Occupational Health And Safety
Awareness Training
Awareness Training
5 Steps for Supervisors - Online Course
Occupational Health And Safety Awareness Training
For Supervisors in 5 Steps - Online Course
All supervisors in Ontario must have a basic understanding of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), according to Regulation 297/13. The Ministry of Labour introduced mandatory health and safety awareness training on July 1, 2014, and employers are required to keep training records for their staff.
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In the Ontario OHSA, a supervisor is defined as anyone in charge of a workplace or having authority over other workers. The definition of a supervisor applies even if the job position does not use the word directly. This online course covers the fundamental aspects of workplace health and safety from a supervision viewpoint, focusing on two areas:
- Rights and responsibilities regarding health and safety.
- Their application for workers, supervisors, and employers.
This course meets the training requirements for supervisors in Ontario according to OHSA and is suitable for supervisors in all industries. However, additional training may be required for specific industries, hazards, or competencies.
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Supervisors have the option of completing this program with a workbook or an eLearning module. Since the module cannot track progress, completing the course in one session is recommended.
How Qualified Supervisors Help an Organization
When supervisors are well trained, they can prevent many accidents. Since they are directly involved in worksites, supervisors can protect workers while mitigating risks, avoiding many negative consequences for companies:
- Lost time
- Medical and disability costs
- Corporate liabilities
- Legal consequences, such as lawsuits
At the same time, supervisors have an ideal position to create a safety culture. When workers feel protected by their employer, their motivation improves. The positive effects include higher productivity and lower staff turnover.
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OHSA has several requirements to ensure that only competent persons are appointed as supervisors:
- Acquiring all the necessary knowledge and experience for the job.
- Becoming familiarized with OHSA and all applicable regulations.
- Having knowledge about all the hazards (potential or existing) that threaten health and safety in a workplace.
According to the Ontario OHSA, supervisors can face a penalty of up to $100,000 and/or 12 months in jail, and companies can be fined up to $1.5 million. Having qualified supervisors is fundamental to avoid these consequences.
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The duties of supervisors under the Ontario OHSA are broad. They must assign safe work while communicating hazards clearly. Supervisors must train workers to do their job safely while making sure they use adequate PPE. In general, supervisors should take all possible precautions to protect workers from injuries or occupational illnesses.
Course Topics
This course consists of five sections:
- Make a Difference
- Lead the Way
- The Supervisor’s Toolkit
- You Are Not Alone
- Be a Role Model
The topics covered throughout these course sections include:
- Duties of supervisors, employers and workers under OHSA.
- The role of a supervisor in health and safety policies.
- Worker rights, and how supervisors can help meet those rights.
- The Internal Responsibility System (IRS)
- Common workplace hazards and illnesses – identification and prevention
- Role of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), or the health and safety representative when applicable.
- Roles of the Ministry of Labour, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and other health and safety organizations in Ontario.
- Meeting WHMIS regulations – information and instruction requirements.
Universally Compatible
This course was created using standards that will allow playback on most internet capable devices with standard web browsing capabilities including Apple’s iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, as well as most other smart phones and tablets including those with Android and Windows operating systems.
