Ontario’s Ministry of Labour (MOL) has just announced new certification training requirements for joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members that come into effect Mar. 1, 2016.

If your business has 20 or more employees, there are four changes that most impact you:

• JHSC members who achieve certification status after Mar. 1, 2016 will require refresher training every three years to maintain their status
• Parts one and two, as well as refresher training, must be taken from a MOL approved trainer
• Both parts must be completed within six months of each other
• Training must include interaction with an instructor, and consist of a minimum of five days: three for part one; two for part two. Refresher training is an additional day

If you have JHSC members who require certification training, don’t put it off. Ministry inspectors will continue checking on compliance during workplaces visits and inspections.

Any JHSC members certified before Mar. 1, 2016 are certified for life. They won’t need retraining unless they switch industry sectors. They also won’t need refresher training.

Self-paced training via print based workbooks and e-courses will not be available after Jan. 31, 2016, due to requirements set out in the new standards.

Workplaces cannot conduct their own in-house certification training unless they apply through the MOL to become an approved training provider of an approved JHSC Certification Training program.

Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) is available to assist with certification training needs. After Mar. 1, WSPS will continue to offer certification training in classrooms.

Learn more about the new requirements by contacting WSPS Customer Care, at 1-877-494- 9777, ext. 0.