H&S Tips & Templates

COR™ is required for many government and large contractor bids in Ontario and Quebec

Certification involves an internal audit, an external COR™ audit, and ongoing maintenance

A well-prepared COR™ program can reduce incident rates by 15–30%

Most businesses need 3–6 months to prepare for their first COR™ audit

COR™ can reduce WSIB premiums and improve your company's safety culture

Your health and safety management system must cover hazard identification, training, emergency response, and incident investigation

Fall protection is required when working at heights of 3 metres or more

Working at Heights (WAH) training is mandatory for all workers who may be exposed to fall hazards

Guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) are all acceptable forms of protection

Employers must have a written rescue plan before workers use personal fall arrest equipment

Ladders must extend at least 1 metre above the landing surface

Fall protection plans must be site-specific and reviewed before work begins

WHMIS 2015 training is required for any worker who works with or near hazardous products

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be available to workers at all times — paper or electronic

All hazardous products must have compliant GHS labels with standardized pictograms

Training must be workplace-specific — generic online training alone is not sufficient under OHSA

Employers must keep training records and make them available for Ministry of Labour inspections

Start with our FREE WHMIS 2015 online course — get your instant certificate in 30 minutes

Start with a clear scope — define what operations, locations, and hazards your manual covers

Write for your audience — use plain language your workers can understand, not legal jargon

Include site-specific procedures, not just generic policy statements copied from templates

Add visual aids, checklists, and quick-reference guides for high-risk tasks

Align your manual with COR™ elements if you're pursuing certification

Review and update your manual at least annually or after any serious incident or regulatory change

Keep training records for every worker — WHMIS 2015, Working at Heights, and OHSA awareness training

Post required notices in a visible location: OHSA poster, WHMIS poster, and Emergency Contact List

Ensure your Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) or Health & Safety Representative minutes are current and signed

Have your H&S manual, SDS binder, and workplace injury/illness records accessible and up to date

Conduct regular internal inspections and document them with completed corrective actions

Know your rights — workers and employers both have rights during an inspection under the OHSA

A written lockout/tagout procedure is legally required for any machine or equipment where unexpected energization could injure a worker

All forms of hazardous energy must be isolated — electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, and chemical

Each worker performing maintenance must apply their own personal lock — one worker, one lock, no exceptions

Workers must be trained on LOTO procedures specific to each piece of equipment they service

Locks must not be removed by anyone other than the worker who applied them — supervisors cannot override this

Conduct a periodic LOTO audit to verify procedures are being followed and all equipment has up-to-date written procedures

Develop a written heat stress prevention program before hot weather arrives — don't wait for an incident

Provide workers with cool, clean drinking water nearby — at least 250ml every 20 minutes in extreme heat

Allow workers to acclimatize gradually — new or returning workers need 7–14 days to adjust to heat

Schedule heavy outdoor work during cooler parts of the day and build in rest breaks in shaded areas

Train supervisors to recognize early signs of heat exhaustion: dizziness, heavy sweating, weakness, nausea

Monitor the Humidex — when it reaches 35 or above, additional controls and rest periods are strongly recommended

Identify and inventory all confined spaces on your site — a space qualifies if it is large enough to enter, has restricted entry/exit, and is not designed for continuous occupancy

Develop a written confined space program that covers hazard identification, entry procedures, atmospheric testing, and rescue

Atmospheric testing for oxygen levels, flammable gases, and toxic substances must be done before and during any entry

An entry permit must be completed and signed before each confined space entry — verbal authorization is not sufficient

A trained attendant must remain outside the confined space at all times while a worker is inside

A rescue plan must be in place before entry begins — rescue teams must be trained and equipped, never attempt a rescue without proper gear

Orientation must happen before the worker begins work — not after their first day or first incident

Cover the basics: rights and responsibilities under OHSA, how to report a hazard, who the Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) representative is

Review workplace-specific hazards, emergency procedures, and the location of first aid and fire extinguishers

Provide WHMIS training for any worker who may work with or near hazardous products

Assign a buddy or mentor for the first few weeks — informal supervision dramatically reduces new worker injuries

Document the orientation with a sign-off sheet and keep it on file — it is your proof of compliance in a Ministry of Labour inspection

All critical injuries must be reported to the Ministry of Labour immediately by phone, with a written report to follow within 48 hours

Near misses must also be investigated — they are free lessons that show where your next serious injury is coming from

Investigations must be completed by the constructor or employer and a JHSC worker representative as soon as possible after the incident

Focus on root causes, not blame — ask 'why did the system allow this to happen?' not 'who made a mistake?'

