a safe and healthful manner.

• Some of these standards simply state the requirement for "training" or "instruction".
• Other standards require "adequate" or "effective" training or instruction.
• A third category of standards require training "in a manner" or "in language" that is understandable to employees.

It is OSHA's position that, regardless of the precise regulatory language, the terms "train" and "instruct," as well as other synonyms, mean to present information in a manner that employees receiving it are capable of understanding. This follows from both the purpose of the standards -- providing employees with information that will allow work to be performed in a safe and healthful manner that complies with OSHA requirements -- and the basic definition that implies the information is presented in a manner the recipient is capable of understanding.

For more information on OSHA's training requirements, download OSHA Publication 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA Standards.

No. OSHA, OSHAcademy, and professional safety associations will not consider you a credentialed safety professional merely by completing academic instruction or training. However, OSHAcademy can help you satisfy the educational component of credential-granting organizations by completing a formal course of study which may provide credit toward academic degrees at Columbia Southern University and other institutions.

This important distinction can be confusing so we encourage you to carefully evaluate the claims of training providers who offer certification as accredited credentialed safety professionals after completing an online course without meeting other criteria. (See below)

The truth is that recognized credentials are accredited by organizations such as the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). These and other accredited credentialing organizations require applicants meet specific criteria similar in the areas of education, experience, examinations, and references. For example:

• Education: An associate, bachelor's or master's degree, or a required number of hours of safety, health, and environmental training;
• Experience: A number of years of work, supervisory, or management experience where safety is a percentage of your job duties;
• Examination: Successful completion of a formal written exam
• References: Two or three references by supervisors or others to verify your work experience

Training certification, whether it is online or in the classroom, is only the first step toward becoming a qualified safety trainer within a company. You must do more. You may conduct safety training only after you are evaluated, certified, and authorized by your employer to do so. However, it's important for legal reasons that you meet specific criteria that enable the employer to justify certifying you as a qualified safety trainer within the company. To meet the qualifications of certification as a safety trainer in your company, you should:

• have the necessary knowledge, training, and experience, as determined by the employer, in the safety topics being trained;
• complete a "Safety Train-the-Trainer" program;
• demonstrate the ability to develop and present training in a manner and in the language that is understood by employees;
• have your knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) evaluated by an employer-appointed competent and qualified person;
• demonstrate, through evaluation by a competent person, that employees have gained the required KSAs to work in a safe and healthful manner on the job; and
• receive, from the employer, and official written certification as a qualified safety trainer.

The employer should appoint and formally certify that you have met their requirements as a qualified safety trainer. In effect, you become a certified safety trainer, but the scope of your certification is limited to the company. The certification is not national in scope.

Note: If you are interested in nationally recognized certification as a qualified safety professional/trainer, you need to meet certain experience, educational, and exam requirements from a credentialing organization like the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. The BCSP awards the Certified Instruction Trainer (CIT) to those who qualify.

If you want to read more about becoming an authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer, please click here.

Good news! OSHAcademy's courses qualify for COC recertification points by various organizations. For instance, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Recertification Guide, you would receive .1 COC point for each hour of a non-CEU course completed. As an example OSHAcademy Course 700, Introduction to Safety Management is a 6-hour course. Therefore the BCSP would award .6 COC points for completion of that course. Completing the 132-Hour Safety Professional Program should result in a total of 13.2 BCSP COC recertification points after completing the 26 courses in the program. You can find out how much credit other professional safety organizations give for online training by visiting their websites.

OSHA recognizes safety training as long as it meets or exceeds the training required by various OSHA rules. OSHAcademy online distance learning is "compliant" with OSHA regulatory requirements and is "recognized" by colleges, universities, insurance companies, and many public and private sector organizations worldwide. Students from all branches of the US military, NASA, and other well-respected organizations have completed our training.

