OHSA Workplace Safety Training Requirements in Ontario

OHSA training requirements for employers

 

Discover the essential workplace safety training courses in Ontario. See which OHSA courses are mandatory for all staff vs. hazard-specific roles. Download the free Achieve Safety training poster below.

 

Ontario employers must provide workers with the safety information, instruction and supervision necessary to protect them from workplace hazards. However, there is no single list of safety certificates that every Ontario employee must obtain.

 

Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), all employers must provide mandatory Basic Health and Safety Awareness training (O. Reg. 297/13) and Workplace Violence and Harassment instruction to every worker and supervisor. Beyond universal onboarding, employers must provide workforce-size and hazard-specific training—including WSIB First Aid (Reg. 1101), two-part WHMIS training (Reg. 860), and JHSC Certification for workplaces with 20 or more employees. For high-risk operations, provincial regulations also require certified training in Working at Heights, Confined Spaces, Lockout/Tagout, and lifting equipment before a worker starts the job.

 

 

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Which Workplace Safety Training Is Mandatory in Ontario?

Ontario’s OHSA establishes a general duty to provide workers with the information, instruction and supervision necessary to protect their health and safety.

Section 25(2)(a) establishes this responsibility, while specific regulations prescribe additional training requirements for particular workers, equipment and activities.

The following table helps distinguish broadly applicable requirements from those triggered by workplace conditions.

Some entries represent expressly prescribed certification requirements. Others involve training or instruction necessary to meet broader legal duties.

The distinction matters: A legally required safe-work procedure does not always mean Ontario requires a separate government-approved course or certificate for that procedure.

Employers should identify the specific legal requirement before purchasing training or establishing a renewal schedule.

 

👉Book Achieve Safety’s Workplace Safety Training Now.

 

Download the Free Ontario Workplace Safety Training Poster

 

 

The free poster provides a quick visual reminder of the training topics commonly found in Ontario workplace safety programs.

Employers can use it to support:

• New-worker orientation
• Supervisor meetings
• Toolbox talks
• Annual compliance reviews
• Training-needs assessments
• Health and safety committee discussions

The poster does not replace required government posters, workplace-specific instruction, hazard assessments, training records or competent supervision.

 

Download the free workplace safety training poster here.

 

Is workplace safety training mandatory for all Ontario employers?

Workplace safety training is legally mandatory for every employer in Ontario under Section 25(2)(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), which requires employers to provide information, instruction, and supervision to protect worker health and safety. The employer is legally responsible for arranging and paying for required training and compensating workers for their time during instruction

How does the OHSA separate universal training from hazard-specific training?

Ontario safety law splits training obligations into three distinct tiers: universal onboarding for every employee, headcount-triggered certifications, and task-specific hazard courses. While an office and a manufacturing plant share the same baseline awareness requirements, physical and chemical hazards dictate which specialized credentials your crew needs before stepping onto the floor.

Course Name	Primary Regulation / Standard	Who Needs It (Trigger)	Renewal / Validity
1. OHSA Awareness	O. Reg. 297/13	All workers (upon hire) & supervisors (within 1 week)	No expiry (Retrain if duties change)
2. Violence & Harassment	OHSA Part III.0.1 (Bill 168)	All employees and supervisors	Annual policy review
3. AODA Accessibility	O. Reg. 191/11	All staff, volunteers, and policy-makers	Retrain when policies change
4. Workplace First Aid	WSIB Reg. 1101	Designated shift attendants (1–5 vs. 6+ workers)	Every 3 years
5. WHMIS Training	R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860	Any worker exposed to hazardous products	Annual program review
6. JHSC / HSR	OHSA s. 8 & s. 9 / O. Reg. 297/13	6–19 workers (HSR) or 20+ workers (JHSC)	Every 3 years (JHSC Refresher)
7. Working at Heights	O. Reg. 297/13 (s. 6–7)	Construction projects using fall protection (3m / 10ft)	Every 3 years
8. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)	O. Reg. 851 (s. 42 & s. 75–76)	Workers maintaining or unjamming energized machinery	When equipment/procedures change
9. Forklift & MEWP	O. Reg. 851 (s. 51) / CSA B335	Powered lift truck and aerial platform operators	Every 3 years (CSA B335 practical)
10. Confined Space Entry	O. Reg. 632/05	Entrants, attendants, and rescue staff for restricted spaces	Per written entry plan / hazard change

Which 4 safety training courses are mandatory for almost every Ontario workplace?

Every Ontario employer—including retail stores, tech offices, and industrial facilities—must provide foundational onboarding instruction and maintain emergency medical coverage on every shift.

