Contractor and Project Safety Management
Next: June 1, 2026
Contractor and Project Safety Management
This course explains “how” and “when” a party becomes a “Constructor / Contractor / Prime Contractor / Principal Contractor” under health and safety legislation; describes the differences between the roles and responsibilities of an “Owner”, “Constructor / Contractor / Prime Contractor / Principal Contractor”, and “Employer”; covers the fundamentals of a Construction Project Safety Management program for ensuring compliance with the duties of an “Owner” and “Constructor / Contractor / Prime Contractor / Principal Contractor” under the health and safety legislation.

What You'll Learn
Who This Course Is For
Course Format & Delivery
FAQs and Notes
Why is this course valuable for Ontario employers and project owners?
This course helps you understand your legal responsibilities under Ontario health and safety laws. This course teaches practical ways to reduce liability and improve safety on projects. Participants will learn how the Sudbury case reshaped legal responsibility on construction projects by clarifying that contractors and project leaders can be held criminally liable for safety failures, even when subcontractors are involved. They will also understand how courts assess “control” and due diligence, and why active safety oversight and coordination across all employers on a project is essential to managing liability.
Is this course beneficial for companies that regularly hire contractors?
Yes. Organizations that work with contractors on projects can benefit from improved coordination, risk management, and a clearer understanding of safety responsibilities and expectations
How does this course help with workplace safety?
Participants learn how to plan, manage, and monitor contractor safety throughout a project lifecycle. The course also provides tools and methods to improve compliance and reduce risks on site.
Note about this course
This course was first developed in 1996. The curriculum was based on lessons from construction safety case law, legislative requirements, our own industry surveys, and emerging consensus with respect to industry best practices. The course has been continually updated and improved over the past 16 years. In that timeframe, CPSM has been delivered to hundreds of organizations and more than 7000 people. The methods taught in CPSM have been adopted by dozens of major Canadian employers and owner organizations that have taken the course, and are reflected in the project safety management policies and approaches of major governmental procurement and project management agencies, such as Public Works and Government Services Canada and Canada Lands Company CLC Limited; brand-name retailers such as Canadian Tire Real Estate Limited; major health care institutions in Ontario; some of Canada’s largest electrical utilities; and Canada’s largest municipal government agencies.
Does this course provide recognized industry credentials?
Yes, the course includes Gold Seal accreditation from the Canadian Construction Association. This recognition can support professional development and demonstrate industry knowledge
Who should take this course?
Supervisors and managers overseeing projects
Contractors and subcontractors working in Ontario
Project owners responsible for contractor oversight
Safety professionals managing project safety compliance
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Sarah K.
Safety Director, BuildCorp Inc.
