New Requirements For Certification Training

IHSA's Construction Health and Safety Representative course no longer meets the JHSC training program standard and will cease to be offered. It is recommended that those interested in acting as Health and Safety Representatives complete the JHSC—Part One and JHSC—Part Two programs. These courses will give them the foundation and knowledge they need to fulfill their roles and provide the opportunity to become certified in the future, if needed. Visit our Health and Safety Representatives topic page for more information.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires certain workplaces to have either a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or a health and safety representative. Depending on the circumstances, some members of the JHSC - must be certified by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD). 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.

As of March 1, 2016, all training programs to become a Certified Member of a JHSC must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) of Ontario. IHSA is approved by the CPO as an approved training provider and this JHSC Certification Part 1 training program is a CPO-approved training program under the JHSC Certification 2014 training program standard.

All approved certification programs must have a generic Part One course and a sector-specific Part Two course. A Refresher training course is also required every three years to maintain certification. NOTE: Refresher training is not legally required by anyone who completed training to become a Certified Member of a JHSC before March 2016 (i.e., anyone who was previously certified under the requirements of the 1996 JHSC certification standard).

Program Description

Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part One is an in-class instructor-led program. The learning outcomes provide a framework that will allow participants to become familiar with a wide range of workplace hazards. In addition, participants will learn how to recognize, assess, and control any potential hazards that they may encounter at the workplace, and evaluate the effectiveness of the controls.

IHSA customers may request that this course be delivered at their facility. However, if participant numbers are less than 50% of the course maximum (see below), the IHSA instructor has the discretion to cancel or reschedule delivery of the course.

Program Content

• Introduction to occupational health and safety legislation
• Introduction to occupational health and safety resources
• Rights, duties, and roles of workplace parties including JHSC members
• Powers of the Certified Member
• Introduction to the recognize, assess, control, and evaluate (RACE) system of hazard management
• Communication

Participants must bring a valid piece of photo ID to the training program to confirm their registration (e.g., Driver’s License, Permanent Resident Card, Passport, Student Card).

To obtain a certificate of completion for this program, participants must complete a written evaluation and achieve a grade of 75% or better. Participants must attend the full program and not be late.

Those who want to become Certified Members must complete one of four sector-specific Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two courses within one year of successfully completing Part One.

IHSA offers the following:

• 1. Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two (Construction)
• 2. Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two (Aggregates)
• 3. Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two (Transportation)
• 4. Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two (Utilities)

If more than 12 months have passed, participants must retake Part One before taking Part Two.

Certification is awarded by the MOL after Part One and Part Two have been completed. To maintain their certification, Certified Members must take a one-day JHSC Refresher course every three years.

Please note that all participants must arrive to the program at the designated start time and must attend the program in full to successfully complete the program.

Who Should Attend?

Those with no previous training in health and safety, those who are working toward their NCSO designation, health and safety representatives, members of a JHSC, and members of a JHSC who want to become Certified Members