WSIB Claims Management and HR Assistance for Employers
  • About
  • Services
    • Disability Management >
      • WSIB Claims Management
      • WSIB Appeals
      • STD Claims Adjudication
      • Medical Management
      • The WSIB's NEER Program
    • HR On-Demand >
      • Employee Policy Book
    • Legislation Compliance >
      • DIY Packages
      • AODA Legislation >
        • Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation >
          • DIY Package AODA Integrated Standard >
            • Samples DIY AODA Integrated Standard Package
        • Customer Service Standard >
          • AODA CSS Requirements
          • DIY Package AODA Customer Service Standard >
            • Samples DIY AODA Customer Service Standard Package
      • Harassment, Violence, and Sexual Harassment Legislation >
        • DIY Package Bill 168
        • Samples DIY Bill 168 Package
    • Health & Safety Solutions >
      • Auditing Your Program
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About
  • Services
    • Disability Management >
      • WSIB Claims Management
      • WSIB Appeals
      • STD Claims Adjudication
      • Medical Management
      • The WSIB's NEER Program
    • HR On-Demand >
      • Employee Policy Book
    • Legislation Compliance >
      • DIY Packages
      • AODA Legislation >
        • Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation >
          • DIY Package AODA Integrated Standard >
            • Samples DIY AODA Integrated Standard Package
        • Customer Service Standard >
          • AODA CSS Requirements
          • DIY Package AODA Customer Service Standard >
            • Samples DIY AODA Customer Service Standard Package
      • Harassment, Violence, and Sexual Harassment Legislation >
        • DIY Package Bill 168
        • Samples DIY Bill 168 Package
    • Health & Safety Solutions >
      • Auditing Your Program
  • Contact
  • Blog

It's Time to Re-Examine Your Health and Safety Training

12/5/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
In mid-November of 2013, the Ontario government filed a new regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that requires employers to ensure that workers and supervisors receive mandatory safety awareness training. The Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation (O. Reg. 297/13), will come into effect on July 1, 2014, allowing workplace parties time to prepare. (Source: MOL)

This blog will provide you with more information about this regulation, an overview of your new training obligations, and identify a number of resources that you can use to assist you in becoming compliant.
What does this mean for employers?

​According to this new regulation, employers are required to:
  • Ensure that workers complete a basic occupational health and safety awareness training program as soon as reasonably possible and supervisors within one week of working as a supervisor
  • Maintain a record of the training completed by workers and supervisors
  • Provide a worker or supervisor with written proof of completion of the training, if requested by the worker or supervisor (up to six months after ceasing to work for the employer)

In addition to these new training requirements, employers must continue to carry out their pre-existing duties and obligations under the OHSA. These include the general duty to “provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the health or safety or the worker.” (Clause 25 (2)(a))
Overview of training obligations

The mandatory training program for both workers and supervisors must include instruction on the duties and rights of all workplace parties under the OHSA as well as the role of each the following: Joint Health and Safety Committees, Health and Safety Representatives (under the OHSA), the Ministry of Labour, WSIB, and Health and Safety Associations.
According to the regulation, training for workers must also include instruction on:
  • Common workplace hazards and occupational illnesses
  • Information and instruction requirements set out in the WHMIS Regulation

According to the regulation, training for supervisors must also include instruction on:

  • How to identify, assess and manage workplace hazards 
  • Sources of information on occupational health and safety
Picture
Resources available

The Ministry of Labour is providing a number of resources and tools to help employers become compliant with this new regulation by July 2014. Employers are not required to use these specific ministry resources, as long as they training they provide covers all of the necessary content outlined above (Source: MOL).

There are a number of workbooks available for employers that can be printed or ordered through Publications Ontario. In addition to this, there are two electronic training tools available online for free. These modules can be completed by workers and supervisors as one way to meet the minimum training required by the regulation:
  • Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps
  • Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness in 5 Steps

Picture
Employer take-aways

Already conducted health and safety training at your workplace? Be sure to review the content of that training and determine whether it was sufficient to fulfill the requirements of this new legislation. When reviewing your existing training, be sure to also identify all parties who may fall within the definition of worker and supervisor, ensuring that they have been or will be provided with the necessary training. (Source: Hicks Morley)

If your previous training meets the basic content requirements outlined by the OHSA, and there is written proof that the training was completed, you will likely be exempt from the need to retrain workers and supervisors. If that is not the case, employers should seek to revise their training programs to be in compliance with this new regulation. 

Conclusion

Although there are basic training materials available to employers (see resources above), there are benefits to providing more complete and in-depth health and safety training to new or existing workers and supervisors. Not only will it likely enhance worker and supervisor safety, it will also aid in the prevention of accidents and ultimately the reduction of WSIB costs on the employer’s NEER statement. 

Need help putting together a complete health and safety training? Clear Path's Health and Safety team provides the training, policy development, and expertise you need to succeed in the area of Health and Safety. Contact us today!

We'd love to connect with you!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    AODA
    Bill 168/Workplace Violence
    Clear Path
    Equality
    Events/Occasions
    Health & Safety
    Hiring/Firing
    HR Topics
    Mental Health & Wellness
    NEER
    Policies
    Social Media
    WSIAT
    WSIB

    Archives

    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Clear Path Employer Services
295 Thompson Drive, Unit 2
Cambridge, Ontario  N1T 2B9

T:  (519) 624-0800
T:  (888) 336-0950
F:  (519) 624-0860
E:  info@clearpathemployer.com
Website created by:
Absolutely Business
Copyright 2017
Staying Connected:
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe  to our Emails
  • Careers/Job Openings ​
 Services:
  • ​WSIB/WCB Claims Management
  • HR on Demand​
  • Workplace Health & Safety
  • Legislation Compliance​​​
​ Hear More About Us: 
  • Testimonials
​Spread the Word:
  • ​Referral Program
​Policies and Information:​
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms and Conditions​​