📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Safe Backing Procedures And Blind Spots 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 · Standard First Aid Calgary · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS ONLINE COURSE OVERVIEW
This online Safe Backing Procedures and Blind Spots course provides important information to individuals operating motor vehicles for both company and personal use. Backing and blind spot incidents account for over 25% of all vehicle collisions every year!
This interactive course provides participants with the knowledge to minimize the inherent risks associated with backing a vehicle, as well as many ways to deal with the blind spots around their vehicle.
Who should take this course?
- Summer students
- New hires
- Employees who operate company vehicles
- Employees who rent vehicles for company business
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS ONLINE COURSE TOPICS
- Safe Backing and Blind Spots Introduction
- Blind Spot Distances
- Internal Blind Spots
- Guide to Proper Mirror Positioning
- New Blind Spot Monitoring Technology
- External Blind Spots
- Causes of Backing Collisions
- Pre-Backing Preparation
- Backing with a Guide and Proper use of Hand Signals
- Parking Lot Exercises and Other Backing Hazards
- New Back-up Technology
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS ONLINE COURSE DURATION: Approximately 90 minutes
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS TEST: Testing conducted throughout this online Safe Backing Procedures and Blind Spots 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. Supplemental materials for completing this course can be accessed online.
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS ONLINE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION: Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.
To purchase courses for multiple users, please contact us directly.
SAFE BACKING PROCEDURES AND BLIND SPOTS 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).
Safe Backing Procedures And Blind Spots — 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.
