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Contractor orientation checklist

A good-practice checklist for the orientation a contractor gets before starting work, with a note on each topic and a sign-off.

Contractor orientation checklist

A checklist for the site orientation a contractor gets before starting work.

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Not legal advice. Last checked 7 October 2026 against OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38(c).

What it is for

An orientation is easy to rush on a busy morning. Working through a checklist and signing it off means every contractor hears the same topics, and the site keeps a record that they did. This is a good-practice checklist, not a complete list of legal requirements: add any provincial or OSHA requirements that apply to your site and your work.

Who it is for

The host or safety lead who meets contractors at a single-site plant or warehouse, and the contractor's own supervisor.

How to use it

Edit the Word or spreadsheet version to add your site's own rules and any requirements that apply to you.
Go through each topic with the contractor before work starts, and tick it off.
Both of you sign at the bottom. Keep the signed copy with the day's sign-in sheet.

The checklist

Contractor orientation checklist Site: ____________ Date: ____________

Contractor: ____________________ Company: ____________________ Work area: ____________________

Done	Topic	What to cover
☐	Site rules	Hours, sign-in and sign-out, where contractors may and may not go, smoking, phones and vehicles.
☐	Hazards in the work area	The specific hazards where they will work: moving equipment, forklifts, chemicals, noise, heights, hot work.
☐	PPE	What is required in the work area, what the contractor brings and what the site provides.
☐	Emergency exits and muster point	The nearest exits, the alarm sound, the muster point, and that they must report there to be accounted for.
☐	First aid	Where the first aid kit is and who the first aiders are.
☐	Reporting incidents and near misses	Who to tell, how fast, and that near misses are reported too.
☐	Lockout and permits, if applicable	Lockout, hot work, confined space or other permits the job needs, and who issues them.
☐	Who to contact	The host, the safety contact and the after-hours number.
☐	Site-specific additions	Any provincial or OSHA requirements that apply to your site.

Contractor signature: ______________________ Date: __________

Orientation given by: ______________________ Date: __________