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Key Facts: OSHA 500 Exam
80%
Minimum written knowledge test score (40 points) required to pass OSHA #500
OTI Education Center course requirements
7 years
Maximum time since completing OSHA #510 to qualify for the #500 course
OSHA Outreach Training Program Construction Procedures (2024)
5 years
Construction safety experience required (CSP, CIH, or degree substitutes for 2 years)
OSHA Outreach Training Program Construction Procedures (2024)
4 years
Length of trainer authorization before OSHA #502 renewal is required
OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements (2024)
1.5 hours
Minimum time outreach trainers must spend on fall hazards in every 10- and 30-hour class
OSHA Construction Industry Procedures, Focus Four requirements
7.5 hours
Maximum student contact hours per calendar day in outreach classes
OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements (2024)
30 days
Deadline to submit the Outreach Training Program Report (OTPR) after each class
OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements (2024)
The OSHA #500 Trainer Course is for experienced construction safety professionals who want to become OSHA-authorized construction outreach trainers. Prerequisites are firm: OSHA #510 completed no more than seven years earlier plus five years of construction safety and health experience (CSP, CIH, or a safety degree substitutes for two years, and OSHA grants no waivers of the training component). Over four days at an OTI Education Center, candidates study 29 CFR 1926 standards in depth - Subpart M fall protection (6-ft trigger, 1,800-lb arresting force), Subpart L scaffolds (4x capacity, 10-ft fall protection), Subpart P excavations (5-ft protective systems, soil types A/B/C), Subpart K electrical (GFCI/AEGCP), and Subpart CC cranes - alongside Focus Four hazards, Outreach Training Program procedures (topic-hour minimums, 7.5-hour daily cap, 180-day completion window, OTPR reporting), and adult learning techniques. Passing requires 40 points (80%) on the written knowledge test, a passing presentation test, and full attendance. Authorization runs four years, renewable via OSHA #502.
Sample OSHA 500 Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the OSHA 500 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 120+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which section of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is known as the General Duty Clause, requiring employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm?
2Under 29 CFR 1904.39, an employer must report a work-related fatality to OSHA within what time period?
3A laborer suffers an amputation of two fingertips in a table saw incident on a residential job site. Under 29 CFR 1904.39, the employer must report this event to OSHA within:
4OSHA's safety and health standards for the construction industry are codified in which part of the Code of Federal Regulations?
5An OSHA area office receives a formal employee complaint, a referral reporting workers in a 10-foot-deep trench with vertical walls and no protective system, and is scheduled to run a programmed inspection the same week. Which inspection takes top priority?
6Under OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy, a general contractor that has overall authority on a project and could reasonably have detected and corrected a subcontractor's scaffold violation may be cited as which type of employer, even if none of its own employees were exposed?
7During what period must employers post the OSHA Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, in a visible workplace location?
8After receiving an OSHA citation, an employer must post a copy at or near the location of the violation for how long?
9Under 29 CFR 1926.32(f), a 'competent person' is best defined as one who:
10A roofing contractor had a peak employment of how many or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year to be partially exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records?
About the OSHA 500 Exam
The OSHA #500 is the 4-day trainer course that authorizes graduates to teach 10- and 30-hour construction outreach classes and issue Department of Labor course completion cards through their Authorizing Training Organization. Candidates must have completed OSHA #510 within the prior seven years and have five years of construction safety and health experience (a CSP, CIH, or relevant degree substitutes for two years). The course examines 29 CFR 1926 standards in depth, the Focus Four hazards, OSHA Outreach Training Program requirements, and adult training techniques. Passing requires a minimum of 40 points (80%) on the written knowledge test, a passing score on a presentation test on an assigned outreach topic, and 100% attendance. Authorization lasts four years and is renewed with OSHA #502.