1. Worker and Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness

Ontario Regulation 297/13 mandates that every worker complete Basic Occupational Health and Safety Worker Awareness training as soon as practicable upon hire. The 4-step worker program covers the Internal Responsibility System (IRS), common workplace hazards, occupational illness latency, and the three fundamental rights: the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to refuse unsafe work

Supervisors face a strict statutory deadline: employers must ensure a supervisor completes a 5-step Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness program within one week of performing supervisory duties. This course trains leaders on how to recognize, assess, and control workplace hazards and evaluate whether those controls are working. 

Official reference: Ontario Regulation 297/13.

WHMIS Training for Hazardous Products

Workers must receive WHMIS education and workplace-specific training before they use, handle or may be exposed to hazardous products.

Whenever a workplace uses or stores hazardous products—ranging from industrial solvents and compressed gases to commercial degreasers and cleaning supplies—employers must comply with Ontario WHMIS training requirements under Ontario Regulation 860.

Compliant instruction requires two distinct parts: generic WHMIS education covering hazard classes, pictograms, supplier labels, and 16-section Safety Data Sheets (SDS), followed by workplace-specific training.

A generic 1-hour online WHMIS certificate never satisfies Regulation 860 on its own. Employers must also train workers on the exact hazardous products on-site, required personal protective equipment (PPE), fugitive emissions, and local spill and emergency procedures, reviewing the overall WHMIS program annually with the health and safety committee.

 

Working at Heights Training for Construction Workers

Workers on Ontario construction projects who use fall-protection equipment must complete an approved Working at Heights program delivered by a CPO approved health and safety training provider in Ontario.

Training covers subjects such as:

• Fall hazards
• The hierarchy of fall controls
• Travel-restraint systems
• Fall-restricting systems
• Fall-arrest equipment
• Harness inspection and fitting
• Anchors and connecting equipment
• Rescue considerations

CPO Approved Working at Heights training does not eliminate the employer’s responsibility to provide site-specific instruction. Workers must understand the fall hazards, equipment, anchor systems, rescue procedures and controls used at the project where they are working. The Working at Heights requirement should not be confused with every situation involving an elevated work surface. Different rules may apply to industrial workplaces and other activities.

Confined Space Entry & Fire/Emergency Response (O. Reg. 632/05)

Ontario Regulation 632/05 (Confined Spaces) governs work inside any fully or partially enclosed space—such as tanks, vats, silos, pits, sewers, or utility vaults—that is not designed for continuous human occupancy and where atmospheric hazards may occur. Before any worker enters or acts as an attendant, the employer must prepare a written confined space program and provide plan-specific training.

Training must cover hazard recognition, continuous atmospheric testing (oxygen levels, flammability, and toxic gases like carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulfide), entry permits, personal protective equipment, and on-site emergency rescue procedures.

Workplace First Aid and CPR/AED (WSIB Regulation 1101)

Ontario workplaces covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act must have appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel.

Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) Regulation 1101, every Ontario employer must maintain a first aid station in the charge of a worker who holds a valid first aid certificate from a WSIB-approved training provider. The required certification level depends on how many employees work on a single shift:

• 1 to 5 workers on a shift: Requires at least one attendant holding an Emergency First Aid certificate (a 1-day course).

• 6 to 199 workers on a shift: Requires at least one attendant holding a Standard (Intermediate) First Aid certificate (a 2-day course) who works in the immediate vicinity of the first aid station.

• 200 or more workers on a shift: Requires a first aid room under the charge of a registered nurse or a worker holding a Standard First Aid certificate, plus additional certified attendants for every 100 employees

Official reference: WSIB First Aid Program

Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention (Bill 168 / Part III.0.1)

Under Part III.0.1 of the OHSA, every employer must prepare written workplace violence and harassment policies and provide every worker with information and instruction on their contents. Workplaces with five or more regularly employed workers must keep these policies written and posted in a conspicuous location, reviewing them at least once a year.

Effective training must teach staff how to summon immediate assistance, how to report incidents of workplace harassment (including sexual harassment), and how the employer will investigate and deal with complaints—even if the alleged harasser is the worker’s direct supervisor.

Forklift Operator Training

 

A forklift should only be operated by a worker who has the knowledge, training and experience needed to operate it safely.

 

Forklift training should include both theory and practical evaluation. Important subjects include:

• Pre-use inspections
• Stability and centre of gravity
• Load capacity
• Travelling with loads
• Pedestrian traffic
• Ramps and grades
• Dock and trailer hazards
• Battery charging or fuel handling
• Workplace-specific operating procedures

 

Ontario guidance identifies operator competency as a core requirement for powered lift-truck operation. A trainee must receive appropriate instruction and supervision before being allowed to operate independently.

Mobile Elevating Work Platform Training

Workers operating scissor lifts, boom lifts and other mobile elevating work platforms must understand the equipment they use.

 

Training should address:

• Equipment controls
• Manufacturer instructions
• Pre-use inspections
• Ground conditions
• Platform capacity
• Overhead hazards
• Entrapment and crushing hazards
• Emergency lowering systems
• Fall-protection requirements
• Rescue planning

 

Ontario guidance states that EWP operators must be trained, familiar with the specific equipment and able to follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.

