Nevada OSHA 10 rules are among the strictest in the country. If you send a crew to a construction site in Nevada, public or private, every worker needs an OSHA-10 Construction card and every supervisor needs an OSHA-30 card within 15 days of being hired. This guide explains the law as it reads today, including a change many websites still get wrong: since June 10, 2015, Nevada construction cards do not expire.
What the statute requires
The construction law is in NRS 618.950 to 618.990. The core section, NRS 618.983, sets two obligations:
- A construction worker who is not a supervisor must obtain a completion card for an OSHA-10 course no later than 15 days after being hired.
- A supervisory employee must obtain a completion card for an OSHA-30 course within the same 15 days after being hired.
The course must be one approved by the Nevada Division of Industrial Relations under NRS 618.977. NRS 618.960 and 618.963 define the courses as the 10-hour and 30-hour construction industry courses developed by federal OSHA, so OSHA 10 General Industry does not satisfy the law.
NRS 618.987 puts the duty on the employer as well: if a worker does not present a current and valid card within 15 days of being hired, the employer must suspend or terminate that worker. NRS 618.990 sets penalties for employers who fail to do so.
Do Nevada OSHA cards expire?
No, not for construction. The original 2009 law made cards expire after five years and required refresher training or continuing education. In 2015 the legislature passed SB 233, which removed the expiration and renewal provisions from NRS 618.983 effective June 10, 2015. Nevada's Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) announced that a construction card "is considered valid regardless of the date of issue," and the Division repealed the renewal and continuing-education regulations in 2016 (LCB File R071-15).
That matches federal OSHA, whose FAQ says Outreach cards do not have an expiration date.
Why you still see "five years" online
Two sources of confusion:
- Out-of-date pages that describe the 2009–2015 rule.
- Other industries. Nevada later passed separate OSHA-10/30 laws for the entertainment industry (NRS 618.9901 to 618.9913) and convention services. Those sections do say a card used to meet them expires five years after issue and can be renewed by a new course or 5 hours (OSHA-10) or 15 hours (OSHA-30) of continuing education. They do not apply to ordinary construction sites.
If your crew builds trade show booths or stage sets, check those sections. For construction, cards do not expire under state law, although a general contractor can still set its own policy, such as accepting only cards from the last five years.
Who counts as a construction worker
NRS 618.957 defines a construction worker as a person who actually performs physical work at a construction site that results in construction, alteration or destruction (painting and decorating included), or who supervises that work.
It does not cover upkeep of an existing property with a certificate of occupancy when the work only maintains the property or replaces components with the same or similar ones. The Division's regulation (NAC 618.9914) also clarifies that people engaged solely in architecture, building inspection, delivery and similar roles are not construction workers unless they physically do construction work.
NRS 618.970 exempts the Nevada Department of Transportation and its employees.
Who counts as a "supervisory employee"
NRS 618.967 uses a broad definition: anyone with authority, using independent judgment, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline other employees, or responsibility to direct them, or to effectively recommend those actions.
Nevada contractors often under-count supervisors. In practice, treat as supervisory anyone who:
- directs the work of other employees on site, even part of the day,
- assigns tasks or sets the order of work for a crew,
- has authority to stop work or discipline,
- holds a title such as foreman, lead, superintendent or crew chief.
A "lead hand" who runs a three-person crew while the foreman is on another job is the classic gap. If they direct work, give them OSHA-30. The cost difference is small compared with a worker being sent home.
The 15-day clock, worked out
The deadline runs from the date of hire.
| Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| New laborer hired March 2 for a Henderson site | OSHA-10 card by March 17 |
| Laborer promoted to foreman on June 10 | Plan OSHA-30 right away; the law ties the deadline to hire, so do not wait for a gap to be found |
| Worker hired in Utah on August 4, sent to Reno | OSHA-10 card by August 19 |
| Long-time employee with a 2012 OSHA-10 card | Compliant: construction cards no longer expire |
Online courses are capped at 7.5 hours a day, so OSHA-10 takes at least two days and OSHA-30 at least four. A worker who starts on day 12 is cutting it close. Enroll new hires in their first week.
"Obtain a completion card" in practice means completing the course and having proof. Authorized trainers and online providers issue a printable certificate when the course is finished, and the plastic card follows by mail. Keep the certificate in your file until the card arrives.
Practical checklist for contractors working in Nevada
- At hire: check for an OSHA-10 or OSHA-30 Construction card and photograph both sides.
- Supervisors: confirm OSHA-30 for anyone who directs work.
- Day 1 to day 15: schedule the course immediately for anyone without a card.
- Day 15: anyone still without a card must be suspended or terminated under NRS 618.987. Avoid getting there.
- Lost cards: start the replacement early. OSHA trainers can only replace cards for training within the last five years.
In the OSHA card tracker, mark a job site as Nevada and set the hire date. The tracker shows anyone missing the required card and sends reminders before day 15. Leave the card's expiry blank, because it does not expire.
Free training through Nevada SCATS
The Division of Industrial Relations runs SCATS, which offers OSHA-10 and OSHA-30 construction training, online and in person, free of charge. Classes fill up before busy seasons, so book early. For small contractors this removes the course cost; you still pay for the workers' time.
SCATS also notes that federal OSHA does not require 10- or 30-hour construction training. The Nevada requirement comes from state law, which took effect on January 1, 2010.
Upgrading OSHA-10 to OSHA-30 for a new supervisor
The federal Outreach rule allows an upgrade from 10 to 30 hours only if the same trainer delivers all of the training, all of it is completed within six months, and the 10-hour card is returned for the 30-hour card. In most other cases the new supervisor takes the full 30-hour course. See upgrading OSHA 10 to OSHA 30.
Out-of-state crews
Crews coming from California, Arizona or Utah for a project are covered once they are working on a Nevada construction site. Before mobilization:
- Ask for each traveling worker's card. Any OSHA-10 or OSHA-30 Construction card counts, whatever year it was issued, as long as it came from an approved course.
- Make sure supervisors have OSHA-30, not OSHA-10.
- Check for General Industry cards; they do not meet the construction law.
- Keep proof available on site.
Common Nevada mistakes
- Assuming private jobs are exempt. The law covers construction sites generally.
- Under-counting supervisors. Anyone who directs work needs OSHA-30.
- Starting the course late. Fifteen days goes quickly.
- Accepting General Industry cards. The statute requires the construction course.
- Paying for refresher courses nobody requires. Since 2015 there is no state renewal for construction cards. If a GC requires recent training, that is a contract rule, not state law.
- Applying entertainment-industry rules to construction, or the other way round.
Nevada compared with other states
Most state laws cover only public works. Nevada covers construction sites generally, and it requires OSHA-30 for supervisors. New York City's SST card is the other strict local rule, and SST cards do expire after five years. Compare them in the state requirements checker, and read do OSHA cards expire? for the full picture.
What to record for every Nevada worker
- Name and role (worker or supervisory employee).
- Hire date, which starts the 15-day clock.
- Card type: OSHA-10 or OSHA-30 Construction.
- Issue date, card number and the trainer or authorized online provider.
- Photo of both sides of the card.
- The job sites they are assigned to.
With these fields you can show any GC or Nevada OSHA inspector, in a minute, that every worker had the right card within 15 days.
Spanish-speaking crews in Nevada
A large share of Nevada's construction workforce works mainly in Spanish. OSHA-10 and OSHA-30 Construction courses are offered in Spanish by several authorized online providers and in-person trainers. Training given in a language workers understand is both an OSHA expectation and more effective. Share OSHA 10 en español with workers who want to read about the course in Spanish.