OSHA CPR requirements 2026: when CPR training is the law
OSHA does not require CPR training at most workplaces: 29 CFR 1910.151(b) requires a person trained in first aid when no clinic is in near proximity, and OSHA only recommends CPR. It is required for confined space rescue teams, work on lines energized at 50 volts or more, logging and construction first-aid coverage. Checked 23 October 2026.
CPR & AED class, $785 for 10 See the standards
01Does OSHA require CPR training?
For most workplaces, no single OSHA rule says "train employees in CPR." The general rule is 29 CFR 1910.151(b): where no infirmary, clinic or hospital is in near proximity, "a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid"[1]. OSHA's own reading is direct: it "recommends, but does not require" that every workplace have employees trained and certified in first aid, including CPR[2].
Four situations change that answer from "recommended" to "required." They are in the next table, quoted from the regulations.
Offices, retail, most general industry
CPR is not named. First aid coverage is required under 1910.151(b) when medical help is not close[1].
Confined spaces, power lines, logging
The standard names CPR or defines first-aid training to include it[3][4][5].
Construction sites
A person with a valid first-aid certificate must be at the worksite when care is not reasonably accessible[6].
02Which OSHA standards name CPR?
These are the federal standards where CPR training moves from good practice to a written duty. Text checked in the eCFR on 23 October 2026.
| Standard | Who it covers | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.151(b) | General industry | A person adequately trained to render first aid when no infirmary, clinic or hospital is in near proximity. CPR not named[1] |
| 29 CFR 1910.146(k)(2)(iii) | Employees designated for permit-required confined space rescue | Train them in basic first aid and CPR; at least one rescue team member with a current first aid and CPR certification must be available[3] |
| 29 CFR 1910.269(b)(1) | Work on exposed lines or equipment energized at 50 volts or more | At least 2 trained persons for field work by 2 or more employees; at fixed sites, a trained person within 4 minutes. First-aid training is defined to include CPR[4] |
| 29 CFR 1910.266(i)(7) | Logging operations | Every employee, including supervisors, gets first-aid and CPR training and keeps it current[5] |
| 29 CFR 1926.50(c) | Construction | A person with a valid first-aid certificate (Red Cross or equivalent, documented) at the worksite when care is not reasonably accessible[6] |
State plans such as Cal/OSHA can add rules. Check the AED laws by state tracker for school, gym and public-building AED rules.
03Why does OSHA care about 3 to 4 minutes?
OSHA reads "near proximity" as time, not distance. Where serious injuries such as falls, electrocution or amputation are possible, emergency care "must be available within no more than 3-4 minutes"; in offices, up to 15 minutes may be reasonable[2].
Cardiac arrest is the reason the window is short. OSHA states that survival falls 7 to 10 percent for each minute without CPR or defibrillation, and that after 10 minutes resuscitation rarely succeeds[7].
5 minutes × 7 to 10% per minute = 35% to 50% of the survival chance gone
10 minutes × 7 to 10% per minute = 70% to 100% gone[7]
04How common is cardiac arrest at work?
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiac arrests outside hospitals, US, per year | More than 350,000 | AHA[8] |
| Cardiac arrests in the workplace, US, per year | About 10,000 | AHA[8] |
| Out-of-hospital arrests that got bystander CPR (2023 data) | 40.2% | AHA[8] |
| Workers who can locate an AED at work | About 50% | AHA[8] |
| Workers who cannot get first aid or CPR and AED training from their employer | 55% | AHA[8] |
| US fatal work injuries in 2024 | 5,070 (one every 104 minutes) | BLS[9] |
The gap is clear: arrests happen at work every year, and half the workforce cannot find the AED. Training closes both gaps in one session, because the class shows staff where the AED is and how to use it. See why CPR and the AED work together.
05How many employees should be CPR trained?
OSHA sets numbers only in the power line standard. For everyone else, a working rule (our recommendation, built on OSHA's 3 to 4 minute reading[2]): enough trained people that one can reach any worker in 3 to 4 minutes on every shift, plus one spare for days off.
| Site | Rule or planning basis | Trained people |
|---|---|---|
| 2 line crews of 2 (power line field work) | 1910.269(b)(1): at least 2 trained persons per crew[4] | 4 |
| Office, 1 floor, 1 shift | Recommendation: 2 per shift | 2 |
| Warehouse, 2 shifts | Recommendation: 2 per shift + 1 spare | 5 |
| Logging crew of 8 | 1910.266(i)(7): every employee[5] | 8 |
5 people fit the "Up to 10" tier: CPR & AED = $785
Per person if you fill all 10 seats: $785 ÷ 10 = $78.50[10]
Full price tables by group size are in our group CPR training cost guide.
