Important Notices & Accommodations

The consequences of not having a well-trained HSR are seen too often. Workers can suffer lost income or a lower quality of life due to a critical injury. Families can lose a loved one to a workplace fatality. Employers can lose a valuable employee and production days. They may even have to replace damaged material and equipment and pay higher compensation costs.

Training

Section 8 of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) outlines the duties and powers of HSRs. A new amendment to this section, subsection 5.1, requires the employer or constructor to ensure that HSRs receive training that enables them to exercise their powers and perform their duties effectively. While this amendment has not yet been put into force, it is recommended that all HSRs receive training in order to do their jobs well.

HSRs have many of the same responsibilities and powers as members of a JHSC. Because of that, it makes sense that they should receive the same training. IHSA recommends that all HSRs take a JHSC Certification course. A certified member is not required with respect to a project where fewer than fifty workers are regularly employed or that is expected to last less than three months.

So far this year, the health and safety record for IHSA rate groups has been troubling when compared with previous years. This is especially true in the construction and transportation rate groups. We recommend that HSRs in these sectors take JHSC Certification – Part Two in addition to Part One.

While JHSC Certification Part One and Part Two courses are recommended for HSRs, at a minimum they should take IHSA's Health and Safety Representative (HSR) eLearning course.

Ontario's Small Business Health and Safety Training Program will reimburse eligible small business employers for the health and safety representative training of an appointed HSR in an Ontario workplace. It will cover the cost for the $25 registration fee for the HSR eLearning training course and $150 toward the cost of the representative’s training time, for training completed between July 15, 2021 to March 31, 2024.

To be eligible for the Small Business Health and Safety Training Program reimbursement, small businesses must:

• regularly employ 6 to 19 workers in an Ontario workplace or be required to have a health and safety representative in other circumstances
• have a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) number
• keep a copy of the HSR training certificate of completion

Learn more about Health and Safety Representatives and the Small Business Health and Safety Training Program. To apply for the SBHSTP reimbursement, complete this form.

The good news is that it's not too late to reverse this upward trend of workplace injuries. By upgrading their knowledge, HSRs can protect themselves and their coworkers from workplace hazards by identifying and addressing potential problems before they become an issue. For more information about HSRs, download the Guideline for Health & Safety Representatives (W002).

IHSA offers our JHSC courses free to our members, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Become a part of the solution to make Ontario workplaces safe and healthy. Register today!

Course Offerings

• JHSC Part Two (Construction)
• JHSC Part Two (Transportation)