What is awareness training versus specialised safety training?

Awareness training builds foundational knowledge that every worker should have — understanding hazards, knowing reporting obligations, recognising unsafe conditions, and understanding their rights and responsibilities under OHS legislation. It is designed for broad audiences: new hires, supervisors, administrative staff, and workers who need general safety knowledge. Specialised safety training goes deeper into a specific hazard or task — for example, confined space entry, fall arrest, or lockout tagout — and typically results in a certification that satisfies a specific regulatory training requirement. Awareness and specialised training work together: awareness creates a safety culture, and specialised training builds the competency for specific work.

Is hazard identification training required?

Yes. Provincial OHS legislation across Canada requires employers to ensure workers can identify and report hazards before they begin work. Hazard identification is not a standalone regulatory item but it underpins nearly every OHS obligation: field-level hazard assessments (FLHAs), job hazard analyses, pre-task planning, and incident prevention all depend on workers knowing how to spot hazards. For COR certification, hazard identification training is one of the core elements auditors look for in your training matrix. Completing a hazard identification course and documenting it satisfies this component.

What is a health and safety committee and do they need training?

A joint health and safety committee (JHSC) is a group of worker and employer representatives who work together to identify hazards, investigate incidents, and recommend improvements. Most Canadian provinces require JHSCs at workplaces above a certain size threshold (typically 20 workers). Committee members have specific responsibilities under OHS legislation — including conducting inspections, participating in investigations, and maintaining records. Training for JHSC members is strongly recommended and, in some provinces, required. Our health and safety committee courses cover roles, responsibilities, meeting procedures, inspection duties, and effective committee operation.

How long are awareness course certificates valid?

Most awareness courses carry certificates valid for 24 to 36 months. However, unlike specialised certifications (fall protection, confined space), renewal timelines for awareness training are often set by employer policy rather than by regulation. Many employers refresh awareness training annually or whenever there is a significant change to procedures, legislation, or worksite conditions. For COR auditing purposes, having a current and documented training record for every worker is what auditors look for — regardless of whether the course has technically expired.

Can new workers complete awareness training before starting on site?

Yes, and this is strongly recommended. Completing general safety awareness training before a worker's first day reduces the risk of an incident during the critical early period when workers are unfamiliar with site conditions. Many employers include awareness courses as part of a pre-employment package or new-hire orientation. Our online format means workers can complete training from home on any device and arrive with a certificate in hand. Corporate accounts allow you to assign and track this training for your entire incoming workforce before they mobilise.

Toolbox talk and safety briefing with workers on a Canadian worksite

Online Safety Training

Safety Awareness

Awareness training — the foundation every safe workplace is built on.

138 certificate-tracked courses covering hazard identification, workplace inspections, incident investigation, health and safety committees, and more. Training every worker should have.

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Why it matters

Awareness training is not just recommended — it is the baseline.

Specialised safety courses train workers for specific hazards. Awareness training builds the foundation that makes all of that specialised training stick. A worker who understands how to identify hazards, report near-misses, and participate in inspections is a worker who makes your whole safety program stronger.

These are the courses that everyone should complete — not just workers in high-hazard roles. New hires, supervisors, office staff, and field crews all benefit from a shared understanding of workplace safety responsibilities.

Hazard identification — required by OHS legislation before workers begin any task
Incident investigation — mandatory for supervisors and safety reps
Workplace inspections — a core JHSC function in every province
Violence and harassment prevention — required by provincial OHS law
Health and safety committee training — for JHSC members in regulated workplaces
Working alone — employer obligation under provincial OHS regulations

Supervisor mentoring a worker through safety training

What we cover

Awareness topics for every role on your team.

From new hire orientation to joint health and safety committee responsibilities, our awareness catalogue covers the knowledge every worker and supervisor should have.

Hazard Identification

Recognising and reporting workplace hazards

Workplace Inspections

Inspection procedures, checklists, and reporting

Incident Investigation

Root cause analysis, reporting, and corrective action

Health and Safety Committees

JHSC roles, responsibilities, and meeting procedures

Working Alone

Check-in requirements, lone worker obligations

Violence and Harassment Prevention

Workplace respectful conduct, reporting processes

OHS Legislation Awareness

Worker rights, employer duties, regulator roles

Orientation and Onboarding Safety

New worker fundamentals for any industry

138+

Awareness courses

24–36 mo

Typical cert validity

All provinces

OHS coverage

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10% off individual purchases

Top safety awareness courses

Use code ONTRACK10 for 10% off individual purchases, or get a corporate account for 20% off your first three months.

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$44.99

Workplace Inspections

This course will help you conduct effective workplace inspections and will explain the tools that help improve your inspection system.

Course details

$44.99

Hazard Identification, Assessment, and Control

This online Hazard Identification course will help keep you safe on the job by showing you how to prevent injuries and illness in the workplace through hazard identification, assessment, and control.

1h 20m

Course details

$59.99Ontario36 Month(s)

Traffic Control Persons for Construction in Ontario

This online Traffic Control Persons for Construction in Ontario course explains the techniques, equipment, and legal requirements for traffic control persons in a construction environment.

30m

Course details

$79.9936 Month(s)

Firefighting & Fire Extinguisher Safety

This online course provides the basic knowledge and skills required to fight a small fire.

Course details

$79.9936 Month(s)

Leadership for Safety

This online Leadership for Safety: A Leadership Approach to Safety course is designed to offer a foundational understanding of the contemporary leadership principles required to begin the journey...

30m

Course details

$124.9936 Month(s)

Rigging - Level 1

The most current ASME standards were used to create this new 2020 Rigging - Level 1 course which covers rigging techniques, inspections, and clarifies rigging misconceptions.

Course details

$49.9936 Month(s)

Hazard Assessment Safety

This online course provides an understanding of the importance of hazard assessments, as well as their impact on the overall performance of health and safety management systems.

1h 15m

Course details

$69.9936 Month(s)

Defensive Driving

This online Defensive Driving Awareness course informs you on how to safely operate your vehicle in all weather conditions, perform vehicle maintenance, and prepare yourself mentally for driving.

1h 30m

Course details

$99.9924 Month(s)

Confined Space - Awareness Training (CAN)

This course will focus on general safety principles and provide information that will increase your recognition of potential confined spaces, improve your knowledge of safe operations, and keep you...

2h 30m

Course details

$49.9924 Month(s)

Risk Assessment (CAN)

This is a Canada-compliant safety training course intended for those conducting risk assessments.

Course details

$75.99

Health & Safety Committees and Representatives – Online

This on demand course is designed to provide the Health and Safety Committee (HSC) members and Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) an understanding of their legislated duties and responsibilities.

Course details

$78.9936 Month(s)

Fall Protection Training

This online Fall Protection Training course covers the basics of fall arrest, travel restraint, and work positioning, including fall protection definitions, calculations, and rescue planning.

2h 45m

Course details

Save on team training

Onboard your whole workforce. Save 20% for 3 months.

Awareness training is the easiest to roll out across an entire workforce. A corporate account gets you bulk pricing, a centralised training matrix, automated expiry alerts, and audit-ready certificate exports.

20% off all courses for 3 months
Bulk pricing on every course
Training matrix for your whole crew
Auto expiry alerts at 90/60/30 days
Audit-ready certificate exports
Branded with your company logo

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Sample savings

30 workers · 2 awareness courses each

60 courses × ~$35 avg$2,100

Corporate 20% off- $420

Your team's price$1,680

Individual buyers can still use code ONTRACK10 for 10% off any single course.

Common mistakes

Six awareness training mistakes Canadian employers make.

Awareness training is the easiest to overlook — and the easiest for auditors to spot a gap. Most are easy to fix once an employer sees the rule clearly.

The myth

“Awareness training is just "check the box."”

The reality

Awareness training is the foundation auditors check first. WHMIS, Workplace Violence and Harassment, and Mental Health awareness are legislated baseline training in most provinces.

The myth

“Office workers don't need safety awareness training.”

The reality

Office and admin staff are covered by the same OHS legislation as field workers. Workplace Violence, Harassment, Slips/Trips/Falls, and Ergonomics training all apply to office settings.

The myth

“Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention only applies to large companies.”

The reality

Every Canadian employer with one or more workers must have a harassment and violence prevention program in place — including documented training. Federally regulated workplaces face especially strict requirements under the Canada Labour Code.

The myth

“Mental Health awareness is a nice-to-have, not a requirement.”

The reality

Most provinces now require employers to address psychological health and safety. Documented awareness training reduces liability and supports the CSA Z1003 Psychological Health and Safety standard adopted in many sectors.

The myth

“One-time training during onboarding is enough.”

The reality

Awareness training needs refreshing. WHMIS is product-specific and updates when products change. Harassment Prevention typically refreshes every 1-2 years. Auditors check the date on every cert.

The myth

“Online awareness courses aren't accepted for COR audits.”

The reality

COR and SECOR audits accept online awareness training certificates as long as they document worker name, course title, completion date, and expiry. Our courses meet all four criteria.

Common questions about safety awareness training

Supervisor conducting field safety training with workers

Build your safety culture from the ground up.

Corporate account: 20% off all courses for your first three months. Assign awareness training to your entire team and track completion in one place.

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The full list

All 138 safety awareness courses

Every one has its own page with the price, the duration, how long the certificate lasts and which provinces it covers. Prices in CAD. Code ONTRACK10 takes 10 percent off an individual purchase.