Effective July 1, 2014 employers in Ontario Canada will be required to provide basic occupational health and safety awareness and training to both workers and supervisors (Ontario Regulation 297/13). Employers should begin preparing for the effective date keeping the below requirements in mind.
As specified under the Act, training for workers must be conducted as soon as practicable and include instruction on the following:
- Worker duties and rights;
- Employer and Supervisor duties;
- Roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees;
- Roles of the Ministry, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and any designated entities;
- Common workplace hazards;
- Occupational illness, including latency; and
- Requirements outlined in Regulation 860 (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) concerning information and instruction on controlled products.
As specified under the Act, training for supervisors must occur within one (1) week of performing work as a supervisor and include instruction on the following:
- Duties and rights of workers;
- Duties of employers and supervisors;
- Roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees;
- Roles of the Ministry, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and designated entities;
- How to recognize, assess and control workplace hazards, and evaluate those controls; and
- Sources of information on occupational health and safety.
Record keeping is required. Employers must maintain records of the basic occupational health and safety awareness training completed by workers and supervisors as well as furnish written proof of completion at an individuals request.