Worker exposures to psychosocial and chemical hazards cause substantial and often overlooked injury and illness. Fortunately, many of these exposures are preventable 
 
Two newly released Workers Health and Safety Centre training modules are designed to provide workplace representatives with new tools for tackling these challenging hazards. 
 
WHSC’s Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Mental Health training addresses a growing body of evidence suggesting workplace interventions can lead to better psychosocial working conditions and positively impact the mental health of workers. This new program offers a basic understanding of contributing and workplace factors, health impacts and tools and strategies for effectively assessing and controlling exposures for improved workplace mental health.
 
WHSC’s Chemical Hazards also fills an important training gap. Workplace chemicals remain poorly understood and inadequately controlled, despite laws on workplace hazardous materials and reports which provide a blueprint for occupational cancer prevention. This new program helps workers and their representatives better understand chemicals, how they can cause harm and how to use workplace information to assess and control, if not eliminate exposures. Armed with this new knowledge, workplace representatives will be able to make stronger recommendations to protect workers from harmful exposures. 
 
Both of these modules are offered through WHSC Certification Part II General Stream virtual training but each can also be delivered as standalone programs.  

Registration details

Certification Part II training must address at least six hazards relevant to your workplace. To meet this need, WHSC now offers a virtual, real-time Certification Part II training program that explores six hazards common to most workplaces. Course modules include: 1) Biological Hazards 2) Chemical Hazards 3) Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Mental Health 4) Noise 5) Ergonomics: Basic Principles 6) COVID-19 (Offered especially for the current crisis).
  
The delivery method has changed, but WHSC’s virtual program, Certification Part II – General Stream offers the comprehensive curriculum and learning outcomes many have come to trust. Delivered over two days, this program meets duration, content and new delivery requirements of JHSC Certification training standards as approved by the Ministry of Labour’s Chief Prevention Officer. 
 

WHAT:	WHSC Certification Part II General Stream – Virtual
WHEN:	Thurs, June 11 – Fri, June 12 Thurs, June 18 – Fri, June 19 Thurs, June 25 – Fri, June 26 Sessions run 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM both days. Registrations are filled online on a first-come, first-served basis. More dates will be added with demand. Be sure to check back.
COST:	$382.00 (plus HST)
REGISTER:	Visit our online Registration Page. See the “Virtual Courses” tab. When registering be sure to supply the participant’s home address, as resource materials critical to successful participation will be shipped to this address.

 

Participation requirements

Registered participants will receive an email of confirmation with additional information about accessing and successfully completing the training. They will also be shipped participant resource materials. If they have not received this material by 2 pm the day prior to the course, please contact us by email at eclass@whsc.on.ca.
 
WHSC’s virtual classroom is a secure environment, protecting privacy and preventing interruptions. Participants will need:

• high-speed internet connection
• computer, tablet or phone with a camera and microphone
  • computer is preferred - however to avoid cellular data costs, connect using Wi-Fi
• pen or pencil to complete worksheets.

Employer obligations

Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act requires most workplaces employing 20 or more workers, or using a designated substance to establish a JHSC and ensure the Certification of at least two JHSC members, one representing workers, and one management. Learn more by reviewing our Certification process product sheet.
 
With few exceptions JHSC Certification training standards have not changed. However, necessitated by the COVID‑19 crisis, changes which came into force May 1, allow Certification Part I training to be taken entirely online; extend the timeline for JHSC members who complete Part 1 training to give them 12 months to complete their Certification Part II training; and remove the need for JHSC members to apply for extensions to complete Certification Refresher training, giving them an additional six months.

As the economy reopens many workplaces will take time to review their health and safety programs with an eye to identifying new and unaddressed hazards. WHSC has your back with more than 60 Certification hazard-specific modules to meet these additional training needs.

And as restrictions lift and we are safely able to do so, we hope to welcome you in person at one of our regularly scheduled classroom training programs across Ontario.

WHSC offers a host of other essential training programs via our virtual classroom. Visit our Training Registration page, see the “Virtual Courses” tab for details and dates.
 
To learn more: 
Visit our web site to explore a range of free Resources and a host of COVID-19 resources.
Call: 1-888-869-795
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca