Important Notices & Accommodations

Program Description

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, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). 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 certification training must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) of Ontario. IHSA is a CPO-approved training provider. A Refresher training course is also required and must be taken by Certified Members every three years.

Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part One is an 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.

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

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 and participate for 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 MLITSD 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.

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.