By January 1, 2014, Ontario employers will be required to ensure that all workers and supervisors in all Ontario workplaces covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act receive mandatory health and safety awareness training.
On April 1, 2012, Bill 160 transferred responsibility for prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to the Ministry of Labour, under the oversight of a new Chief Prevention Officer. One of the first new prevention initiatives announced is the training requirement.
A regulation requiring the training is expected to be filed by July 1, 2013 and to come into force on January 1, 2014. In the meantime, to assist employers to prepare for compliance, the Ministry of Labour has published worker health and safety training materials and is conducting a pilot project to test supervisor training materials.
Further details (and copies of the Ministry's training materials) are available here.
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