Has your workplace met its training requirements for working at heights along with worker and supervisor awareness? A government inspector may soon be at your door to check.
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MOLITSD) inspectors continue both proactive and reactive visits to construction work sites falling under
Regulation 213/91 (Construction Regulations) looking to ensure employers are complying with
working at heights training requirements.
The MOLITSD is also in the midst of a
special compliance initiative with inspectors visiting single and multi-family residential construction sites, including re-roofing
focusing on all aspects of fall protection. This includes pre-planning, the condition of the fall protection equipment, emergency response and fall rescue plans, along with functioning of the internal responsibility system (IRS).
Working at heights training
This targeted initiative is paying particular attention to
compliance with working at heights training requirements outlined in
Ontario Regulation 297/13 — Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training. To comply, employers must ensure workers who work on construction projects
complete a working at heights (WAH) training program approved by the MOLITSD Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) before working at heights. For continued compliance, employers must also ensure workers they employ complete an approved
WAH refresher program every three years.
MOLITSD inspectors are also looking to ensure compliance with general and site-specific working at heights training meeting requirements in Ontario Regulation 213/91 (section 26.2).
REGISTER NOW FOR CPO-APPROVED WORKING AT HEIGHTS TRAINING
Basic OHS awareness training
These same inspectors are also checking to ensure compliance with basic occupational health and safety
awareness training for workers and supervisors
required by
Ontario Regulation 297/13. More specifically, employers are required to ensure
supervisors complete occupational health and safety awareness training and be competent to carry out their significant obligations to protect workers. This training must be completed within one week of performing work as a supervisor. Employers are also required to ensure
workers complete an awareness program as soon as practicable.
REGISTER FOR SUPERVISOR TRAINING NOW
LEARN ABOUT WORKER AWARENESS TRAINING
Joint health and safety committee (JHSC) certification training
The internal responsibility system (IRS), also a focus of this current MOLITSD compliance initiative, is a framework of authority, responsibility, and accountability
for health and safety within a workplace. Though employers and supervisors have the most significant legal obligations to protect workers, the MOLITSD
(and in fact,
Occupational Health and Safety Act) also recognizes well-trained JHSC members, in particular certified members, play a critical role within the IRS.
Consequently, inspectors will be ensuring employers are
complying with obligations relating to JHSCs, including certification training. At least two members of a JHSC – one worker and one manager – must complete
Part I and II of a Certification training program approved by the MOLITSD’s CPO to become certified. Certification Part II must be taken within 12 months of completing Part I. To remain certified, members must successfully complete
Certification Refresher training every three years.
REGISTER NOW FOR CPO-APPROVED JHSC CERTIFICATION TRAINING
WHSC can help
As
Ontario’s only government-designated health and safety training centre, Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) offers programs designed to help employers comply with the training obligations mentioned above. We are also a leading provider of other mandatory
OHS training for the construction sector
ranging from rigging and hoisting to many equipment operator programs. To learn more about securing this life-saving training for your workforce reach out to
any one of our
Training Services Representatives.
REGISTER NOW FOR WHSC TRAINING
Related resources:
MOLITSD health and safety inspection compliance plans 2024–2025 | ontario.ca
WHSC working at heights resources
WHSC supervisor awareness and competency training
WHSC worker awareness training
WHSC JHSC certification
Need more information?
Contact a
WHSC training services representative in your area.
Email:
contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit:
whsc.on.ca
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