Free course
Safety Basics: a free course for new trades workers
Fourteen short, plain-language lessons on the safety basics every new apprentice and labourer should know, each with key takeaways and a quick self-check. Free, no sign-up.
Please read: this free course is general education only. It is not a certification, it does not replace your employer's site-specific training, and it does not give you Working at Heights, WHMIS, First Aid or any other ticket — see the safety tickets guide.
Updated: Oct 2026. Safety law is set by each province and territory, so details differ. Each lesson links to its official sources and to your regulator.
How this course works
- Free, no sign-up, nothing to buy. Just start reading.
- Each lesson takes a few minutes and ends with key takeaways and a 3-question self-check. Your answers aren't saved or sent anywhere.
- It's written for workers anywhere in Canada. Where the rules differ by province or territory, the lesson says so.
- Facts come from official sources, mostly the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and provincial governments, listed at the end of each lesson.
- It doesn't give you a certificate or ticket. Your employer must still train you on your own site's hazards.
The 14 lessons
- Your rights and responsibilitiesThe three rights every worker has, and who's responsible for what.
- Hazard recognition and job hazard analysisSpot hazards, rank controls and break a job into safe steps.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)What PPE does, what it doesn't, and your part in using it.
- Falls, ladders and scaffoldsLadder set-up, scaffold basics and when fall protection training applies.
- WHMIS, labels and safety data sheetsRead a WHMIS label and know what's in an SDS.
- Electrical safety and lockout basicsShock, arc flash, power lines, GFCIs and the idea behind lockout/tagout.
- Tools, equipment, struck-by and caught-betweenSafe tool use and staying clear of moving equipment and falling objects.
- Manual handling and ergonomicsLift, carry and move materials without hurting your back.
- Working in heat and coldRecognize heat illness and cold injuries and know the first aid.
- Confined space awarenessWhat a confined space is, and why you never go in uninvited.
- Excavation and trenching awarenessCave-ins, buried services and protective systems.
- Housekeeping and fire safetyClean sites prevent slips, trips and fires.
- Incident reporting and first aid basicsReport every injury and near miss, and know where first aid is.
- Mental health and substance useStress, fatigue, impairment and where to get help.
Need an actual ticket? Read the safety tickets guide for Working at Heights, WHMIS, First Aid/CPR and more, with official links. Getting ready to job-hunt? See step 4 of our first apprentice job guide.
Sources
Each lesson lists its own sources. The course as a whole is based on these general references: