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Monthly Archives: January 2016

Ontario’s New JHSC Training Standards Come into Effect March 1, 2016

Health & Safety JHSCOn Oct. 1, 2015, the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) of the Ministry of Labour (MOL) announced new standards for Joint Health Safety Committee (JHSC) member certification and new requirements for organizations that provide JHSC certification training programs. The new standards replace the 1996 Certification Standards (1996 Standards) and become effective March 1, 2016.

New Training Program Standard Requirements

Under the new standards, JHSC members seeking to become certified after March1, 2016, must complete new, more comprehensive training courses. These training courses are separated into three segments: Part 1, Part 2 and refresher training. All three segments of this training must be part of a CPO-approved JHSC program and must be delivered by a CPO-approved JHSC certification training provider.

JHSC members certified under the 1996 Standards before March1, 2016, are not required to complete additional training under the new standards, nor are they required to complete refresher training to maintain their certification.

Starting March 1, 2016, JHSC members who have completed only Part 1 of the certification training under the 1996 Standards will be required to complete Part 2 under the new standards. Additionally, these individuals will need to take refresher training periodically to maintain their certification.

Format of JHSC Training Under New Training Program Standard

Part 1 training involves generic health and safety training that is applicable to all workplaces where a JHSC is required. Part 1 training must consist of at least three days (19.5 hours) of face-to-face instruction, of which, 6.5 hours can be delivered via eLearning. It includes information on the following:

  • Occupational health and safety laws and regulations;
  • Rights, duties and responsibilities of workplace parties;
  • Hazard recognition, assessment, and control and evaluation of hazard controls;
  • The role and responsibilities of JHSCs;
  • Duties and responsibilities of JHSC members and certified members; and
  • Health and safety resources.

Part 2 training focuses on the concepts of hazard recognition, assessment and control of hazards, and evaluation of hazard controls, often referred to as the RACE methodology. This training must also focus on a minimum of six hazards that are relevant to the JHSC member’s workplace. The minimum duration of Part 2 training is two days (13 hours) of face-to-face instruction.

Part 2 training must be completed within six months of completing Part 1 training, subject to a one-time extension granted at the CPO’s discretion.

Refresher training must be completed once every three years by anyone who is JHSC certified under the new standards. This training must entail a minimum of one day (6.5 hours) of face-to-face instruction and include the following:

  • A review of key concepts from Part 1 and Part 2 training;
  • Information on relevant updates to legislation, standards, codes of practice, and occupational health and safety best practices; and
  • The opportunity for certified members to share and discuss best practices and challenges related to workplace health and safety.

Certified JHSC members may request a one-time exemption from refresher training. Exemptions, if approved, would extend the required period for refresher training an additional three years.

New Training Provider Standard

The new standards also set out criteria that training providers must meet in order to deliver a CPO-approved JHSC certification training program. To deliver JHSC Certification Training as of March 1, 2016, all training providers, including existing training providers and potential providers, must apply to the MOL for CPO approval.

Training providers previously approved by the CPO may continue to provide JHSC training under the 1996 Standards until Feb. 29, 2016, but they are required to re-apply for CPO approval and provide certification training after that date.

It should be noted that employers can apply to become approved JHSC certification training providers. Once approved by the CPO, employers can then provide JHSC certification training to their employees.

Additional Information

A list of all CPO-approved JHSC certification training providers will be posted on the MOL website as they are approved.

For additional information on JHSCs or the recent changes made to the certification standards, organizations may visit the MOL’s JHSC website.

 

© Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.


New Noise Protection Requirements Extended to Ontario Workplaces

Ear protection SThe Ontario Ministry of Labour recently extended noise protection requirements to all workplaces covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Workplaces covered under the new Noise Regulations include construction sites, health care facilities, schools, farming operations, fire services, police services and amusement parks.

The new regulation, which will come into effect on July 1, 2016, aims to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss.

Specifically, the new regulation does the following:

  1. Places limits on the length of time workers are exposed to noise, with a maximum exposure limit of 85 decibels over an eight-hour work shift
  2. Requires employers to implement preventive workplace controls (introducing safe work practices, engineering controls, etc.) in order to reduce employee exposure to noise
  3. Requires employers to provide personal protective equipment (like hearing protection devices) and adequate training on its proper usage

In addition, noise protection sections in the Industrial Establishments, Mines and Mining Plants, and Oil and Gas-Offshore regulations have been revoked and are now incorporated into the new Noise Regulations.

The Regulations for Farming Operations was also amended in order to apply the noise regulation to farming operations.

To read the regulation in its entirety, click here.

 

© Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.


Cyber Crime’s Forgotten Victim—Your Company’s Reputation

Reputation 1Even though companies are finally starting to dedicate resources to prepare for cyber attacks, it’s possible that they may be overlooking a key exposure. While internal audits, hardware and software upgrades, and payouts to impacted customers can be costly, those costs can quickly be dwarfed by the damage a cyber attack can do to a company’s reputation.

The Dark Side of Social Media

Social media poses a huge threat to your company’s reputation. In the event of a data breach, traditional media coverage, blog posts and consumer reaction to the breach will dominate discussion of your company’s brand across social media platforms. Social media newsfeeds offer little to no distinction between legitimate news, biased reports, rumors and outright falsehoods, making the problem worse.

Additionally, social media is the perfect battleground for a competing interest to launch an attack on your brand. In fact, a white paper released by Hays suggests that the deliberate spread of false information about companies could be part of the next wave of cyber attacks launched by foreign governments.

Managing Your Reputation

In the wake of a cyber attack, it’s important to have a social media strategy in place and ready to roll out, as well as a team dedicated to monitoring social media in order to dispel any rumors and clarify any falsehoods. It’s also important to consider all avenues for mitigating your risk.

 

© Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.


The Benefits of Legal Expense Insurance

Justicel scale SLegal disputes can disrupt any business, large or small, and the subsequent legal expenses can be costly. In fact, a two-day civil trial can cost upwards of $26,000. Often, businesses may have to pay for these legal expenses out of pocket, which, in turn, could negatively impact their bottom lines or worse, push them into bankruptcy. To protect themselves, more and more Canadian businesses are purchasing commercial legal expense insurance (LEI).

LEI is standalone insurance designed to protect policyholders from the costs and hassles of legal action brought on by or against policyholders.

Generally, businesses carry commercial general liability (CGL), directors and officers (D&O), employment practices liability (EPL), and errors and omissions (E&O) policies to cover the costs of legal action. However, these types of policies are often insufficient and designed only for specific issues.

In contrast, LEI kicks in following a legal dispute and is meant to fill gaps in coverage. LEI covers the majority of the common legal risks businesses may face. Specifically, LEI covers legal costs associated with the following seven main categories:

  1. Employment disputes
  2. Legal defence
  3. Contact disputes and debt recovery
  4. Statutory licence protection
  5. Property disputes
  6. Bodily injury
  7. Tax protection

As an added benefit, when a business purchases an LEI policy, it may also gain access to a legal helpline, which is staffed by attorneys and other experts. Companies can use this helpline to ask questions about any business-related legal matters, including tax advice. This is meant to guide policyholders through tricky situations and prevent legal trouble before it occurs.

It should be noted that each of the categories listed about has its own set of subcategories, so it’s important for businesses looking to purchase LEI to do their research.

 

© Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.


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