Are your employees getting the right health and safety training? (Federal)

When WSPS Consultant Jeff Pedlow trains federal health and safety representatives and committee members, he’s often asked two questions. At the beginning of the session, it’s “Why do I need this training?”

The simple answer is because the law says so: workplaces under federal jurisdiction must provide health and safety training.* But there's another, more impactful reason to take the training: it equips participants with the tools and expertise they need to prevent job-related injuries and illnesses.

Which training these participants take depends on the number of employees in the workplace. Employers with

• 1-19 employees must designate and train a health and safety representative
• 20+ employees must establish and train at least one work place health and safety committee in every workplace with 20 or more employees
• 300+ employees must also establish and train at least one policy health and safety committee in every workplace with 300 or more employees.

“This training offers real-life benefits,” says Jeff. “Participants are better able to see hazards, recognize the potential consequences, and work with other workplace parties on solutions. The training allows them to really go to that next level and help both the employer and employees ensure that they have a healthy and safe workplace.

“More specifically, participants learn about their legal requirements, what their roles are, in the case of committees how they are structured, and how to conduct effective workplace inspections and hazardous occurrence investigations. Participants also learn how to resolve issues and fulfil their role in work refusals. It’s a solid course in recognizing, understanding and managing hazards.”

The second question Jeff is often asked is, “Does my manager know this?” It’s an important question, he says. Under the internal responsibility system, employers, managers and employees all have health and safety responsibilities. “When everyone has received the right training and works together to meet their responsibilities, the wheel starts to turn really well.”

Jeff offers one final comment: “When you’re signing up for training, make sure it’s designed for federally regulated workplaces. There are significant differences in the legislation of federal and provincial jurisdictions.”

How WSPS can help

We offer a two-day classroom or on-site training course for health and safety representatives, work place health and safety committees, and policy health and safety committees. This training is tailored to the needs of federal government departments, agencies and other federally regulated workplaces.

We also offer these related training options:

• CLC Part II: For Managers (Federal) (half-day eCourse)
• Federal Hazard Prevention Program (1-hour eCourse) 
• Inspecting Your Workplace - Federal (half-day classroom or on-site training) 
• Hazardous Occurrence Investigations - Federal (half-day classroom or on-site training)

* The requirement to train health and safety representatives, and members of work place health and safety committees and policy health and safety committees appears in the Canada Labour Code Part II.