The Ontario Ministry of Labour is amending employee training regulations under the Ontario Health and Safety Act (OHSA), a significant change that will impact the way organizations maintain full compliance with the legislation.

Beginning July 1, 2014, the OHSA’s new Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training regulation will come into effect, requiring employers to instruct workers and supervisors (as defined by the OHSA) on:

Their rights and duties under the OHSA
• The role of joint health and safety committees
• The role of health and safety representatives
• Common workplace hazards and occupational illnesses

That means training for all workers must be completed by July 1, 2014, and must include instruction on:

The duties and rights of workers under the Act
• The duties of employers and supervisors under the Act
• The roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees under the Act
• The roles of the Ministry, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and entities designated under section 22.5 of the Act with respect to occupational health and safety
• Common workplace hazards
• The requirements set out in Regulation 860 (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)) with respect to information and instruction on controlled products
• Occupational illness, including latency

The Act also requires training for all supervisors to be completed within one week of performing a supervisory role, and must include instruction on:

• The duties and rights of workers under the Act
• The duties of employers and supervisors under the Act
The roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees under the Act
• The roles of the Ministry, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and entities designated under section 22.5 of the Act with respect to occupational health and safety
• How to recognize, assess and control workplace hazards, and evaluate those controls
• Sources of information on occupational health and safety

Workers and supervisors who have already completed an awareness training program, either with their current employer or a previous employer, are exempt from completing this training. Supervisors who have already completed a supervisor awareness training program are also exempt.
For more information on the Ontario Health and Safety Act, visit www.williamshrlaw.com, or contact us at 905-205-0496.

 

This blog is provided as information and a summary of workplace legal issues.

This information is not intended as legal advice.