New Requirements For Certification Training

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires most workplaces to have either a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) or a health and safety representative. Where a JHSC is required, at least two JHSC members—one management and one worker—must be certified by the Ministry of Labour (MOL).

As of March 1, 2016, all certification training must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) of Ontario. IHSA has now been approved by the CPO as an approved training provider and this JHSC Certification Refresher 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 and a sector-specific Part Two. A Refresher training course is also required and must be taken by Certified Members every three years.

Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Refresher provides learners with a forum to review the key concepts of occupational health and safety, to provide updates regarding legislation, codes, and standards, and to discuss best practices and challenges.

Refresher training is required in two situations:

• 1. Certified Members must take a JHSC Refresher training course every 3 years to maintain their certification.
• 2. Participants can only take Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part Two within six months of completing Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification—Part One. If more than six months have passed, participants must either take a JHSC Refresher training course before taking Part Two OR apply to the MOL for an exemption.

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.

This program is available at your facility, IHSA reserves the right to apply discretion to deliver the program at your facility with participant numbers less than 50% of the course maximum as outlined below.

Program Content

• Rights, duties, and responsibilities of JHSC members and Certified Members
• Rights, duties, and function of a JHSC
• Internal responsibility system (IRS)
• Hazard management
• Best practices
• Workplace inspections
• Action Plans
• Preparing recommendations

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.

Certification is awarded by the MOL after Part One and Part Two have been completed.

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