The short answer is because we are honest in all of our business practices. Some training providers may falsely claim their training is OSHA-certified, approved, or authorized. If you see a training provider making these claims, it should raise a red flag of caution, because:

"As a matter of policy, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not "approve" or "endorse" training programs. Instead, OSHA has established the employer, rather than the training provider, as being ultimately responsible for ensuring employees acquire the training and skills needed to perform their duties in a safe and healthful manner." (OSHA Ltr Dtd 10.20.1999)

The Myth of Being "OSHA Certified"

It is a common misbelief among employers, managers, and others that employees must only attend "OSHA Certified" training. The truth is that OSHA never formally approves, certifies, or endorses training or commercial products. That means no training provider can honestly claim to be "certified by OSHA," and no one can become "OSHA Certified" by attending training.

The myth of "OSHA-Authorized"

Another common misunderstanding is that only "OSHA-authorized" training is sufficient to meet OSHA requirements. In fact, as a general policy, OSHA does not authorize any training conducted by any provider. The only exception to this policy relates to "OSHA 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training" conducted by OSHA-authorized outreach trainers issuing a Department of Labor (DOL) course completion card. However, even OSHA outreach training can not claim to graduate certified or qualified students. As explained by Jonathan Jocobi in July 1st, 2011 issue of EHS Today:

"OSHA does 'authorize' outreach trainers, enabling them to issue Department of Labor completion cards for training such as 10-hour and 30-hour programs. But even there OSHA draws clear boundaries, stating that outreach training is 'not a certification program and must not be advertised as such. Outreach training program trainers, students and curriculum are not certified." The agency adds, "OSHA does not 'approve' trainers or classes." In short, terms like OSHA-certified or OSHA-approved always should raise a red flag." You can read the full article here: What Do You Mean By That? Use and Misuse of EHS Training Terms.

Your Training Dashboard is designed to help you keep track of your program enrollment and related courses. Through your dashboard, you can also update your profile information, change your password, update your address information, pay the fee for official program and course certificates, and much more.

Your student dashboard does not meet OSHA requirements for adequate training documentation. To meet OSHA requirements, you can purchase and give copies of official OSHAcademy certificates, cards, and transcripts to your employer who is required to maintain safety training records as described in OSHA publication 2254, Training Requirements in OSHA Standards.

To help ensure you will be successful and considered acceptable by OSHA as a safety trainer, you and your employer should make sure the following is completed, as a minimum:

• The trainer should have the necessary experience in the topic being trained as determined by the employer.
• The trainer should complete a "Train-the-Trainer" course and training in the topics being presented.
• The trainer should demonstrate the ability to present training in a manner and language that is understood by employees.
• The trainer should have knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) evaluated by an employer-appointed qualified person.
• The trainer should demonstrate, through evaluation by the employer, that employees being trained have gained the required KSAs to work in a safe and healthful manner.
• The employer should appoint and certify in writing that the trainer has met their requirements as a qualified safety trainer.

One of the new features of the OSHAcademy website is that course certificates can now expire allowing you to complete annual retraining for various topics. OSHAcademy course certificates will only expire if OSHA requires annual retraining for the covered topic per OSHA publication 2254

OSHA requires annual retraining for a few good reasons:

1. Keeping Up with Changes: OSHA updates rules and guidelines to keep everyone safe. Annual retraining helps you learn the latest rules to stay safe.
2. Remembering Safety: When we learn something and don't use it, we might forget. Annual retraining helps us remember how to stay safe in our jobs.
3. New Dangers: Sometimes, new dangers can appear at work. If your job changes or there are new materials, equipment, or processes annual retraining helps you know how to be safe.
4. Showing You Care: By taking annual retraining seriously, you show that you care about safety. This makes your workplace safer for everyone.

Before, completing annual retraining on the OSHAcademy website wasn't so easy. But now, good news! The new OSHAcademy website makes it simple to finish your annual retraining.

If you finished the expired course as part of a program, your program certificates are still valid.

If you need a copy of your expired certificate, please get in touch with our office. We can send you a copy for your records.

No.

