OSHA Training in Tennessee

There is no official certification required to teach most OSHA training classes in Tennessee. However, you must make certain that on site OSHA 10 or 30-hour training classes are conducted by a trainer who is officially authorized to conduct these OSHA courses. The trainer must first complete a series of OSHA trainer classes provided by one of the OSHA Education centers located around the country. You can confirm their status as a currently authorized OSHA Outreach trainer by asking to look at their credentials proving they completed the following trainer courses.

Construction industry trainers must successfully complete the OSHA 510 course, followed by the OSHA 500 course. This qualifies the trainer to conduct OSHA 10-hour construction training in Tennessee and anywhere else in the USA and territories for a four-year period. The trainer is also authorized to conduct OSHA 30-hour construction training in TN and elsewhere. To maintain their status as an authorized OSHA Outreach trainer for construction, they must complete the OSHA 502 trainer update course every four years.

General industry trainers must successfully complete the OSHA 511 course, followed by the OSHA 501 course. This qualifies the trainer to conduct OSHA 10-hour general industry training in Tennessee and anywhere else in the USA and territories for a four-year period. The trainer is also authorized to conduct OSHA 30-hour general industry training in TN and elsewhere. To maintain their status as an authorized OSHA Outreach trainer for general industry, they must complete the OSHA 503 trainer update course every four years.

Be assured that our trainers who conduct on-site OSHA training classes in Tennessee are authorized OSHA Outreach trainers. Scroll down to see links to all of the on site OSHA training classes we conduct listed below.

Online OSHA 10 and 30-hour Training Courses Accepted in Tennessee

There are also OSHA-authorized online 10 and 30-hour training courses available for construction and general industry. However, you must pay close attention, as only those course providers that are specifically authorized to provide these courses can issue trainees the official DOL / OSHA 10 or 30-hour wallet cards. There are plenty of imitators out there who use deceptive fine print and “too good to be true” pricing to sell you a course that is not OSHA authorized. You can rest assured that the 10 and 30-hour online OSHA training courses offered on our website are authorized by OSHA, and are accepted in Tennessee as well as all other states and US territories.

Regulation of Workplace Safety & Health Training in Tennessee

The State of Tennessee operates an approved State Plan OSHA Program that regulates OSHA training in most TN workplaces. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (TOSHA) plan was approved on July 5, 1973. The Tennessee plan was granted final approval by federal OSHA and concurrent Federal enforcement authority was terminated on July 22, 1985.

TOSHA Training Regulations and Standards

States must set job safety and health standards that are “at least as effective as” comparable federal standards. (Most States adopt standards identical to federal ones.) States have the option to promulgate standards covering hazards not addressed by federal standards.

Tennessee has a limited number of state-specific standards (or standards that were adopted with requirements different from those of federal OSHA). A list of these standards is provided below with a Web link for additional details.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Standards for General Industry are the same as the Federal Standards with the following exceptions:

The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development did not adopt the following federal occupational safety and health standards:

• 29 CFR 1910.1 Purpose and scope
• 29 CFR 1910.2 Definitions
• 29 CFR 1910.3 Petitions for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a standard
• 29 CFR 1910.4 Amendments to this part
• 29 CFR 1910.15 Shipyard employment
• 29 CFR 1910.16 Longshoring and marine terminals

Note: In lieu of the current federal occupational safety and health standards codified in 29 CFR 1910.1000, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development adopts the standards limiting exposure to air contaminants as contained in subparagraph (b) of Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Rule 0800-1-1-.07(2). Any reference to 29 CFR 1910.1000 or any part of that standard will be a reference to Rule 0800-1-1-.07(2) (b).

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Standards for Construction are the same as the Federal Standard with the following exceptions:

The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development does not adopt the following federal occupational safety and health standards:

• 29 CFR 1926.1 Purpose and scope
• 29 CFR 1926.2 Variances from safety and health standards
• 29 CFR 1926.3 Inspections – right of entry
• 29 CFR 1926.4 Rules of practice for administrative adjudications for enforcement of safety and health standards

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Standards for Agriculture are the same as the Federal Standard. 

The Tennessee Right-to-Know Law provides additional requirements that substantially add to the Federal Hazard Communication standards contained in 29 CFR 1910.1200 and 29 CFR 1926.59.

The Tennessee standard for Bloodborne Pathogen also provides additional requirements that are not contained in the Federal Bloodborne Pathogen standard 29 CFR 1910.1030.

Federal OSHA training requirement links for construction and for general industry are located below on this page.

Safety and Health Enforcement Programs

See the TOSHA rules on their website for specific requirements. The safety compliance section of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (TOSHA) is responsible for enforcement of the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972 (Title 5, Chapter 3) with emphasis on employee exposures to physical hazards. Physical hazards include but are not limited to construction, machine hazards, walking and working surfaces, flammable and combustible liquids, trenching, motorized equipment, electrical, explosives, fire protection, compressed gases, welding and means of egress.

The state’s Health Compliance Officers have been trained as industrial hygienists to evaluate workplaces for chemical, physical and biological hazards. They are involved with monitoring and analyzing occupational health conditions in the workplace to detect the extent of exposure and the engineering and other methods (work practices and personal protective equipment) needed to control these hazards.

Employers are required to report all workplace fatalities or catastrophes (one or more employees hospitalized from an incident) within 8 hours of occurrence. The toll free number for TOSHA is 1-800-249-8510.

Jurisdiction

The Tennessee plan exercises jurisdiction over all private and public sector employers and employees within the State except private sector maritime activities; railroad employment, not otherwise regulated by another Federal agency; employment at Tennessee Valley Authority facilities; military bases; Federal government employers and employees; and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Tennessee OSHA Information

TOSHA operates six area offices located strategically around the State of Tennessee. These offices include a central office in Nashville and six field offices located in Knoxville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Kingsport, Jackson and Nashville, TN.

The central toll free number for TOSHA is 1-800-249-8510. The National OSHA Emergency Hotline telephone number is 1-800-321-OSHA.