Online safety training
Safe Excavation
Safe Excavation is an online course on the excavation-engineering skills used as part of the ground disturbance process: soil testing and classification, sloping and benching, temporary protective structures, safe worker access, and temporary crossing ramps.
Duration
1h 20m
On completion
Certificate, valid 36 month(s)
Coverage
All Provinces
Per seat
$49.99 CAD
You set up a training profile before you pay. It asks for more than a normal checkout does - your employer, your role, an emergency contact - because this is a training record, not a shopping cart. It is the file an auditor asks to see, and it is why you can pull your certificate up years from now instead of hunting for a PDF in your email. Give yourself five minutes and do it once.
Trusted by Canadian operators
About the course
What this course covers.
Ground disturbance training covers locating buried facilities and getting the right permits before digging starts. It does not cover the engineering judgement needed once the excavation itself is underway - how to read the soil, when a trench needs sloping or benching instead of a vertical wall, and what protective structure to use when it does. This course covers that half specifically.
The course works through soil testing, mechanics and classification, sloping and benching procedures for maintaining a safe excavation, selecting and using temporary protective structures and supports, ensuring safe worker access and egress, and using temporary crossing mats and ramps.
Contractors use this course alongside ground disturbance training rather than instead of it - one covers what has to happen before the dig, this one covers what keeps the excavation itself safe once work is underway.
Course outline
5 modules, start to finish
Each module ends with a short knowledge check before you move on.
Soil testing, mechanics and classification
How to test and classify soil to know what it will and will not support.
Sloping and benching
Maintaining a safe excavation using sloping and benching procedures.
Temporary protective structures
Selecting and using the right temporary protective structures and supports for the soil and depth.
Worker access and egress
Ensuring safe access into and out of an excavation.
Crossing mats and ramps
Using temporary crossing mats and ramps safely around an open excavation.
Developed to meet Canadian and provincial standards
What every course includes
Printable and mailed certificates
Digital wallet and wall-sized certificates print the moment the course is passed.
Standards compliant
Built on Canadian federal and provincial legislation, safety standards, and industry best practice.
Self-paced
Unlimited access to the training material. Pause and resume the course any time.
Live student support
Real support is available seven days a week if a learner gets stuck.
Unlimited exam attempts
The exam can be retaken until the learner reaches a passing grade.
Record of training
Training records are stored securely for three years and pulled on demand from the account.
Who it is for
Built for the people running the work
- Excavators and ground disturbers who dig as part of their work
- Supervisors and project managers overseeing excavation work
- Workers who enter or work near an open excavation
- Anyone who already holds ground disturbance training and needs the excavation-engineering half too
What you walk away with
Able to do the job, not just describe it
- Test, classify and understand soil mechanics
- Maintain a safe excavation using sloping and benching procedures
- Select and use appropriate temporary protective structures and supports
- Ensure safe worker access and egress at an excavation
- Use temporary crossing mats and ramps correctly
Pricing
One seat or the whole crew, priced fairly.
A single seat is $49.99 CAD. Buying one at a time, code ONTRACK10 takes 10 percent off at checkout. Training more than two or three people is cheaper through a free On-Track Safety corporate account, which also tracks every certificate and renewal date for you. Move the slider to see the difference.
- Free corporate account, no setup fee
- 20 percent off every course for the first three months
- Automatic certificate and expiry tracking for your whole team
Team pricing
What it costs to train your crew
Individual purchases
One seat at a time, list price
$249.95
Individually with code ONTRACK10
10% off, applied at checkout
$224.96
Through a free corporate account
20% off every course, first three months
$199.96
A corporate account saves you
$49.99
on 5 seats of Safe Excavation
No setup fee. The account also tracks every certificate and expiry date for you.
Certificate and format
How the course runs
Your certificate
A mark of 80 percent is required to pass, and the course can be repeated as many times as needed. On completion the certificate of completion is available to download and print, valid three years from the completion date.
- Fully online and self-paced - about 80 minutes of content
- Mobile-friendly - start on a laptop, finish on a phone
- Instant access as soon as the course is purchased
- Covers the excavation-engineering half of ground disturbance work specifically
Why it matters for compliance
Excavation and shoring requirements are set out in federal and provincial occupational health and safety regulations. This course provides the documented training record a carrier safety review or a contractor pre-qualification platform looks for on excavation-specific competency.
Common questions
Questions buyers ask
How much does the Safe Excavation course cost?
- The course is 49.99 CAD per seat. Use code ONTRACK10 at checkout for 10 percent off an individual purchase, or set up a free On-Track Safety corporate account for 20 percent off every course for the first three months when training a crew.
How long does the course take?
- About 80 minutes of self-paced online content.
Is this the same as Ground Disturbance 201?
- No, and most workers need both. Ground Disturbance covers locating buried facilities and getting permits before digging starts. This course covers the excavation-engineering judgement needed once the dig is underway - soil classification, sloping and benching, and protective structures.
Does the certificate expire?
- Yes, after three years.
Build the full picture
Related courses
Get your team trained, on the record.
Enrol one person now, or set up a free corporate account and train the whole crew at 20 percent off with every certificate tracked for you.