Embassies will authenticate diplomas issued from universities, colleges, and institutions which are accredited by U.S Department of Education-recognized accrediting organizations. If it doesn't appear on the Department of Education database of accredited post-secondary institutions, a U.S. Embassy cannot stamp the diploma, as the stamp only attests to the accreditation of the institution in question.

OSHAcademy is a private training institution, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, and does not offer a "degree-program" but rather a "certificate-program." Therefore, embassies are not generally going to attest to the authenticity of the training. Unfortunately, a great many worthwhile training courses and professional organizations do not have U.S. Department of Education accreditation, so the U.S. Embassy does not stamp or authenticate them.

The purpose of the authentication process is to help guard against false 'diploma mill' degrees, and we agree with the U.S. Embassy policy. Please be assured that OSHAcademy is NOT a diploma mill. There is no way a student will receive a course or program certificate without studying the material and passing the exams. If you have any questions on this topic please call or email OSHAcademy directly.

Yes.

OSHAcademy is happy to provide this service. Authenticated documents are meant to meet government requirements only, and are not designed to be a presentation document. Authenticated documents include a certificate or certificates issued by a Competent Authority (State of Oregon Secretary of State and/or US Secretary of State).

Only students outside the United States needing to meet a governmental requirement should order authenticated documents. It is the student's responsibility to understand what the Authentication/Apostille requirements are for their country.

Before you can request your documents be authenticated, you must complete your program or course and purchase the certificate(s). Please Note: If you choose to have a transcript/certificate authenticated, it will be shipped separately from the rest of your order.

To get your certificate or transcript authenticated, the fee will be $165 (per document) to cover the following:

1. OSHAcademy will have your certificate notarized by a certified notary public. This step takes about 1 business day.
2. OSHAcademy will mail your certificate to the Oregon Secretary of State for authentication. This is required by the US Department of State. This step takes about 7 to 10 business days. After we receive the State authenticated certificate, we will continue to step 3.
3. OSHAcademy will mail your document to the US Department of State to receive a final authentication review. This process takes 4 to 6 weeks. After we receive the authenticated certificate from the US Department of State, we will continue to step 4. Please Note: Countries that are members of the Hague Convention may only require that the document is authenticated by the Oregon Secretary of State. Authentication by the US Department of State is not required. It is the student's responsibility to understand what the requirements are for their country.
4. We will mail your authenticated certificate to you via DHL. To prevent additional delay in the delivery of your authenticated certificates, you must provide OSHAcademy with a complete shipping address.

All fees related to certificate or transcript authentications conducted by the US Department of State are non-refundable. The fee OSHAcademy charges for this service is independent of the required competent authority.

Important note: You can have either your certificate or transcript authenticated. Please be sure to tell us which document you would like to have authenticated. If you do not provide this information, we will have your transcript authenticated as the default training document.

Yes! Access to training materials is free. The significant difference between OSHAcademy and most other online safety training providers is that we allow students to "try before you buy." Most other training providers require students to "buy before you try." What this means is that while most other online training providers charge a fee before you gain access to their course materials, OSHAcademy charges a fee for official certification only after you complete a course or program.

Access to all of our course content is granted to all students. Free access includes:

• online and downloadable (pdf) course content and reference materials;
• course test preparation questions and results;
• course final exams;
• your personal account with student dashboard to track course completion; and
• personal instructor email support in response to your questions.

A fee is required only if you want to receive official high-quality training documents required by OSHA and/or your employer to verify training. Documentation (digital and/or printed) includes the following:

• course final exam scores;
• official certified course and program completion certificates;
• training record card; and
• official transcripts with results of all training.

Because the fee we charge is only to document your training, and not for the training itself, we do not charge a large fee like other companies.

You can purchase individual certificates for each course you complete, or you can purchase a program, and receive certificates for all the required courses for that program.

Please view our Program catalog for a detailed comparison of the programs and what is included when you purchase a program package.

Please visit the individual course homepage to view the certificate options available for each course. You can access the course homepages from our course catalog.

The cost for Shipping is not included.

No.