Corrective actions must be specific, assigned to a responsible person, and have a completion deadline — vague actions get ignored

Keep all investigation records on file — the Ministry of Labour can request them at any time and will review them following a serious incident

Most Ontario employers are required to register with WSIB within 10 days of hiring their first worker

WSIB premiums are based on your industry classification and total insurable payroll

Reporting a workplace injury to WSIB within 3 days is mandatory under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA)

Your WSIB experience rating adjusts your premiums based on your claims history — fewer claims means lower premiums

WSIB's Health & Safety Excellence program offers significant premium rebates for businesses that demonstrate strong safety practices

A strong health and safety management system is the most effective way to reduce WSIB costs long-term

In Ontario, O. Reg. 851 requires fall protection for industrial workers exposed to a fall of 1.2 metres or more — lower than the construction threshold

In Quebec, the LSST and associated regulations require employers to eliminate fall hazards at the source before relying on personal protective equipment

A written fall protection plan is required before work begins at elevation — it must be site-specific and include rescue procedures

Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS) — harness, lanyard, and anchor — must be inspected before each use and meet CSA Z259 standards

Employers must identify and document all fall hazards through a formal hazard assessment as part of their safety management system

Anchor points must be engineered to withstand a minimum load of 8 kN (approximately 1,800 lbs) per attached worker

Workers must be trained on the specific fall protection equipment they are using — general awareness training is not sufficient

A rescue plan must be in place before any worker is elevated — post-fall suspension trauma (harness hang syndrome) can be fatal within minutes

A JHSC is required when your workplace regularly employs 20 or more workers — this includes part-time and seasonal employees counted toward your regular complement

The JHSC must have at least two members: at minimum one worker representative (selected by workers or their union) and one management representative (appointed by the employer)

Workplaces with 50 or more workers must have a minimum of four JHSC members — at least half must be worker representatives

JHSC members must complete the mandatory JHSC Certification training through a WSIB-approved provider — Part 1 and Part 2 certification is required for certified members

The JHSC must meet at least once every three months — meeting minutes must be kept and posted in the workplace

JHSC members have the right to inspect the physical condition of the workplace at least once per month — they must submit written recommendations to the employer

The employer must respond in writing to JHSC recommendations within 21 days — agreeing, disagreeing (with reasons), or providing a timeline for action

If a serious injury or fatality occurs, a JHSC member (or worker health and safety representative) must be notified and has the right to inspect the scene

An OHS consultant assesses your current safety program, identifies gaps, and builds or improves your documentation, procedures, and training

Consultants save you time — most business owners don't have the expertise or hours to build a compliant safety program from scratch

A good OHS consultant works with your existing team, not around them — your supervisors and workers should be involved throughout

Consulting is not just for large companies — businesses with as few as 5 employees benefit from a documented safety program

COR™ certification, WSIB audits, and Ministry of Labour inspections are all areas where a consultant's guidance pays for itself

The best consultants tailor their advice to your industry — a construction site has very different risks than a medical office or a manufacturing plant

On-site visits give consultants the context they need — remote-only services often miss critical site-specific hazards

WAH training is mandatory for all workers on Ontario construction projects where they could be exposed to a fall hazard at any height

The training must be delivered by a WSIB-approved provider — employer-developed courses do not satisfy the requirement

The approved program includes theoretical and practical components — workers must demonstrate competency, not just attend

WAH training does not expire, but refresher training is required when there are significant changes to a worker's role or equipment

Supervisors must also complete WAH training if they could be exposed to fall hazards

Completion of WAH training must be documented — workers receive a proof-of-training document they carry on site

WAH training is separate from — and in addition to — a site-specific fall protection plan, which the employer must still prepare

Every Ontario employer must have a written health and safety policy if they regularly employ 6 or more workers — this is a legal requirement, not optional

Your safety program should start with a hazard identification process — walk your workplace and list every task that could cause injury

Documented safe work procedures for your highest-risk tasks are the backbone of any effective safety program

Worker orientation and training records must be kept — in the event of an incident or Ministry inspection, documentation is your evidence of due diligence

A safety program doesn't need to be hundreds of pages — a focused, practical program followed consistently is far more valuable than a thick binder no one reads

Businesses with 20 or more workers must have a Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC); those with 6–19 workers need a worker health and safety representative

Annual reviews of your safety program keep it current and show regulators that safety is an ongoing priority, not a one-time effort

On any Ontario construction project where multiple employers are present, a 'prime contractor' must be designated — typically the general contractor or project owner

The prime contractor is responsible for ensuring all employers and workers on the project comply with the OHSA and its regulations

If a project owner does not designate a prime contractor in writing, the project owner themselves becomes the prime contractor by default

The prime contractor must establish a process for identifying and addressing hazards created by the work of multiple employers on the same site

Sub-contractors do not lose their own obligations under the OHSA — both the prime contractor and sub-contractors carry duties simultaneously

A written contract clearly stating the prime contractor designation is essential — verbal agreements do not provide legal protection

Ministry of Labour inspectors will look for evidence that the prime contractor is actively coordinating safety, not just holding the title on paper