Workers in Ontario’s healthcare and social services sectors are confronted by some of the most hazardous workplaces. The current crisis has dramatically raised potential for harm.

Hazards in these sectors include but are not limited to those related to patient handling, occupational violence and harassment, poorly designed workstations, shiftwork, chemical hazards, infectious diseases and crippling workloads.  
        
Properly functioning and resourced joint health and safety committees (JHSC) are needed now more than ever. They play a vital role in evaluating these hazards and recommending solutions to address them. Most Ontario workplaces employing 20 or more workers OR using a designated substance must have a working JHSC. Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC), Ontario’s official JHSC certification trainer for over 35 years offers all parts of Certification training to help safeguard workers, but also to meet legal requirements under the law. JHSC Certification Part I is followed by sector and hazard specific training in a minimum of six hazards for Certification Part II.

WHSC has recently scheduled comprehensive Certification Part II training specifically for healthcare and social services sector workers and assists JHSC members with issues particular to their work environment, namely hazards as noted above. And our three-day virtual program meets and exceeds legal requirements by offering nine key hazard modules instead of six.  

The law, experience and research recognize the need for properly trained JHSC members. After all their powers under the law are considerable. By law members of JHSCs must participate in workplace health and safety inspections and investigations among other duties. Once trained they can provide invaluable advice on the development and implementation of workplace policies and programs to protect workers.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires at least two members of a JHSC – one worker and one management – complete Part I and II of a Certification training program approved by the Ministry of Labour’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) in order to become certified. To remain certified, they must successfully complete Certification Refresher training every three years. Many workplaces elect to train their entire committee to build the in-house capability and human resource capacity they need to help identify and control all hazards.
 
Strengthen your JHSC with Part II Certification and get into compliance this winter.

About our program

Certification Part II – Healthcare and Social Services Sector - Virtual

WHERE:	WHSC Virtual Classroom
WHEN:	Wednesday, December 7 - Friday, December 9
WHAT:	Day 1: Stress in the Workplace; Infectious Diseases; Hours of Work Day 2: Ergonomics in Health Care and Social Services; Patient Handling; Workplace Violence and Harassment Day 3: Biological Hazards; Electrical Hazards; Fire and Explosion

Part II of the certification process must be completed within one year of Part I and must include training in a minimum of six hazards relevant to the participants’ workplace. WHSC offers a complete catalogue of hazard training modules for a customized onsite approach.



Need more information?
Additional resource: Certification Training: The Process
Additional training: Check out all WHSC programs
Contact a WHSC training services representative in your area.
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit: www.whsc.on.ca
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