This week the Ontario Ministry of Labour announced new training requirements for workers and supervisors. The regulation will come into force July 1st 2014. ONTARIO REGULATION 297/13
The worker training must cover basic OHSA health and safety responsibilities and duties of the employer, supervisors and workers. In addition workers must be trained on the functions of the Safety Committee or Worker Representative and the role of the Ministry and WSIB. The course must include common workplace hazards and follow the requirement of the requirements set out in Regulation 860 (WHMIS).
The supervisor training must focus on the responsibility and duties of supervisors, the rights afforded to workers in addition to the functions of the Safety Committee or Worker Representative and the role of the Ministry and WSIB. The supervisor course must also include how to recognize assess and control workplace hazards and how to evaluate the controls as well as sources of information on occupational health and safety.
DTI has been offering this level training for the past 5 years, both instructor lead and on line. It’s nice to see we finally get the rubber stamp from the Ministry.
As a contributor to the Prevention Council, I have been telling “whoever will listen” that this is coming, in particular the supervisor requirements. The Prevention Council has been focusing on education at the root levels with respect to supervisors. The OHSA breakdown of responsibilities and duties; employer, supervisor and worker is not fully understood by those responsible for complying with the Act. Many supervisors do not fully understand their role, their responsibilities or the consequences for failing to perform their duties. This new regulation requires supervisors to complete a program that puts these issues front and centre.
If you’re unsure how the Ministry defines a supervisor, it is a person who has charge of
a workplace or authority over a worker; Not too grey.
My assumption is the worker training requirement is meant to force all employers to inform workers of their rights. The council must believe that many workers do not feel entitled to speak out about health and safety issues. If this is the case, I agree. The new regulation forces employers to make basic health and safety rights and responsibilities part of their worker orientation.
The Ministry has also offered a new suite of training resources that provides employers with the tools to stay up to date with the requirement including on-line training programs that are accessible from the Ministry website.
I have reviewed the on-line program offered on the website and it provides the basics. The training is a little complicated to get into and can only be taken in a single session, of up to 1 hour. This may be too much for many workers, particularly those that have English as a second language. The on-line training has a built in test and evaluator. When the participant has successfully passed the course they can print of a certificate. This most useful for the general public that can attain and verify the training prior to getting a job. The MOL program does not store any results or records or store any company names. Click here to take it for a test run.
The regulation provides for exemptions, but to be clear, there is no exemption from the training, it only exempts those than can verify they have previously taken the training. Employers must keep records and they must be provided to workers and supervisors on request. Under the exemption the training is transferable. There is no provision for expiry of the training, but one would presume when the basic regulations are updated or changed this information will have to be passed along to workers and supervisors. Click here to view the new regulation.