Training for joint health and safety committee members
Learn about mandatory joint health and safety committee (JHSC) certification training and find an approved training provider.
Changes to the training standards as of Summer 2021
On June 30, 2021, the Chief Prevention Officer amended the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification Training Program and Training Provider Standards to include the option for distance learning. Learn more.
Overview
In Ontario, most workplaces with 20 or more workers must have a joint health and safety committee (JHSC), made up of at least one worker and one employer member. The committee's primary role is to identify workplace health and safety issues and bring them to the attention of the employer.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, at least one worker and one employer on a JHSC must be certified.
JHSC members who successfully complete all parts of an approved training program are eligible to be certified by the Chief Prevention Officer.
Find an approved training provider
Joint health and safety certification training is delivered by a number of providers across the province who are approved by the Chief Prevention Officer.
Learn about the types of training available.
The Marketplace lists approved joint health and safety training providers and available classes. You can browse and register for a course in your area.You can also search the following list of current training providers, or find a provider that was previously approved or offers in-house training only.
Types of training available
Joint health and safety committee certification training is delivered either:
- in a classroom setting
- online via distance learning – instructor and learner are separated by location, but training still happens in real-time, allowing for instant feedback and clarification
- online via eLearning (available only for Part One) – this training is not led by an instructor and the learner sets their own pace
Proof of certification
Workers must have a valid record issued by the Chief Prevention Officer as proof that they are certified.
There are 3 ways employers can check that a worker's certification is valid.
- Accept a certification record issued by the Chief Prevention Officer
- Access a worker's proof of certification, with the worker's consent, by creating a free and secure account through SkillsPass™
- With the worker's consent, contact the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
Workers can also get a digital copy of their proof of JHSC certification by setting up a free and secure account through SkillsPass™. You will need your:
- address provided when you registered for training
- year of birth
- email address and phone number (mobile if possible)
To replace a lost or damaged record
If your certification record was lost or damaged, you can get your digital record online from SkillsPass™—it can be shared and printed.
Validity period
In general, your joint health and safety committee certification is valid for 3 years after the successful completion of an approved JHSC Part two training program.
You must successfully complete a refresher program within three years of the date of certification, or the date of successfully completing a refresher program, to keep your certification valid.
To be eligible for refresher training, workers must have successfully completed both parts of an approved JHSC certification program. You can check eligibility status using our eligibility checker tool.
1996 standards
If you were certified under the 1996 standards set out by the Workplace Safety Insurance Board, you don't have to refresh your certification.
Request an exemption
If your JHSC certification is about to expire and you are an active certified member, you may apply for a one-time exemption to extend your certification for another three years without taking refresher training.
Your request must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer before your certification expires. It typically takes 10 business days to approve a request.
Find an approved training provider who delivers refresher training.
Employer duties
As an employer, you must keep proof of your workers' JHSC certification and make it available to a Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development inspector on request.
Learn more about health and safety inspections.
Apply to be an approved training provider
The Chief Prevention Officer has revoked the JHSC Certification Distance Learning Standard that was announced on June 1, 2020. As of June 30, 2021, requirements for JHSC distance learning are included in the JHSC Training Program and Training Provider Standards. The changes to the standards are summarized at the top of each standard, available below.
We are now using the updated standards to evaluate all training providers and training programs.
Training providers who were approved under the JHSC Certification Distance Learning Standard do not need to reapply for approval.
Applications for all JHSC programs can be submitted through the SkillsPass Application Portal.
Before you can offer joint health and safety committee certification training, the provider and proposed training program must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer.
To apply for approval:
- make sure that your program content and delivery meet both training standards:
- if your program includes an eLearning component, make sure it follows the eLearning instructional design guidelines
- create a provider profile on the Skillspass Application Portal
- complete the joint health and safety committee certification training provider application and upload it and your training material in the areas provided in SkillsPass.
There is no fee to apply.
Applications are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. The length of time it takes to complete a full assessment of a training program depends on the quality of the application and associated training materials, as well as the number of existing applications in the review process.
The ministry will contact you with any questions or concerns as we review your application.
The ministry will contact you with any questions or concerns as we review your application. For more information about the application process and tips on how to complete the application package, read the application guidelines.
Previously approved and in-house only training providers
Find a provider that was previously approved or offers in-house training only.
Provider | Status | Date(s) approved | Program title |
---|---|---|---|
Alliance EHS Solutions | No longer approved | May 15, 2017 – July 31, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part One Training |
Martell Training Systems | In-house training only | October 24, 2017 | Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Training Part 1 |
City of Ottawa | In-house training only | May 15, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 1 Training |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | January 5, 2017 | Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Training Part 1 |
Tim Hortons | In-house training only | November 29, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 1 Training Program |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | October 24, 2016 | JHSC Basic Certification |
Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. | In-house training only | September 14, 2017 | Joint Health & Safety Committee Training Part 2 |
McMaster University | In-house training only | January 5, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
University of Toronto | In-house training only | December 13, 2016 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | December 13, 2016 | JHSC Part 2 Hazard Specific - Transportation |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | May 3, 2017 | Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Refresher Training |
Limestone District School Board | In-house training only | November 28, 2019 | JHSC Part 1 |
Limestone District School Board | In-house training only | January 15, 2020 | JHSC Part 2 |
Canadian Business Health Management | Now approved as Workplace Medical Corp. | February 26, 2016 - December 20, 2019 | Joint Health & Safety Committee – Part 1 |
Canadian Business Health Management | Now approved as Workplace Medical Corp. | February 26, 2016 – December 20, 2019 | Joint Health & Safety Committee – Part 2 |
Canadian Business Health Management | Now approved as Workplace Medical Corp. | February 26, 2016 – December 20, 2019 | Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher |
Enbridge Gas Inc. | In-house training only | February 20, 2020 | Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | June 9, 2021 | Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher |
City of Ottawa | In-house training only | June 9, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
City of Ottawa | In-house training only | April 25, 2022 | JHSC Certification Refresher |
City of Ottawa | In-house training only | April 25, 2022 | JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance |
City of Ottawa | In-house training only | April 25, 2022 | JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance |
Ottawa Catholic School Board | In-house training only | May 21, 2021 | JHSC Certification Part 1 |
Ottawa Catholic School Board | In-house training only | November 22, 2021 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
Ottawa Catholic School Board | In-house training only | January 13, 2022 | JHSC Certification Refresher |
Ottawa Catholic School Board | In-house training only | April 19, 2022 | JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | April 6, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | May 2, 2017 | JHSC Certification Refresher |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | September 30, 2020 | JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance |
City of Toronto | In-house training only | June 9, 2021 | JHSC Certification Refresher Distance |
Tim Hortons | In-house training only | December 8, 2017 | JHSC Certification Part 2 |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | October 20, 2016 | JHSC Certification Part 1 |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | JHSC Certification Refresher | |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | October 21, 2020 | JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | October 21, 2020 | JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance |
Toronto Transit Commission | In-house training only | October 21, 2020 | JHSC Certification Refresher Distance |
University of Toronto | In-house training only | August 9, 2019 | JHSC Certification Refresher |
Contact us
For questions about how CPO-approved training may be impacted by the provincial state of emergency relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, email COVID19LearnerLine@ontario.ca.
For more information about CPO training programs and requirements (for example, lost card or learner ID, training provider applications, etc.) please contact the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development at
If you have technical questions or concerns about accessing your digital training record, please email support@myskillspass.com