Workplace Safety Fundamentals builds baseline judgment through 11 hazard-recognition interactions — spotting risks, understanding rights and duties, and knowing when to speak up — validating 7 competencies so the basics become usable judgment rather than forgettable facts.
Workplace Safety Fundamentals is the foundation every worker needs before anything else — the core concepts that all other safety training builds on. It explains why safety matters and how Manitoba’s system works: the Workplace Safety and Health Act and its regulation (MR 217/2006), built on the internal responsibility system in which everyone shares responsibility according to their role and authority, with clear duties for the employer, the supervisor, and the worker.
Give every worker the foundational understanding of workplace safety — the law and the internal responsibility system, their four rights, hazard recognition and the hierarchy of controls, and safe work practices, PPE, and reporting — so the rest of their safety training has a solid base.
At a glance
Format: Online, self-paced and interactive
Length: about 1 hour 5 minutes, 5 modules
Pass mark: 80% on the final test
Certificate: QR-verified, valid for one year
Jurisdiction: Manitoba law and standards
Who this course is for
New and frontline Manitoba workers building their baseline understanding of workplace safety and their own responsibilities.
All workers — the foundational safety overview for everyone
New and transferred workers needing the safety basics
Workers in any industry or role
Supervisors reinforcing the fundamentals with their teams
Anyone before more specific or higher-hazard training
What you will learn
Explain why workplace safety matters, the WSH Act, and the internal responsibility system
Know the employer, supervisor, and worker duties
Explain and use the four rights (know, participate, refuse, and freedom from reprisal)
Recognize and categorize workplace hazards and distinguish hazard from risk
Apply the hierarchy of controls (elimination through PPE, PPE last)
Follow safe work practices and PPE, use WHMIS information, and report hazards/incidents/near misses
Course outline
Safety Is Everyone's Job — The Foundation — Why safety matters, the WSH Act and the internal responsibility system, and the employer/supervisor/worker duties.
Your Four Rights — The right to know, the right to participate, the right to refuse, and the right to work without reprisal — and how to use them.
Recognizing Hazards & the Hierarchy of Controls — The hazard categories, the difference between hazard and risk, and controlling hazards from most to least effective.
Safe Work Practices, PPE & Emergencies — Following safe work procedures, using PPE and WHMIS, housekeeping, emergency basics, and reporting.
Putting It Together & Your Site — How the fundamentals fit together, the site-specific basics you must know, and where to go next.
Laws and standards covered
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210)
Manitoba WSH Regulation MR 217/2006
SAFE Work Manitoba
CCOHS — Hazard control: the main ways to control a hazard
CSA Z1000 — Occupational Health and Safety Management (the internal responsibility system and continual improvement)
Certificate and renewal
Passing the final test issues a QR-verified certificate, valid for one year. Review training at least annually and whenever hazards, roles, or procedures change. This foundational course complements, and does not replace, the more specific safety training a role requires. No exact mandatory theory-hour minimum is set in Manitoba law — industry/provider standard applies.
Common questions
How long does Workplace Safety Fundamentals take?
About 1 hour 5 minutes online, over 5 modules, at your own pace. It ends with a final test that needs 80% to pass.
How long is the Workplace Safety Fundamentals certificate valid?
One year from the day you pass. Review training at least annually and whenever hazards, roles, or procedures change.
Which laws and standards does Workplace Safety Fundamentals cover?
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210); Manitoba WSH Regulation MR 217/2006; SAFE Work Manitoba; and 2 more listed on this page.
Who should take Workplace Safety Fundamentals?
New and frontline Manitoba workers building their baseline understanding of workplace safety and their own responsibilities.