 

 

Ontario has also enacted a dedicated Elevating Work Platforms regulation that comes into force on January 1, 2027. It introduces more detailed training requirements for mobile elevating work platform operators, making early preparation important for affected employers.

 Lockout, Tagout and Electrical Safety

Under Sections 42, 75, and 76 of Ontario Regulation 851, any machine, prime mover, or transmission equipment must be locked out—and its moving parts stopped and blocked—before a worker cleans, oils, adjusts, repairs, or unjams it. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) training teaches staff to isolate electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, and gravitational energy sources and verify a zero-energy state before reaching into a machine

Instruction should cover:

• Identifying energy sources
• Equipment shutdown
• Electrical isolation
• Hydraulic and pneumatic energy
• Stored or residual energy
• Applying locks and tags
• Verifying zero-energy state
• Restart and communication procedures
• Group lockout responsibilities

 

Electrical safety training must reflect the worker’s role. A general worker, machine operator, maintenance employee and qualified electrical worker will not require the same level of instruction.

Lockout training should be based on the actual machinery and energy-isolation procedures used at the workplace, not only a generic classroom example.

Personal Protective Equipment

Providing safety glasses, gloves or hearing protection is not enough. Workers must know when PPE is required, how to wear it and what its limitations are.

 

PPE training may include:

• Eye and face protection
• Hearing protection
• Respiratory protection
• Protective footwear
• Gloves and hand protection
• Head protection
• High-visibility clothing
• Harnesses and fall-protection equipment

Employers should select PPE through a hazard assessment. Workers should also be trained to inspect, clean, store and replace equipment correctly.

PPE is usually the final level of protection after hazards have been eliminated or controlled through engineering and administrative measures.

Fire, Spill and Emergency Response

Workers need to understand what to do when an emergency occurs.

Training may cover:

• Fire alarms and evacuation routes
• Assembly locations
• Emergency contacts
• Spill reporting
• Chemical exposure
• First aid response
• Equipment shutdown
• Workplace violence procedures
• Severe weather
• Rescue and emergency communication

 

Not every employee should attempt to fight a fire or clean a hazardous spill. Training must clearly explain when workers should intervene, when they should evacuate and who is authorized to perform specialized emergency duties.

How Often Should Workplace Safety Training Be Renewed?

There is no universal renewal period for every safety course.

Refresher or retraining may be needed when:

• A certificate expires
• New equipment is introduced
• A worker changes jobs
• Workplace hazards change
• Procedures are revised
• An incident or near miss occurs
• A worker cannot demonstrate continued competency
• Legislation or training standards change

Employers should maintain a training matrix showing required courses, completion dates, expiry dates and refresher deadlines.

What Should Ontario Employers Keep in Their Training Records?

A clear training record should identify:

• Worker’s full name
• Course or subject
• Training provider
• Training date
• Practical evaluation results
• Equipment type
• Certificate number
• Expiry or review date
• Instructor or evaluator
• Workplace-specific instruction completed

Records help employers identify gaps, schedule refreshers and demonstrate that instruction was provided.

Build a Training Program Around Your Real Workplace Hazards

A list of courses is only a starting point.

A strong safety program connects training to the work being performed. It considers the workplace, machinery, materials, worker experience, emergency procedures and applicable Ontario regulations.

Achieve Safety supports Ontario employers with workplace safety training, program development, implementation monitoring and compliance audits. Training can be aligned with the actual risks workers face rather than treated as a certificate-collection exercise.

 

Need help identifying which courses your workers require? Contact Achieve Safety at (647) 523-7554 to review your training and compliance needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What safety training is mandatory for every new hire in Ontario?

Every new Ontario worker must complete Basic Occupational Health and Safety Awareness (O. Reg. 297/13), Workplace Violence and Harassment instruction, and AODA Accessibility training upon hire, plus WHMIS if exposed to hazardous products.

How soon must an Ontario supervisor complete health and safety awareness training?

Under Ontario Regulation 297/13, employers must ensure a supervisor completes mandatory Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness training within one week of performing supervisory duties.

Which Ontario safety certificates expire after 3 years?

CPO-approved Working at Heights, JHSC Certification, WSIB First Aid/CPR, and CSA-aligned Forklift practical evaluations require renewal or refresher training every 3 years.

Who is responsible for paying for workplace safety training in Ontario?

Under the OHSA, the employer is legally responsible for arranging and paying for required workplace safety training and compensating workers for their time during instruction.

Do office workplaces in Ontario still need safety training?

Yes, office employers must still provide Worker and Supervisor OHSA Awareness, Workplace Violence and Harassment training, AODA training, WSIB-compliant First Aid coverage, and an HSR or JHSC depending on staff headcount