📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Injury Prevention Drivers online course trains commercial drivers, oilfield trucking operators, and heavy vehicle operators on Alberta and Canadian regulatory requirements. Delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary. Same-day certificate.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: H2S Alive Calgary · TDG Guide · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS ONLINE COURSE OVERVIEW
Professional truck drivers have more injuries that keep them off the job than workers in any other industry. Many of those injuries are caused by issues not related to driving a vehicle. In fact most injuries are caused by unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, errors in judgment, or environmental dangers. Sprains, strains, improper lifting, improper position, slips, trips, and falls can all lead to injury.
This course is designed to provide drivers with information that can help them prevent injury while on and off the road. After completing this course, learners will be able to recognize common activities that put them at risk for injury and how to protect themselves so they can stay on the job.
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS ONLINE COURSE TOPICS
- Mounting and Dismounting
- Three Points of Contact
- Speed and Alertness
- Exiting
- Driving
- Seating
- Steering
- Seatbelts
- Stretching
- Loading and Unloading
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Points of Injury
- Cargo Doors
- Footing
- Lifting
- Environmental Risks
- Hot Weather
- Cold Weather
- On-the-Road Stops
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS ONLINE COURSE DURATION: Approximately 45 minutes
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS TESTING: Testing conducted in this online Injury Prevention for Drivers course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants are able to repeat the course twice if the pass mark is not achieved.
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION: Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available to download and print.
INJURY PREVENTION FOR DRIVERS ONLINE COURSE PREVIEW:
Additional Safety Knowledge
Commercial Driver Requirements in Alberta
Alberta commercial drivers require a Class 1, 2, or 3 licence depending on the vehicle. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act govern hours-of-service, vehicle inspection, and cargo securement. Drivers of vehicles over 4,500 kg gross combined weight rating are subject to National Safety Code (NSC) standards including electronic logging device (ELD) requirements as of January 2023.
Hours of Service Rules
Federal HOS regulations for interprovincial trucking allow a maximum of:
- 13 hours driving in a 14-hour work shift
- 70 hours on-duty in any 7 consecutive days (or 120 hours in 14 days with a 24-hour reset)
- Mandatory 8 consecutive hours off-duty after each shift
- Minimum 10 hours off-duty in a 24-hour period, at least 8 of which must be consecutive
Alberta intraprovincial drivers follow provincial HOS rules with similar structure. Log falsification is a serious violation that can result in licence suspension and carrier CVOR downgrades.
Pre-Trip Inspection Requirements
Under Schedule 1 of the National Safety Code, drivers must perform and record a pre-trip inspection at the start of each shift. Critical inspection items include air brake system (drivers of air-brake vehicles need a Q endorsement), tires, wheels and fasteners, coupling devices, cargo securement, lights, and emergency equipment. Defects are classified as major (out-of-service) or minor (repair required within a set timeframe).
Injury Prevention Drivers — Defensive Driving Fundamentals
Safe commercial driving is built on the Smith System 5 keys: aim high in steering (look 15 seconds ahead), get the big picture (scan all mirrors every 5–8 seconds), keep your eyes moving, leave yourself an out (maintain 4–6 second following distance for heavy vehicles), and make sure they see you (signals, headlights, horn where appropriate). Oil & gas drivers add H2S awareness, rough-terrain skills, and load-specific hazard knowledge to the base defensive framework.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
