- Worker Health and Safety Awareness (45 minutes; online) - All workers are required to successfully complete this basic worker health and safety awareness program introduced by the Ontario government in 2014. It familiarizes new workers with their organization, supervisors, co-workers, work areas and responsibilities, and with health and safety-related items in general. It also includes a brief introduction to WHMIS and meets the requirements for basic WHMIS training. Frequently Asked Questions
- Violence Prevention (30 minutes; online) - Changes to Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which took effect June 15, 2010 have strengthened protection for workers with regard to workplace violence and workplace harassment. Employers have responsibilities regarding workplace violence. They must have workplace violence policies and programs and must provide information and instruction to workers on their content. Workers are also responsible for preventing workplace violence. They must report potential workplace violence. They also have the right to refuse to work if they are in danger of workplace violence.
- Respect in the Workplace (30 minutes; online) - Ontario health and safety legislation stipulates that all employees must be trained to prevent harassment in the workplace. Learn what your individual responsibilities are to ensure that your workplace is free of harassment and discrimination, and how to report a disturbing situation or a complaint of harassment or discrimination.
- Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (90 minutes; online) - In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA), the University of Ottawa is required to provide training to all employees on accessibility standards for client services.
- Working Together: The Code and the AODA (20 minutes; online)
Additional job specific training may be required. Supervisors must ensure that their workers or persons under their authority receive the appropriate level of training, instruction and/or information to conduct work safely and responsibly. They must monitor workers or persons under their authority to ensure they apply the safety knowledge received. Speak with your supervisor to find out if you require additional training for your work-related duties.
All workers must successfully complete the training that applies to them.
*"Worker” means a University employee and includes a person who performs work or supplies services for monetary compensation. Students hired by the University to perform paid work-study program or co-operative education placement duties for the University are considered Workers.
Since January 1, 2015, the new definition of worker under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) expands coverage of the OHSA to unpaid co-op students, certain other learners and trainees participating in a work placement in Ontario. (To note that paid co-op students, learners and trainees are also considered worker under the OHSA.)
Specifically, the new definition of worker now includes:
- Unpaid secondary school students who are participating in a work experience program, authorized by the school board that operates the school in which the students are enrolled,
- Other unpaid learners participating in a program approved by a post-secondary institution, and,
- Any unpaid trainees who are not employees for the purposes of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) because they meet certain conditions.
Volunteers are not covered by this new definition of worker.
If you are an unpaid co-op student, learner or trainee as described above, you now have the same rights under the OHSA as paid workers such as the right to know about hazards and to refuse unsafe work. You also have the same duties as a paid worker, such as wearing and using protective equipment and not doing anything that may harm or endanger yourself or others in the workplace.
If you are an employer or supervisor, this means that you have the same duties towards an unpaid co-op student and other unpaid trainees and learners at your workplace that you have toward your paid workers.
The section is extracted from the Ministry of Labour website.