In Alberta, a health & safety program isn't just a legal box to tick — it's often the thing that wins or loses you the bid. More and more general contractors won't let a sub on site without one. Here's what a real program needs, in plain language.
If you've ever lost work because you couldn't hand a GC a safety manual, you already understand the stakes. The good news: a working OH&S program is more achievable than the binder-waving makes it look. You don't need 200 pages — you need the right pieces, written for how your crew actually works.
Why it matters (beyond the paperwork)
- Bids. Prime contractors increasingly require subs to show a health & safety program before they're allowed on site. No program, no invitation.
- Obligation. Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code set out employer duties to keep workers safe. Documentation is how you show you're meeting them.
- WCB and cost. A real program reduces incidents — and incidents cost you in claims, downtime and reputation.
What a basic program actually includes
Strip away the jargon and a starter OH&S program is a set of documents and habits that prove you take safety seriously and have a system for it:
- A health & safety policy — a short statement of your commitment, signed and dated by the owner.
- Hazard assessments — the hazards of your trade and your controls for them (formal and on-site/field-level for changing conditions).
- Safe work practices and procedures — how high-risk tasks are done safely.
- Training and orientation records — who's trained on what, plus a new-worker safety orientation.
- Inspections — a simple recurring site/equipment inspection checklist, with records.
- Incident reporting & investigation — how incidents and near-misses get reported, recorded and acted on.
- Emergency response — basic procedures and contacts for the emergencies your work can create.
- Toolbox talks / safety meetings — short, regular crew check-ins, with sign-off sheets.
"Program" vs. COR certification — don't confuse them
A common mix-up: you can have a functioning, GC-satisfying safety program without being COR certified. COR (Certificate of Recognition) is a separate, audited certification through a certifying partner, and some larger projects require it. A documented program is the foundation; COR is a formal audit on top of it.
Where we fit: We help you build the documentation and systems — the policy, templates, assessments, and record-keeping rhythm — aligned to Alberta's OHS framework. We are not a certified safety auditor: formal COR audits and certification we refer to qualified auditors. Think of us as the team that gets your program built and organized so an audit (or a GC's request) isn't a panic.
How to start this month
- Write down what you already do. You're managing hazards every day — capture it. That's the first draft of your hazard assessments and safe work practices.
- Put the core documents in one place. Policy, assessments, orientation, inspection and incident forms — one binder or one shared folder.
- Start the records habit. Toolbox talks, inspections and orientations only count if they're written down. A program is judged on records, not intentions.
- Keep it living. Review after incidents and when the work changes. A program that never updates is a red flag to any GC.
Done right, your safety program stops being the reason you lose bids and becomes a reason GCs trust you with bigger ones.
This guide is general information, not legal or certified-safety advice. Confirm your specific obligations against current Alberta OHS legislation and a qualified safety professional.
Need an OH&S program built — without the binder?
We'll build your Alberta-aligned safety documentation and the record-keeping system to keep it current, so you can hand a GC a program with confidence. Book a free discovery call.
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