SafetyFest MT expands free workplace safety training in Helena this year

SafetyFestMT opened its Helena run Monday, giving employers and workers a free chance to sharpen workplace safety skills before the spring and summer rush fills up job sites across Montana. The in-person event is set for April 13-15 at the Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel, 835 Great Northern Blvd. in Helena.

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry said this year’s program expands spring course offerings and adds virtual courses in the fall, with free training available from the workplace or home as well as in person. State labor officials said the broader format is meant to better serve small employers and rural communities that cannot always send people to Helena for training.

SafetyFestMT has been delivering safety training to Montana workers and employers for more than 15 years. The program reaches industries that include agriculture, construction, small business and industrial operations, giving managers and frontline workers a place to review the basics that can prevent injuries, keep crews on the schedule and reduce the kind of mistakes that can lead to enforcement problems.

The effort is built as a partnership between the Department of Labor and Industry and businesses and organizations across the state that volunteer to present the training. OSHA has previously pointed to SafetyFestMT as a source of free training for employers and workers throughout Montana, underscoring the program’s reach beyond Helena and into communities that often have fewer training options close to home.

The hybrid model has become a bigger part of the program’s draw. A virtual SafetyFestMT event was held Nov. 4-6, 2025, and the new fall online courses continue that shift toward access for people who cannot leave a worksite for several days or travel long distances for training. For small employers heading into the busy season, the appeal is practical: no tuition, no travel costs and no need to wait for a larger city to provide the next safety class.

For rural businesses, that can make the difference between putting off training and getting it done now. With spring courses in Helena and virtual options later in the year, SafetyFestMT is giving Montana employers a direct way to keep workers safer and operations steadier as demand rises.