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.

OSHAcademy Occupational Safety and Health Training is a division of Geigle Safety Group, Inc., and is not connected or affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Authorized Training Providers are independent contractors authorized to use OSHAcademy training materials to conduct OSH training within their respective territories or countries.

OSHAcademy issues jointly signed OSH professional program and course completion certificates, cards, and transcripts to document a student's training.

Authorized Training Providers are not authorized by OSHAcademy to issue certificates or cards by DOL or OSHA upon completion of OSHAcademy specific training.

Our Director, Steve Geigle, retired from Oregon-OSHA after working many years as a Training Specialist. He was also instrumental in developing OR-OSHA's computer-based training courses.

No. OSHAcademy cannot issue DOL or OSHA cards. The cards we issue are OSHAcademy training cards used to document student participation and training in one of our programs.

Authorized Training Providers are not authorized by OSHAcademy to issue certificates or cards by DOL or OSHA upon completion of OSHAcademy specific training.

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.

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.

Courses taught by an ATP are classroom based. This allows students to have a more direct interaction with the instructor versus an online course. Additionally, ATPs are able to provide hands-on training for some courses which cannot be achieved through online training. Lastly, ATPs have the ability to create custom courses to meet their client's needs.

OSHAcademy ATPS are authorized to provide awareness-level training. OSHAcademy does not certify that students trained by Authorized Training Providers (ATPs) are qualified or competent to perform occupational safety and health (OSH) responsibilities.

OSHAcademy ATP certificate can be quickly and easily verified using our online OSHAcademy Student Training Verification page.

If you need to request a re-print of your certificate documents for any reason, please contact the Authorized Training Provider (ATP) directly for instructions.

Each OSHAcademy ATP benefits from a bulk commercial rate on our training and has the flexibility to set their own fees based on regional market demand and competition. This allows ATPs to offer competitive pricing to their clients while maintaining profitability.

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.

Certificates issued by a training provider can only "certify" you have completed a formal course of study. Training providers cannot issue certificates certifying students as "qualified" safety professionals or trainers just by completing a training course or program. It's also important to know that OSHA does not "certify" anyone as a qualified safety professional after only completing a training course. Be careful not to associate with training providers who claim students will be credentialed professionals after completing a course.

So, what must you do to be considered a qualified safety professional? In the USA, to be certified (credentialed) by organization such as the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, you must generally:

In addition, to be certified as a "qualified safety professional" by the employer, the safety professional should satisfy the above criteria, and also be evaluated by a qualified person in the actual workplace. The employer should certify in writing that the person has met the criteria and is qualified.

Here's the good news! OSHAcademy's OSH Professional programs in general industry, construction, and oil and gas are approved certificate programs recognized by the Institute for Safety and Health Management. Completing these training programs help you meet the requirements for the Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP) credential accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). If you have 2 years of safety experience, complete either the general industry, construction, or oil and gas programs, and pass the CSMP exam, you will qualify for the credential. Contact ISHM for more information.

Yes. 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.

Our training is "approved" by the National Safety Management Society (NSMS) and "recognized" by the Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM). Our OSH Professional programs in the general, construction, and oil and gas industries are recognized as approved certificate programs for the accredited Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP) credential.

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.

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.

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.

You can find and OSHAcademy Authorized Training Providers by visiting the Find an OSHAcademy ATP page.

Please visit our Become an OSHAcademy ATP page.

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).

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