Posted On: April 14, 2026
Two courses. Both are 10 hours. Both are required on construction sites. And if you mix them up, you could show up to a New York City job site with the wrong training and get turned away at the gate.
This is one of the most common points of confusion for construction workers and employers, and it is worth clearing up properly. OSHA 10 Construction and the NYC SST 10 Hour are not the same thing. They come from different programs, serve different purposes, and carry different importance depending on where you are working.
OSHA 10 Hour Construction is a federal training program developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under its Outreach Training Program. It covers 10 hours of basic workplace safety content designed for entry level construction workers, including how to recognize hazards, understand your rights, and protect yourself and your coworkers on any job site across the United States.
When you complete OSHA 10, you receive an official OSHA Department of Labor (DOL) card. This card is recognized by employers and contractors in all 50 states. It does not expire, although many employers recommend refreshing the training every few years.
OSHA 10 Construction is a federally recognized program that is accepted on construction sites throughout the United States.
The NYC SST 10 Hour is a completely different program. SST stands for Site Safety Training, and it exists because of New York City Local Law 196 of 2017, a city law that created its own mandatory safety training framework for construction workers on major job sites across the five boroughs.
The NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) oversees the SST program, not federal OSHA. The 10 Hour SST course is specifically designed for construction workers who already have a valid OSHA 30 Hour construction Department of Labor (DOL) card issued within the past five years.
These workers need 10 additional hours of NYC specific training to reach the 40 hour total required for SST Worker card. Those 10 hours include NYC specific content:
Both are approved by the NYC DOB and recorded in the city’s Training Connect system.
When you complete the full 40 hour requirement, you receive the SST Worker card, a physical plastic card that must be carried on site at all times. SST cards expire every five years and can only be issued by DOB approved training providers.
Who governs it: OSHA 10 is a federal program governed by the U.S. Department of Labor. The SST 10 Hour is a New York City program governed by the NYC Department of Buildings.
Who needs it: OSHA 10 is for entry level construction workers across the United States. The SST 10 Hour is specifically for NYC construction workers who already hold an OSHA 30 and need to complete their 40 hour SST requirement.
What you receive: OSHA 10 earns you an official federal OSHA DOL card, valid across United States. The SST 10 Hour contributes toward your NYC SST Worker card, which is required in New York City.
Where it is accepted: OSHA 10 is accepted on construction sites across all 50 states. The SST card is a New York City requirement under Local Law 196 and has no federal standing outside of NYC.
OSHA 10 alone is not enough to work on NYC job sites covered by Local Law 196. Even if you hold a valid OSHA 10 DOL card, you still need to complete the remaining hours of SST training to qualify for your SST Worker card. Your OSHA 10 counts toward those 40 hours, but it does not replace them.
The SST 10 Hour course alone is also not enough. It only applies to workers who already have a valid OSHA 30 card and are completing the final 10 hours of their SST requirement.
OSHA Training School offers OSHA 10 Hour Construction online, fully authorized through UL Solutions (PureSafety), with your official OSHA DOL card included. For NYC construction workers, OSHA Training School also offers the NYC SST 10 Hour course, approved by the NYC Department of Buildings, to help you complete your required training and obtain your SST Worker card.
Both courses are available online, self-paced, and accessible in English and Spanish.
OSHA 10 and the NYC SST 10 Hour are not competing courses. They are part of two separate programs built for two different purposes. Know which one applies to your situation, get the right training, and carry the right card for the sites you work on so you stay compliant and job ready at all times.
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