CPR & AED training at your site
3-hour instructor-led class: adult, child and infant CPR, choking response, AED use and barrier devices. 2-year certification card. 23 Oct 2026 price: $785 for up to 10 people, $1,802 for up to 25.
CPR & AED at AED Leader, from $785 Book at Response Ready06CPR only, or CPR plus first aid?
| Your situation | Class | Price for 10 (23 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| You have an AED and want people ready to use it | CPR & AED Recommended | $785 |
| No clinic close by, so 1910.151(b) first aid coverage applies | CPR, AED & First Aid | $850 |
| Construction worksite that needs a documented first-aid certificate (1926.50(c)) | CPR, AED & First Aid | $850 |
| Trained responders may touch blood | Bloodborne Pathogens add-on | +$200 |
The first aid rules in detail, including kits and response times, are in our guide to OSHA first aid requirements. Responders you designate also fall under the bloodborne pathogens standard[2]: see OSHA bloodborne pathogens training requirements.
07Your 5-step OSHA CPR checklist
- Time it: walk from the farthest workstation to the nearest clinic or EMS arrival point. Over 3 to 4 minutes with serious hazards means trained people on site[2].
- Match your work to the table in section 2: confined space rescue, energized lines, logging and construction carry written duties.
- Train at least 2 people per shift; book the CPR & AED class at AED Leader.
- Place the AED inside the same 3-minute walk. Size it with the AED quantity calculator; a recertified Philips OnSite lists at $875.
- Diary the renewal: CPR & AED certification lasts 2 years[10].
08OSHA CPR requirements: questions
Does OSHA require CPR training for all employees?
No. OSHA recommends, but does not require, that every workplace have employees trained and certified in first aid including CPR. CPR becomes required in specific standards such as confined space rescue (1910.146), electric power work (1910.269) and logging (1910.266).
What does OSHA 1910.151(b) require?
Where no infirmary, clinic or hospital is in near proximity to the workplace, a person or persons must be adequately trained to render first aid, and adequate first aid supplies must be readily available.
How fast does OSHA expect first aid to arrive?
OSHA has read near proximity as no more than 3 to 4 minutes where serious injuries such as falls, electrocution or amputation are possible, and up to 15 minutes may be reasonable in offices.
Does OSHA require CPR for construction workers?
29 CFR 1926.50(c) requires a person with a valid first-aid certificate from the Red Cross or equivalent documented training at the worksite when medical care is not reasonably accessible. CPR is normally part of that certification.
How many employees need CPR training for electrical work?
Under 1910.269(b)(1), field work by 2 or more employees on lines energized at 50 volts or more needs at least 2 trained persons, and fixed sites need a trained person within 4 minutes of each exposed employee.
How long is CPR certification valid?
The CPR and AED class sold by AED Leader and Response Ready gives a 2-year certification. OSHA's logging standard also requires that first-aid and CPR training stay current.
Related guides
OSHA first aid requirements · Bloodborne pathogens training · Group CPR training cost · What high-quality CPR looks like · Good Samaritan AED laws · AEDs for utility workers · AEDs for construction
How we check: prices are read from the live AED Leader and Response Ready listings on the date shown; rules are quoted from the eCFR. See our editorial standards and methodology. AED Best Brands is independent of AED manufacturers.
Sources
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1910.151, Medical services and first aid (text checked 23 Oct 2026).
- OSHA, Standard interpretation, 16 January 2007: requirements for first aid, CPR and BBP training.
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-required confined spaces, paragraph (k)(2)(iii).
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1910.269, Electric power generation, transmission and distribution, paragraph (b)(1) and the definition of first-aid training.
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1910.266, Logging operations, paragraph (i)(7) and Appendix B.
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1926.50, Medical services and first aid (construction).
- OSHA, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).
- American Heart Association, CPR Facts and Stats.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2024.
- AED Leader course listings, CPR & AED, CPR, AED & First Aid, Stop the Bleed, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens, Fire Extinguisher Live Fire: price by group size, length and certification, checked 23 Oct 2026; Response Ready lists the same price ranges.
Updated 19 October 2026.