You can take all of our courses without paying anything. You only have to pay a fee if you would like us to provide you with documentation of your training. When you pay, you will receive access to your exam scores, transcript, and certificates.

Some students purchase their certificate package at the beginning of their training to access their training results immediately. Other students prefer to wait until they are done. The choice is yours! Do what is best for you.

Yes.

Purchase Order (PO) and DD 1556 purchases are available for business and Federal Government accounts. You can email the PO to business@oshacademy.com or fax to +1 (971) 327-6708.

Please include a cover sheet that provides your name, contact information, and how many pages you have faxed.

Yes. We do provide a discount to organizations that enroll multiple students. Please see our business solutions page for more details.

If you previously purchased PDF certificates, you can login to your Student Dashboard and click on the Print Certificate link for the respective course certificate.

If you need to receive another copy of an original certificate, please login to your Student Dashboard, then click on the support option. Please send us a message with your request. You can also call our office at +1 (971) 217-8721 to request an additional original certificate.

Yes.

Our website uses a secure connection to Braintree to process all online credit card payments. Your credit card information is never exposed. After you complete your payment, you will automatically receive a receipt from OSHAcademy confirming your purchase.

You may receive a 100% refund within 30 days of your purchase if no PDF certificates have been issued or original certificates mailed for a course or program. We do not issue partial refunds for incomplete programs. Refund requests must be received in writing by email or regular mail.

Students are encouraged to complete all of their training before purchasing a certificate package. Students are responsible for ensuring OSHAcademy training meets their training requirements before making a purchase.

If you have any questions, please contact our office. Your satisfaction is very important to us!

We accept the following forms of payment:

• Credit Card (Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express)
  • Website
  • Phone
  • Invoice (Business accounts only)
• PayPal
• Pecunia Consultants (same management as OrderBay) - Nigeria
• Purchase Order (Corporate accounts only)

We do not accept cash.

Pecunia Consultants, Inc payments for Nigeria

OSHAcademy established a partnership with OrderBay to facilitate payments for students in Nigeria who have limited payment options. Many of our students have used this payment method successfully.

Pecunia (run by the same management team as OrderBay) will be partnering with OSHAcademy going forward to provide the same reliable and fast service to OSHAcademy students. Pecunia will charge the same fee which, as usual, must be paid in addition to your certificate package and shipping fees.

OrderBay's fees are:

• $50 payment and below: $17 Flat Fee
• $51 - $300 payment: $37 Flat Fee
• $301 - $500 payment: $32 Flat Fee + $15 Bulk order fee = $47
• $501 - $1,000 payment: $32 Flat Fee + $25 Bulk Order Fee = $57

Link: OSHAcademy Certificate Order Form, Pecunia/Orderbay FAQ

We use the United States Postal Service (USPS) Priority mail with Signature Confirmation for all domestic (US) shipments. For domestic (US) students requiring overnight shipping, the package will be shipped via USPS Express or FedEx. In addition to the cost of the certificates, this service will incur additional charges for rush processing and rush delivery. Please email or call (971-217-8721) our office if you are interested in overnight shipping.

We use DHL for all international shipments. We cannot provide overnight shipping for international students.

Domestic (US) shipments typically arrive within 2-5 business days.

International shipments typically take 3-5 business days. For remote locations, delivery times may be longer.

Yes.

When we ship your certificates, we will submit your email address to the shipper. They will then send you an email with the tracking number for your shipment. If you are shipping multiple student certificates together, only one of the students will receive the tracking information. Please contact our office if you need the tracking number for your package.

We can ship directly to most locations within the world, however, some locations are not within our shipper's service area. To verify if you are in our shipper's service areas, please contact USPS (domestic) or DHL (international) directly.

If your mailing address is not within our shipper's service areas, your certificates could be delayed and we may need to charge an additional fee.

Students are responsible for verifying they are within DHL's service area.

Because date formats vary significantly around the world, OSHAcademy has chosen to use the standard date format found within the United States of America. The standard date format found within the United States of America is "MM-DD-YYYY" (ex. 01-23-2001).

View our privacy policy.