OHS Diploma Subjects: What You’ll Study in the Program

From manufacturing floors to healthcare facilities and government offices, maintaining safe workplaces is vital for protecting people and keeping organizations running smoothly. The demand for professionals who understand how to anticipate risks, ensure compliance, and promote wellness has never been higher.

That’s where an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) education comes in. An Occupational Health and Safety training program like Anderson College’s equips students with the technical expertise, professional skills, and confidence to make a powerful difference in the well-being of employees and the sustainable success of businesses.

If you’re looking for a career that empowers you to contribute meaningfully and grow within industry and expertise, OHS may be for you. Here’s what you’ll study to achieve your educational goals and open doors to myriad, rewarding careers.

Your Guide to OHS Diploma Subjects

Whether you’re new to the field or ready to specialize, understanding the OHS diploma subjects you’ll study provides insight into how comprehensive and career-focused this program truly is. You’ll see how each subject builds toward your ability to identify hazards, manage safety systems, and cultivate a culture of prevention in the workplace.

Understanding Occupational Health and Safety Programs

What Is an OHS Diploma Program?
An OHS program is a specialized educational path that trains you to identify, assess, and control workplace hazards, ensuring that employees and organizations comply with safety laws and standards. Students learn to evaluate risk, design safety initiatives, and develop leadership in promoting safe and healthy work environments.

OHS graduates play a crucial role in reducing accidents, protecting lives, and ensuring compliance with local, provincial, and federal regulations. By completing an occupational safety and health training course, you gain the expertise to become that trusted voice of safety within any organization.

To explore the larger picture of this career, check out our blog Occupational Health & Safety: What Is It & Why Does It Matter?

What You Will Learn

1. Foundational & Professional Skills
Your success begins with the essentials. In the opening weeks, you’ll develop the learning habits, communication techniques, and emergency response skills that every professional needs.

• Student Success Strategies introduces study methods, time management, and stress-reduction techniques to prepare you for online learning and a lifelong career.
• Business Communication builds your ability to communicate clearly, manage workplace interactions, and handle challenging conversations with professionalism.
• CPR and First Aid training ensures you’re ready to respond in emergencies, providing the groundwork for quick, confident action when it matters most.

These early courses develop confidence and prepare you for the dynamic work of keeping people safe.

2. Core OHS Knowledge
Next, you’ll dive into the heart of the program – the theory, practices, and systems that define effective occupational safety.

• Occupational Health and Safety Fundamentals explores leadership commitment, open communication, and legal accountability; the pillars of every safety program.
• Professional Practices, Laws and Ethics examines the legal and moral obligations of OHS professionals, including Canadian safety legislation, regulatory standards, and ethical decision-making.
• OHS Management Systems focuses on integrating health and safety into an organization’s structure and culture, aligning safety goals with quality management and operational excellence.

Through these core subjects, you’ll understand how policy, people, and culture come together to build safer workplaces. You’ll also explore how safety management systems integrate safety performance into broader organizational goals, supporting a culture of continuous improvement.

3. Hazard & Risk Management
This section forms the backbone of your professional capability, the ability to anticipate hazards, assess risk, and apply controls that save lives.

• Hazard Anticipation and Controls teaches you to identify physical and safety hazards in any environment and apply effective control strategies.
• Principles of Occupational Hygiene dives into chemical, physical, and biological risks and how to evaluate and manage them to protect worker health, central to mastering Occupational Health Principles.
• Industrial Safety Management explores the challenges of high-risk industrial settings and how to minimize hazards across manufacturing processes.
• Fundamentals of Ergonomics emphasizes workplace design and posture awareness to prevent strain and repetitive-motion injuries.
• Fire Protection provides knowledge of fire chemistry, legislation, and life-safety system design.
• Risk and Emergency Management prepares you for crisis situations, covering risk assessment, emergency response, and business continuity planning.
• Accident Prevention and Investigation outlines how to analyze incident causes, gather evidence, and recommend corrective actions.
• Safety Audit and Analysis teaches how to evaluate and improve an organization’s entire safety system through inspections, audits, and compliance reviews.

By completing this segment, you’ll be ready to contribute to effective occupational risk management and strengthen any company’s ability to prevent injury and loss.

4. Health & Wellness in the Workplace
Modern OHS practice isn’t just about preventing accidents, it’s also about fostering well-being.

The Health and Wellness course explores health promotion, workplace wellness initiatives, and disability case management. You’ll learn how to design return-to-work programs and cultivate psychological safety across teams.

In this part of your training, you’ll see how workplace safety training intersects with physical, mental, and social health—helping employees thrive at work and beyond.

5. Training & Career Preparation (and Certification Pathways)
Becoming an OHS professional also means becoming an educator and leader in safety.

• OHS Training and Development helps you design and deliver engaging, effective training programs tailored to workplace needs. You’ll practice developing materials, running workshops, and measuring learning outcomes.
• Employment Success Strategies ensures you’re career-ready with resume development, interview preparation, and networking tools to connect with potential employers.

Finally, as a graduate of Anderson’s occupational health and safety diploma, you’ll be eligible to write the Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) certification exam immediately, and the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) exam after four years of experience. These designations—approved by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP)—are the gold standard for the industry.

To learn more, read The Power of Certification: All You Need to Know for Occupational Health and Safety Grads.

Why These Subjects Matter

Each subject in this occupational health and safety course builds a foundation for real-world success. You’ll graduate with the ability to:

• Identify and assess workplace hazards
• Implement safety management systems
• Promote physical and psychological wellness
• Lead investigations and audits
• Deliver effective training and communication programs.

The program’s 940 hours of learning combine theory with practical application. And because it’s offered fully online, with 20% live sessions and 80% flexible, self-paced study, you can earn your credential while balancing work and life commitments.

Upon graduation, you’ll be ready to step into roles such as Safety Coordinator, Risk Officer, Health and Safety Advisor, or Compliance Specialist in sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, government, and construction. This is a path that empowers you to make workplaces safer and lives healthier every single day.
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The OHS diploma at Anderson College offers a broad and practical foundation for a rewarding career in workplace safety. Each OHS subject is carefully designed to blend theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice, preparing you to identify risks, manage safety systems, and promote well-being across any industry. Graduates not only gain the skills employers are seeking, but also qualify to pursue the Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) certification and, with experience, the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation – credentials that open doors to advancement and recognition in the field.

If you’re ready to build your expertise and join one of Canada’s most essential professions, now is the perfect time to begin. Explore your next step through our guide, Beginner’s 6-Step Guide to Becoming an Occupational Health and Safety Professional, or connect with our Admissions team to learn how you can get started today.
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If you’re still considering whether this career may be for you, you can always take the “Health and Safety Professional Career Discovery Quiz”. But when you’re ready to take the leap to learn more and launch your Occupational Health & Safety career, we’re here to help you navigate the steps to success. Just book a virtual appointment with one of our knowledgeable and supportive Admissions Advisors today!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• Occupational Health & Safety program – Anderson College
• Occupational Health & Safety – What is it & Why Does it Matter?
• The Power of Certification: All You Need to Know for Occupational Health and Safety Grads
• Beginner’s 6-Step Guide to Becoming an Occupational Health and Safety Professional