OSHA CPR Requirements

If your employer requires you to adhere to OSHA CPR certification guidelines, you need to be aware of the specific requirements your CPR course must meet. 

Read on to learn all about OSHA CPR requirements, approved courses, and profession-specific details so you can choose the best course for your unique situation.

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What Is OSHA?

OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and is a branch under the US Department of Labor.

In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed to put measures in place at a national level to ensure employers were not placing their employees in unnecessarily high-risk working conditions.

As a result, a number of requirements were put in place for workers and employers to adhere to.

In most private sector professions where there is no infirmary, clinic or hospital on the workplace grounds, such as for electricians, construction workers, and factory or warehouse work, some or all employees are required to complete CPR training and earn their certification.

Course Content OSHA CPR Requirements

Organizations base their CPR certification requirements on three criteria:
COURSE CONTENT
What skills are covered in the program.

COURSE DELIVERY METHOD
How the program is delivered, such as fully online, blended, or classroom.
COURSE BRAND
Who is offering the program

Your course content requirement tells you which course you need to take in order for your certification to be accepted by your employer or other regulating body. 

Depending on the industry, professionals overseen by OSHA are required to complete a CPR course that also includes First Aid training.

For example, different rules apply to general industry, emergency services and logging.

Course Brand OSHA CPR Requirements

Some national organizations require that your CPR training come from a specific brand; others don’t have brand-specific requirements and allow you to complete your training with flexible online providers like ProTrainings. 

OSHA does not explicitly approve any online CPR provider. Rather, OSHA has published certain standards and requirements for CPR courses, but the organization does not actively review any CPR programs. 

ProTrainings meets all of the requirements for OSHA CPR certification and training.

over 3 million certifications issued to date

Course Delivery Method OSHA CPR Requirements

CPR can be taught in a classroom, online, or in a blended format. Some national organizations that oversee professionals and require CPR certification have set additional standards regarding the type of course you take. 

If you are overseen by OSHA, you will need to complete a hands-on skills assessment in order to earn a valid CPR certification that will be accepted by OSHA-regulated employers. 

While you can complete a classroom-based CPR program, most professionals prefer to take a blended CPR class. A blended CPR program allows you to complete the video training and written test portions completely online and then complete a hands-on practice and skills assessment with a certified instructor over a live instructor-led video conference. 

Blended programs are often preferred for their flexibility, convenience, and remote-friendly format. We also have local instructors to conduct your skills session in person.

Special USCG CPR & First Aid Requirements for Certification

In addition to the course content, course modality, and course brand requirements discussed above, USCG has additional requirements that professionals must adhere to.

USCG, in particular, requires specific language to appear on CPR certification cards. Many online CPR training providers will issue you a standard CPR certification card that does not meet these requirements.

However, ProTrainings has collaborated with the US Coast Guard to ensure that all CPR certifications for USCG personnel feature the required text.

To ensure that you are taking one of the approved courses and receive a CPR certification card with the USCG special language, sign up here.

Learn More About Professional CPR Requirements

Browse other national organizations that ProTrainings works with:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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National Academy of Sports Medicine

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Academy of General Dentistry

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Commission on Accreditation for Pre-…

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Postgraduate Institute for Medicine

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Athletics & Fitness Association of America

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Dental Assisting National Board

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OSHA CPR Requirements FAQs

Does OSHA accept online CPR certifications?

OSHA CPR certification guidelines state that CPR training courses must include a hands-on skills assessment. To meet these guidelines, you can complete a classroom CPR course or a blended CPR course

In a blended CPR course, you will complete the training portion of the course online, which allows you to access your course from anywhere, start and stop the course at any time, and replay videos as needed. 

Then, you will complete a hands-on skills assessment with a certified CPR instructor. At ProTrainings, our blended CPR courses are set up so that you can complete the hands-on skills assessment over a live video conference. Your evaluator leads you through those practical skills in the comfort of your own home or office at your chosen date and time.

Is ProTrainings approved by OSHA?

OSHA is not an approving organization. Instead, OSHA is part of the US Department of Labor and exists to create standards that employers must follow to maintain a safe workspace for employees. 

Creating courses that follow these standards and recommendations provides employers with programs that comply with applicable training standards.

ProTrainings does follow the standards set forth by OSHA for CPR and First Aid Training.