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.

JHSC certification training is now available. The Marketplace and the chart below will be updated to include online learning options as courses become available.

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.

  1. Accept a certification record issued by the Chief Prevention Officer
  2. Access a worker's proof of certification, with the worker's consent, by creating a free and secure account through SkillsPass™
  3. 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:

  1. make sure that your program content and delivery meet both training standards:
  2. if your program includes an eLearning component, make sure it follows the eLearning instructional design guidelines
  3. create a provider profile on the Skillspass Application Portal
  4. 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.

ProviderStatusDate(s) approvedProgram title
Alliance EHS SolutionsNo longer approvedMay 15, 2017 – July 31, 2017JHSC  Certification Part One Training
Martell Training SystemsIn-house training onlyOctober 24, 2017Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Training Part 1
City of OttawaIn-house training onlyMay 15, 2017JHSC  Certification Part 1 Training
City of TorontoIn-house training onlyJanuary 5, 2017Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Training Part 1
Tim HortonsIn-house training onlyNovember 29, 2017JHSC  Certification Part 1 Training Program
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyOctober 24, 2016JHSC  Basic Certification
Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.In-house training onlySeptember 14, 2017Joint Health & Safety Committee Training Part 2
McMaster UniversityIn-house training onlyJanuary 5, 2017JHSC  Certification Part 2
University of TorontoIn-house training onlyDecember 13, 2016JHSC  Certification Part 2
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyDecember 13, 2016JHSC  Part 2 Hazard Specific - Transportation
City of TorontoIn-house training onlyMay 3, 2017Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification Refresher Training
Limestone District School BoardIn-house training onlyNovember 28, 2019JHSC Part 1
Limestone District School BoardIn-house training onlyJanuary 15, 2020JHSC Part 2
Canadian Business Health ManagementNow approved as Workplace Medical Corp.February 26, 2016 - December 20, 2019Joint Health & Safety Committee – Part 1
Canadian Business Health ManagementNow approved as Workplace Medical Corp.February 26, 2016 – December 20, 2019Joint Health & Safety Committee – Part 2
Canadian Business Health ManagementNow approved as Workplace Medical Corp.February 26, 2016 – December 20, 2019Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher
Enbridge Gas Inc.In-house training onlyFebruary 20, 2020Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher
City of TorontoIn-house training onlyJune 9, 2021Joint Health & Safety Committee – Refresher
City of OttawaIn-house training onlyJune 9, 2017JHSC Certification Part 2
City of OttawaIn-house training only

April 25, 2022

JHSC Certification Refresher
City of OttawaIn-house training onlyApril 25, 2022JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance
City of OttawaIn-house training onlyApril 25, 2022JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance
Ottawa Catholic School BoardIn-house training only

May 21, 2021

JHSC Certification Part 1
Ottawa Catholic School BoardIn-house training onlyNovember 22, 2021JHSC Certification Part 2
Ottawa Catholic School BoardIn-house training onlyJanuary 13, 2022JHSC Certification Refresher
Ottawa Catholic School BoardIn-house training onlyApril 19, 2022JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance
City of TorontoIn-house training only

April 6, 2017

JHSC Certification Part 2
City of TorontoIn-house training onlyMay 2, 2017JHSC Certification Refresher
City of TorontoIn-house training onlySeptember 30, 2020JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance
City of TorontoIn-house training onlyJune 9, 2021JHSC Certification Refresher Distance
Tim HortonsIn-house training onlyDecember 8, 2017JHSC Certification Part 2
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training only

October 20, 2016

JHSC Certification Part 1
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyAugust 17, 2017JHSC Certification Refresher
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyOctober 21, 2020JHSC Certification Part 1 Distance
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyOctober 21, 2020JHSC Certification Part 2 Distance
Toronto Transit CommissionIn-house training onlyOctober 21, 2020JHSC Certification Refresher Distance
University of TorontoIn-house training onlyAugust 9, 2019JHSC 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 1-877-202-0008 or by email at JHSC.InquiryLine@ontario.ca

If you have technical questions or concerns about accessing your digital training record, please email support@myskillspass.com

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