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Orientation for New Workers Updated

Train new workers on their health and safety rights and responsibilities.

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Publication: Orientation for New Workers : Table of Contents

Section I

Introduction

  1. Getting started
  2. Why do I need training in health and safety?

Section II

Recognizing Workplace Hazards

  1. What is a hazard?
  2. What is risk?
  3. What is an “adverse” health effect?
  4. What types of hazards are there?
  5. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
  6. Identifying Hazards in your New Job
  7. Working Smart
  8. Hazard Recognition Situations
  9. Review

Section III

Occupational Health and Safety Law

  1. Internal Responsibility System
  2. Duties and Responsibilities
  3. Workers’ Rights
  4. Health and Safety Committees
  5. Enforcement
  6. Workers’ Compensation
  7. Practice Scenarios
  8. Review

Section IV

Control of Workplace Hazards – General Approaches

  1. Elimination and Substitution
  2. Engineering Controls
  3. Administrative Controls
  4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  5. Review

Section V

Control of Workplace Hazards – Some Specific Hazards

  1. Lifting
  2. Slips, Trips and Falls
  3. Hazardous Products
  4. Machinery and Equipment
  5. Electrical Safety
  6. Working Alone
  7. Workplace Violence
  8. Office Safety
  9. Working at a Computer (Office/Computer Ergonomics)
  10. Check Your Understanding of Hazard Control
  11. Review

Section VI

Preparing for Emergencies

  1. What You Need to Know BEFORE an Emergency Happens
  2. Travelling for Work / Working Off-site
  3. How You Can Help Prepare for Emergencies
  4. Fire Response
  5. First Aid - General
  6. First Aid for Chemical Exposures
  7. Review

Section VII

Occupational Health and Safety Programs

  1. What’s in an Occupational Health and Safety Program?
  2. Your Role in the OH&S Program
  3. Orientation of New Workers
  4. Review

Section VIII

Who to Ask for Help

  1. Other Sources of OH&S Information

Section IX

Conclusion

  1. The Next Step

Section X

Appendices

  • Appendix A: The Right to Refuse Unsafe Work
  • Appendix B: Training Record Sheet
  • Appendix C: Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
  • Appendix D: Worksheet for Identifying Hazards in Your New Job

Section XI

Sources for Further Information

  1. Canadian Government Departments Responsible for Occupational Health and Safety
  2. US Federal Safety and Health Agencies
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Description

Designed for new, transferred, and returning workers, this guide provides an overview of health and safety rights and responsibilities, hazard recognition, hazard control, emergency preparedness, occupational health and safety programs, and who to contact for additional help.

This 184-page guide is filled with clear-language text including safety tips, charts, diagrams, checklists and illustrations.

Objectives

This guide can be used as a reference tool for new workers and can also be used by employers as part of their workplace-specific orientation training program.

It provides workers and employers with an overview of:

  • The three fundamental rights of workers in health and safety legislation
  • General duties of employers and workers
  • The six basic types of workplace hazards
  • How workplace hazards are controlled and steps workers can take to protect themselves
  • How to prepare for emergencies
  • Basic elements for an occupational health and safety program
  • Who to ask for help with health and safety matters

Scope

Workers will learn about potential hazards they may encounter in the workplace and how they can help protect themselves and their co-workers. While this guide is intended for all workers, not all examples and practice scenarios discussed will apply to all workers or workplaces. During job-specific training, employers should highlight which parts of the guide apply.

Target Audience

This guide is recommended for all new workers, including:

  • Workers who are new to the organization (of any age)
  • All young workers under the age of 25
  • Workers who have transferred from another department within the organization
  • Workers returning from a leave of absence

Each publication produced by CCOHS undergoes several stages of review. As part of this review, representatives from government, employers, and labour are requested to comment on draft copies of CCOHS documents for technical accuracy and readability.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, it is understood that CCOHS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of such information and assumes no liability for any damages or loss suffered as a result of any inaccuracy or incompleteness therein.

Version: Fourth edition

Publication date: February 2026

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The CCOHS Difference

CCOHS publications are unique in that they are developed by subject specialists in the field, and reviewed by representatives from labour, employers and government to ensure the content and approach are unbiased and credible.

Copyright

Although our publications are protected by copyright, permission for non-commercial reproduction may be provided.

Please use our Copyright Authorization Form to request permission, or contact us for more information.

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