Site Orientation: What to Expect

Every jobsite and plant is different: different hazards, rules, emergency plans and people. A site orientation is your introduction to all of that, usually on your first morning. Even experienced workers need it, because injuries are more likely in your first days on any new site.

• New workers
• Construction
• General Industry

What orientation usually covers

• Site rules: PPE, smoking, phones, parking, drugs and alcohol, working hours
• Who’s who: your supervisor, the safety contact, the competent persons
• The site’s main hazards: traffic routes, cranes, excavations, energized areas, chemicals
• Emergency plan: alarms, evacuation routes, muster point, first aid, how to call 911 and the site address
• How to report injuries, near misses and hazards
• Your right to stop unsafe work
• Permits and special procedures: hot work, confined spaces, lockout
• Housekeeping, restrooms, water and break areas
• Where to find safety data sheets

What to bring

• Your hard hat, boots, glasses, gloves and hi-vis (ask beforehand what’s provided)
• Photo ID and any cards the site requires (OSHA 10/30, certifications)
• Emergency contact information
• Water and lunch

Questions to ask

• Who do I go to with a safety question?
• What are the biggest hazards on this site right now?
• Where’s the first aid kit, AED and eyewash?
• What do I do if I get hurt, even slightly?
• Is there anything I’m not allowed to do or operate yet?

After orientation

Orientation isn’t the end of training. You should get task-specific training before using equipment or tools you haven’t been trained on. If anything in orientation didn’t make sense, or wasn’t in a language you understand well, ask. See Multilingual Crews and Your First Day on the Jobsite.

Last updated: October 2, 2026