NEWS

Effective: October 1^st 2015, the CPO has established:

 

1) the new Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification Training Program Standard;

 

2) the 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, which means that after that date:  any JHSC members wishing to become certified must meet the new training and other requirements in order to be certified; and, training providers must be approved to provide JHSC Certification programs that meet the new Standards.

 

Under the training and other requirements, to become certified, a JHSC member must complete both Part One and Part Two of a CPO-approved JHSC certification training program delivered by a CPO-approved JHSC certification training provider; and will be required to take a Refresher training program every three years to maintain their certification. 

 

Members certified under the 1996 Standards continue to be certified and will not be subject to additional requirements to maintain their certifications, including Refresher training.  The 1996 Certification Standards will remain in effect until February 29, 2016.

 

In order to deliver JHSC Certification Training as of March 1, 2016, all training providers (including existing approved providers and potential providers) will need to apply to the MOL for CPO approval under the new JHSC Certification Training Standards starting October 1, 2015.   Training providers approved under the new Standards may begin to deliver the new JHSC Certification training as of March 1, 2016.  Training providers approved under the 1996 Standard can continue to provide JHSC training under the 1996 Standard until February 29, 2016.

 

As of March 1, 2016, JHSC members who have completed only Part 1 under the 1996 Standard will have to complete Part 2 under the new Standards in order to be certified, and will be required to take Refresher training every 3 years to maintain their certification.

 

A list of all CPO-approved JHSC certification training providers will be posted to the Ministry of Labour (MOL) website in winter 2016 as they are approved.

 

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 OHSA. Part One training is a minimum of 3 days (19.5 hrs) and a portion can be delivered via eLearning for up to 6.5 hours.  This is learning delivered electronically so learners can set their own pace, for example, 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).