Exam sponsor: OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Question count not published by the exam provider
Time Limit
4-day course (approximately 26 contact hours); written knowledge test and scored presentation on the final day
Passing Score
Minimum 40 points (80%) on the written knowledge test, a passing presentation score, and 100% attendance
Exam / Certification Fees
Approximately $765-$900 tuition, varying by OTI Education Center
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
OSHA Outreach Training Program Requirements
Trainer prerequisites (OSHA #510 within 7 years, 5 years construction safety experience), 4-year authorization and OSHA #502 renewal, 10/30-hour topic-hour minimums including the 1.5-hour falls floor, OTPR reporting within 30 days, 5-year records retention, 40-student class cap, makeup training at 50% completion, and authorized-vs-certified advertising rules
Fall Protection, Scaffolds, Stairways and Ladders
Subpart M 6-foot trigger, guardrail dimensions (42 in. +/- 3) and 200-lb top rail strength, PFAS limits (1,800-lb arresting force, 6-ft free fall, 5,000-lb anchorage), safety net drop tests and 30-ft placement limit, Subpart L scaffold capacity (4x; ropes 6x), 10-ft scaffold fall protection, competent-person inspections, and Subpart X ladder angle and 3-ft extension rules
Struck-By and Caught-In/Between Hazards
Subpart P excavations (5-ft protective systems, 25-ft lateral egress, Type A/B/C maximum slopes, 2-ft spoil setback, RPE design beyond 20 ft), Subpart CC cranes (20-ft default and Table A power line clearances, operator certification plus documented evaluation, signal person triggers), backing alarms and spotters, and swing-radius barricading
Health Hazards and PPE
Respirable crystalline silica (50 ug/m3 PEL, 25 ug/m3 action level, Table 1 control methods), 90 dBA construction noise PEL, GHS labels and 16-section SDSs, ANSI Z89.1 hard hat classes and Z87.1 eye protection, lead action level (30 ug/m3), confined space oxygen range (19.5%-23.5%) and testing order, respirator medical evaluations, and the hierarchy of controls
Adult Learning and Training Techniques
Knowles' andragogy assumptions, writing measurable performance-based learning objectives, Bloom's taxonomy levels, open-ended questioning, facilitating experienced trade audiences, managing monopolizers, slide and visual aid design, lesson sequencing, and Kirkpatrick's four evaluation levels
Electrical Safety and Electrocution Prevention
Subpart K GFCI protection for 120-volt 15/20-amp temporary receptacles, AEGCP alternative with 3-month test intervals, Class A GFCI 5-mA trip level, hard/extra-hard usage cord types (S, ST, SO, STO), double-insulated tool exemption, 1926.417 tagging, and 10-ft clearances from lines up to 50 kV
OSH Act, Inspections, and Recordkeeping
General Duty Clause 5(a)(1), imminent-danger-first inspection priorities, 8-hour fatality and 24-hour amputation/hospitalization reporting, OSHA 300 log and 300A posting (Feb 1-Apr 30), citation posting (3 working days or until abated), the multi-employer citation policy roles, and 1926.32 competent/qualified person definitions
Preparing for the OSHA 500 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Minimum 40 points (80%) on the written knowledge test, a passing presentation score, and 100% attendance
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: 4-day course (approximately 26 contact hours); written knowledge test and scored presentation on the final day
- Exam / certification fees: Approximately $765-$900 tuition, varying by OTI Education Center Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 120 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
OSHA 500: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the prerequisites for the OSHA 500 course?
You must have completed OSHA #510 (Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry) no more than seven years before taking OSHA #500, and have five years of construction safety and health experience. A CSP, CIH, or a bachelor's degree or higher in occupational safety and health or industrial hygiene can substitute for two years of the experience requirement. Experience cannot substitute for the #510 training component, and OSHA does not grant waivers.
What score do I need to pass the OSHA 500?
You need a minimum of 40 points (80%) on the written knowledge test administered at the end of the course, plus a passing score on a presentation test in which you teach an assigned OSHA construction outreach topic. 100% attendance across the 4-day course is also required.
What does OSHA 500 authorization let me do?
Graduates become OSHA-authorized construction outreach trainers who can teach 10-hour and 30-hour construction outreach classes and request Department of Labor student course completion cards through their Authorizing Training Organization (the OTI Education Center that ran their course).
How long does OSHA 500 trainer authorization last?
Four years. To stay authorized you must complete the OSHA #502 Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers (or retake OSHA #500) every four years. Expired trainers cannot conduct outreach classes or receive student cards, and extensions are not granted except for a 90-day exemption for military members returning from overseas.
Is the 30-hour construction outreach class the same as OSHA 510?
No. The 30-hour outreach class is a hazard-awareness class delivered by outreach trainers, while OSHA #510 is a standards-based course offered only through OTI Education Centers. OSHA explicitly states the 30-hour class is not considered equivalent to #510 for meeting the OSHA 500 prerequisite.
What topics does the OSHA 500 written test cover?
Expect questions on 29 CFR 1926 standards (Subpart M fall protection, L scaffolds, P excavations, K electrical, CC cranes, and health standards like silica), the Focus Four hazards, OSHA Outreach Training Program requirements and procedures (topic hours, reporting, recordkeeping), and adult learning and presentation techniques.
How much does the OSHA 500 course cost?
Tuition varies by OTI Education Center but typically runs about $765 to $900 for the 4-day course. Check the OSHA OTIEC course schedule for centers and dates near you.