Specialized Track · Career

Occupational Health, Safety & Environment

Talk about workplace safety and basic risk prevention.

The vocabulary of everyday workplace safety — protective equipment, hazard reporting, and the routine language used on job sites and in safety briefings.

Why this matters This lesson connects directly to your progress: it covers basic ppe and equipment vocabulary; everyday safety phrases; basic safety situations. Mastering this content lets you move forward confidently, and reinforces patterns you'll use again later. Take time to review every example before moving to the assessment — repetition is what actually locks knowledge in long-term.

01

What will you be able to do?

The goals of this lesson.

02

Before you start

You've completed general English. This is the first lesson of the Occupational Health and Safety specialization — essential vocabulary for everyday workplace safety.

03

Basic PPE and equipment vocabulary

Essential terms for personal protective equipment and basic safety gear.

Examples

Please wear your safety helmet at all times.
PPE basics
The emergency exit is located near the stairs.
Emergency procedures
We conduct a safety briefing every morning.
Safety briefings
Please report any accidents immediately.
Accident reporting
Wear your safety glasses when using this equipment.
PPE basics
The fire extinguisher is located by the entrance.
Fire safety
We need to inspect the equipment before use.
Equipment inspection
Please keep the walkways clear at all times.
Workplace safety

04

Everyday safety phrases

Standard phrases for briefings, inspections, and reporting.

Examples

The first aid kit is in the break room.
First aid
Always follow the safety instructions on the label.
Safety instructions
We conduct fire drills twice a year.
Fire drills
Please wear gloves when handling chemicals.
PPE basics
The safety officer inspects the site every week.
Safety inspections
We need to identify potential hazards in this area.
Hazard identification
Please use the handrail when climbing the stairs.
Fall prevention

05

Basic safety situations

Common scenarios: hazard identification, training, and evacuation.

Examples

All employees must complete safety training.
Safety training
The warning sign indicates a slippery floor.
Warning signs
We store hazardous materials in a separate area.
Hazardous materials
Please wear a mask in this area.
PPE basics
The safety manual explains proper lifting techniques.
Manual handling
We need to evacuate the building immediately.
Evacuation
Please report any unsafe conditions to your supervisor.
Reporting hazards

06

Reading

Read the text and answer the questions. You can try as many times as you want.

Every morning, the safety officer conducts a safety briefing before work begins. "Please wear your safety helmet at all times," he reminded the crew, "and remember to keep the walkways clear." He also pointed out the location of the fire extinguisher and the first aid kit.

"We need to identify potential hazards in this area," he said, walking through the site. "All employees must complete safety training before starting work here." He reminded everyone to report any unsafe conditions to their supervisor immediately, and reviewed the evacuation procedure in case of emergency.

1. What does the safety officer conduct every morning?

2. What must workers wear at all times?

3. What should remain clear at all times?

4. What must all employees complete?

5. Who should unsafe conditions be reported to?

💪 Great foundation in workplace safety English! Review this lesson, or continue to the Intermediate level.

07

Reading: A Safety Briefing

A second reading, a bit longer. Read it and answer the questions below.

Before starting work, all new employees attend a safety briefing. “Everyone must follow the rules and put on protective gear before entering the work area,” the safety officer explained.

“In case of emergency, use the nearest exit and report any incident to your supervisor right away,” she continued. She reminded the group to stay alert around machinery and to always follow procedure when handling hazardous materials. The team then carried out a short inspection of the site together.

1. Who attends the safety briefing?

2. What must everyone put on before entering the work area?

3. What should workers do in case of emergency?

4. What should workers do if there's an incident?

5. What did the team do at the end?

08

Match the Terms

Tap a term on the left, then tap its matching definition on the right. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

Term

Definition

09

Fill in the Blanks

Usa las pistas para completar cada palabra en inglés. Sin calificar — repite las veces que quieras.

10

Key Points

The essentials of this lesson, summarized.

11

Vocabulary in This Lesson

Key terms to remember.

wear
/wer/

to have something on your body, like clothing or gear

usar, llevar puesto
"Please wear your safety helmet at all times."
emergency
/ɪˈmɜːr.dʒən.si/

a serious, unexpected situation needing quick action

emergencia
"The emergency exit is located near the stairs."
conduct
/kənˈdʌkt/

to carry out or organize something

realizar, llevar a cabo
"We conduct a safety briefing every morning."
report
/rɪˈpɔːrt/

to formally inform someone about something

reportar, informar
"Please report any accidents immediately."
safety
/ˈseɪf.ti/

the condition of being protected from danger

seguridad
"Wear your safety glasses when using this equipment."
fire
/faɪər/

combustion producing flames and heat

fuego, incendio
"The fire extinguisher is located by the entrance."
hazard
/ˈhæz.ərd/

something that could cause harm or danger

peligro, riesgo
"The sign warns workers about a chemical hazard."
helmet
/ˈhel.mɪt/

protective headgear worn for safety

casco
"All visitors must wear a helmet on site."
checklist
/ˈtʃek.lɪst/

a list used to make sure steps are completed

lista de verificación
"The supervisor reviews the safety checklist daily."
exit
/ˈeɡ.zɪt/

a way out of a building

salida
"The emergency exit is at the end of the hallway."
inspection
/ɪnˈspek.ʃən/

a careful check to make sure everything is safe

inspección
"The site passed its monthly safety inspection."
accident
/ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/

an unexpected event that causes harm

accidente
"The accident was reported immediately to the supervisor."

12

Common Phrases & Expressions

Everyday expressions used on job sites and in safety briefings.

follow the rules
"Everyone must follow the safety rules on site."
report an incident
"Please report any incident to your supervisor right away."
watch out for
"Watch out for wet floors near the entrance."
put on protective gear
"Put on your protective gear before entering the area."
in case of emergency
"In case of emergency, use the nearest exit."
carry out an inspection
"We carry out an inspection every Monday morning."
stay alert
"Stay alert around moving machinery."
follow procedure
"Always follow procedure when handling chemicals."

13

Build the Sentence

Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

14

Choose the Correct Verb

Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.

Please the handrail when climbing the stairs

The extinguisher is located by the entrance

We to identify potential hazards in this area

All must complete safety training

Always the safety instructions on the label

16

Assessment

You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.

1. Which option matches: "We conduct fire drills twice a year."?

2. "The first aid kit is in the break room." — which one is correct?

3. Which option matches: "The safety manual explains proper lifting techniques."?

4. Select the correct match for: "We need to evacuate the building immediately."

5. Select the correct match for: "All employees must complete safety training."

6. Which option matches: "Please use the handrail when climbing the stairs."?

7. "We need to inspect the equipment before use." — which one is correct?

8. Choose the equivalent of: "We conduct a safety briefing every morning."

9. Choose the equivalent of: "Please wear gloves when handling chemicals."

10. What does this mean: "Please report any unsafe conditions to your supervisor."?

Review — Lesson 82 What matches: "The lab results confirmed the initial diagnosis."?

Review — Lesson 82 What matches: "The patient reported chronic fatigue and joint pain."?

17

Summary and next step

You now know essential workplace safety vocabulary. Next lesson: formal risk assessment and compliance.

🗣️ Practice out loud

Use the conversational tutor to practice this topic.

Open the tutor

18

Games

Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.

Word Search

Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).

Flashcards

Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.

Term