With the third, and most daunting, wave of the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, greater attention is turning to workplace transmission and the employer duty to protect workers.
Among other measures,
workplace COVID-19 safety plans are mandatory in Ontario. So too is
Certification training for joint health and safety committee members (JHSCs). The provincial government confirms JHSC members or worker health and safety representatives should be consulted for their input on the plan. Overall, quality Certification training can also help them play an informed role assisting to assess, map out and implement next steps to confront COVID-19 and for that matter all hazards.
Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) is equally prepared to help. In fact, we have recently
expanded our schedule of JHSC Certification training courses and will continue adding courses to keep pace with demand (in virtual classrooms—more on this below).
Register today to ensure your spot.
Employer certification training obligations
WHSC Certification programs provide JHSC members and worker reps with the knowledge and skills needed to play their
critical and legally mandated roles. Among other things, the training equips participants to recognize, assess and recommend measures to eliminate or control exposure to workplace hazards following the hierarchy of controls; conduct inspections; and fulfill hazard, injury and illness investigation and reporting obligations.
Employers must
"carry out" Certification training for at least two members of the JHSC, one worker representative and one management representative. Though, many workplaces elect to train their entire committee. In smaller workplaces, some employers recognize the utility of this training and ensure health and safety representatives complete it too.
To become certified, JHSC members must first complete
JHSC Certification Part I followed by
JHSC Certification Part II. Of note, WHSC Part II training includes a
comprehensive COVID-19 module exploring key sources of transmission and measures to protect workers and limit transmission. To maintain certification status,
JHSC Certification Refresher must then be completed within three years of completing Certification Part II and every three years thereafter.
Certification training programs and those who deliver them must be approved by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development’s Chief Prevention Officer.
WHSC is an approved provider and our programs are also approved.
Employer duty to protect
Despite many workplaces implementing critical and mandatory
public health measures designed to protect against the COVID-19 virus, the
evidence suggests much work remains. According to
Public Health Ontario, workplaces are the source of almost 25 per cent of all COVID-19 outbreaks (two or more confirmed cases in the workplace within 14 day period). Although
news reports of some COVID-19 workplace outbreaks and a wide body of
research into worker compensation claims in general provide additional evidence these numbers are in all likelihood considerably under reported.
Workplaces will want to consider if they are doing all they can, including training, to protect workers and stem broader transmission of the virus and associated suffering.
Some regions, including
Peel and
Toronto have established new requirements for most
workplaces with five or more COVID-19 cases reported in a 14 day period to
shut down for 10 days in a bid to curtail transmission. Notable exceptions to these requirements include health care facilities, schools and childcare operations.
Failing to adhere to public health directives may lead to fines of up to $100,000 for an individual, $500,000 for an officer or director of a corporation and $10 million for a corporation.
WHSC...here to help, safely
The COVID-19 crisis presented an unprecedented challenge in terms of providing access to WHSC’s essential and mandatory programs, including JHSC Certification training. WHSC quickly
retooled our delivery model in a way we could still apply adult learning principles to
ensure learning is engaging, relevant and achieved. This we achieved with WHSC
virtual classroom training offering live, real-time learning. Participants and instructors engage remotely from their homes or workplaces, thus providing
the benefits of traditional in-person training while also assuring safety.
All that is required by the participant is a high-speed internet connection and a computer with a functioning camera and audio. Please note, to help ensure the integrity of the learning experience mobile devices like smart phones and tablets are not permitted. When registering
be sure to supply the participant’s home address, as materials critical to successful participation will be shipped to this address.
Be sure to also visit our
online registration page for our complete virtual classroom training schedule and to register. Beyond scheduled classes we can work with you, where participant numbers warrant, to coordinate
Certification Training or almost any of
our training courses in a virtual classroom.
Need more information still?
Call a
WHSC training services representative in your area.
Email:
contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit:
www.whsc.on.ca
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Additional related resources:
WHSC COVID-19 resources