Reminder for Ontario Retailers: Effective March 1, 2016 Joint Health & Safety Committee Certification Training Has Been Updated - Retail Council of Canada
Ontario

Reminder for Ontario Retailers: Effective March 1, 2016 Joint Health & Safety Committee Certification Training Has Been Updated

This training requirement applies to Ontario workplaces that regularly employ 20 or more workers.

Last year Ontario through its Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) established:

  1. new Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification Training Program Standard;
  2. new JHSC Certification Training Provider Standard and;
  3. new training and other requirements for JHSC learners.

The Standards and the training and other requirements (posted on the ministry website) will be effective March 1, 2016. After that date: any JHSC members wishing to become certified must meet the new training requirements. In addition, training providers must have approved programs and trainers to provide JHSC Certification training that meet the new Standards.

Under the training and other requirements, to become certified, a JHSC member must now complete a minimum 3-Day JHSC Part One and minimum 2-Day JHSC Part Two Ministry of Labour (MOL) approved JHSC certification training program delivered by a MOL approved JHSC certification training provider; and will be required to take 1-Day Refresher training course every three years to maintain their certification.

Members certified under the 1996 Standards will continue to be certified and will not be subject to additional requirements to maintain their certifications, including Refresher training.

In order to deliver JHSC Certification Training as of March 1, 2016, all training providers will need to apply to the MOL for CPO approval. A list of CPO-approved JHSC certification training providers is available through the Ministry of Labour.

The format of the JHSC Certification Training Program is:

Part One Training: is generic and will be applicable to all workplaces where a JHSC is required. Training is based on health and safety topics, including information on legislative requirements and the roles and responsibilities of workplace parties under the Ontario Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Part One training is a minimum of 3 days (19.5 hrs) and a portion can be delivered via independent eLearning for up to 6.5 hours. This is learning delivered electronically so learners can set their own pace by using a computer-based training course. Only specific learning outcomes from Part One will be allowed to be delivered via eLearning.

Part Two Training: will focus on a minimum of six hazards relevant to the workplace, and the training is based on the application of Recognize, Assess, Control and Evaluate (RACE) methodology to those hazard controls. Guidance material will be posted to the MOL website to assist in the selection of hazards relevant to their workplace. The minimum duration of JHSC Part Two training is 2 days (13 hrs).

Refresher: will be a review of concepts from Part One and Part Two JHSC certification training. The minimum duration for Refresher training is 1 day (6.5 hrs).

Next Steps:

RCC will monitor the implementation process and continue to push for a larger eLearning component for all training to address retailers’ operational needs. RCC urges retailers with operations in Ontario to provide feedback on their experience implementing the new JHSC Certification Training Program.

Background:

RCC had strongly put forward a greater need for the eLearning option in view of retail operational challenges. The Ministry agreed to review the training standard after one year to reassess the eLearning component for training.