JOINT HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE CERTIFICATION TRAINING |
Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions (WHSS) is the only Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) approved Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification training provider located in Kingston.
As most workplaces with twenty (20) or more workers must have a JHSC established, we regularly hold training sessions. At least one (1) worker and one (1) management representative of this committee must be certified by completing the prescribed training standards set by the MOL.
Part One Basic Certification Training
Part One Basic Certification training provides an overall knowledge of the Health and Safety Legislation that applies to most workplaces.
Part Two Workplace Specific Training
Part Two Workplace Specific Certification training focuses on the significant hazards in your workplace and how to assess, control and/or eliminate them.
Refresher Certification Training
This course is designed to include all sectors and reviews the essentials of the Part 1 and 2 Certification training as well as highlight any legislative changes that have occurred within the last three years.
|
Ontario Training More Workers for In Demand Careers in Auto Manufacturing
August 03, 2022
Office of the Premier, Ontario – Free Program Will Help 500 People Start Better Jobs and Earn Bigger Paycheques.
|
Are you an 'age-friendly' employer?
August 18, 2022
HR REPORTER – Many companies embracing multigenerational workforce in some respects, not in others, finds report.
|
|
Final Call: Take Part in the 2022 Health and Safety Excellence program! |
What is the best way to ensure your dedication to workplace health and safety pays off? By joining the Health and Safety Excellence program from the WSIB, of which we are the approved provider for here in Eastern Ontario. The Health and Safety Excellence program is available to companies of all sizes, looking to maintain an exemplary health and safety framework.
The financial awards are substantial in the program, but most specifically in 2022.
The new Small Business Incentive was put in place this year to encourage people to reinvest in the economy and help our small businesses. Any small business (1-99) employees will receive an extra $1000 to pay an approved provider (like Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions) to invest in their health and safety program. You will receive DOUBLE the normal amount of rebate you are usually entitled to, with the rebate being anywhere between 1.4% and 2% of the premium for per topic that you implement in the program, with the rebate issued once validated.
When joining the program, Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions will:
• Provide our clients with a link to the WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program digital portal once the client is registered with WHSS.
• Help our clients select the most relevant health and safety topics within the twelve-month period as required.
• Facilitate networking and sharing of best practices between the client and other program participants.
• Review and provide feedback on the evidence provided by our clients to show successful topic completion and implementation, prior to submission to the WSIB for validation.
There is still some time left in 2022 to apply for the program! Please contact our team to learn more about the fees, the different service levels, and any additional information you may need on the Health and Safety Excellence program. Call us at 613-546-9814 or visit whss.ca to get started!
|
Fall To Do List – Returning to Work and School Safely |
September means back to school for both our children and adult learners. It also marks the transition from summer vacation, back into reality, meaning everyday routines and commutes. The reality in 2022 is a little bit different than in previous years, with many individuals returning to the office full-time to work or working from a hybrid format.
These can bring challenges for both employers and employees. Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions asks that you take this opportunity to take a good look at your current policies and procedures, making sure they are up to date and that your policies are posted. It may also be an advantageous time to schedule some refresher training, review your violence and harassment policies, or decide what to do with your vaccination polices
There’s a lot to navigate, but we are here to help. Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions is a one-stop shop for Occupational Health and Safety and Human Resources Consulting. We are approved by Chief Prevention Officer with a whole suite of certification courses and offer custom courses on specific topics.
If you’re interested in any of the above for your workplace, please call us at 613-546-9814 or visit whss.ca.
|
Saturday, September 10 is World First Aid Day 2022 |
Proper training saves lives. September 10 is World First Aid Day! Have you obtained your First Aid training yet? Or does your place of work have the appropriate people trained in First Aid? There’s no better time than now to get your training completed. World First Aid Day is an annual campaign that promotes the importance of this training in preventing injuries and saving lives.
Nearly 40% of Canadians say they have been in an emergency where they have had to perform first aid; however, only 18% are currently certified.*
First Aid training provides not only the knowledge and skills to effectively respond. It also provides the confidence to act when needed.
Visit https://www.redcross.ca to get started. Red Cross First Aid offers a wide variety of first aid and CPR training courses, empowering Canadians to act on, prevent, and manage life’s emergencies.
*Source: RedCross.ca
|
Avoiding Slips, Trips and Falls |
An alarming statistic from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety shows that in Canada, over 42,000 workers get injured annually due to fall incidents*, and that 67% of falls happen on the same level resulting from a slip or trip. The remainder happens from a height.
Slips and trips result usually result from an unexpected change in the contact between the feet and the ground or walking surface. However, good housekeeping at work can be the key of preventing falls due to slips and trips. Here’s your safety checklist!
- Clean all spills immediately, and mark spills and wet areas.
- Remove any obstacles from walkways to ensure they’re always free of clutter.
- Secure (tacking, taping, etc.) mats, rugs and carpets that do not lay flat/
- Always close file cabinets, drawers and cupboards.
- If a cable crosses a walkway, be sure to cover it.
- Keep any working areas and walkways well-lit and fix any faulty lighting.
Additionally, special attention to the floor and footwear can make all the difference. The recoating or replacing of floors, installing mats, abrasive strips/coating and metal or synthetic decking can help improve safety and decrease the risk of falling. Proper fitting footwear with good grip should be used to increase comfort and safety for employees. Proper footwear may vary depending on the place of work.
Let’s prevent these accidents from happening... together.
|
The temperatures are slowly but surely starting to drop, and those colder Canadian Fall Days are on their way! Soon it will be time to crank the heat and get cozy. The team at Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions would like to give you a few reminders on how to do so safely, especially since it’s been a while since we’ve had to use these devices.
Please remember to:
- Turn off your space heaters any time you leave your house or go to bed and pay careful attention to not place them near furniture or fabric.
- Be sure to check all your smoke and C.O. Detectors. Doing this by or on Daylight Savings is a great way to gauge when you should do this.
- Be sure to get your furnace and chimney inspected by a professional every year and keep any flammable objects a minimum of one metre away from your furnace and fireplace.
-
Never leave candles or bonfires unattended.
- Opt to recycle leaves over burning them.
|
Sign up for our Working at Heights or our Working at Heights Refresher courses! |
Staying safe starts with proper training, and then staying diligent to make sure your training is always up to date. We know that falls from heights are a frequent occurrence in workplaces, especially in sectors like construction where significant hazards created by working at heights. If your firm uses any of the following methods of fall protection when working on construction projects:
-Travel restraint systems
-Fall restricting systems
-Fall arrest systems
-Safety nets
-Work belts or safety belts
Your workers must complete the mandatory working at heights training as facilitated by an approved training provider, per the mandatory working at heights training requirements for construction firms introduced by the Ministry of Training, Labour and Skills Development on April 1, 2015. Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions offers Working at Heights training in partnership with the IHSA, an approved provider of the Chief Prevention Officer.
We also offer the Working at Heights Refresher course! This course is for workers who have already completed a Chief Prevention Officer-approved working at heights course. Refresher training needs to be completed every 3 years to maintain your certification. Refresher courses are delivered in a half-day four-hour session.
Course participants will review recent changes to applicable legislation in addition to a review of theory and practical training requirements. Refresher courses are delivered in half-day, four-hour sessions.
|
Be Prepared for These Updates to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
Many of us are now heading back to work. There’s no better time to verse yourself on the new and upcoming changes under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
As of July 1, 2022, brought by the Bill 88 Working for Workers Act, 2022, the penalty provisions under the OHSA were increased substantially. They have been revised to:
- $1.5 million for directors/signing officers, and to $500,000 + the maximum penalty of a year in jail for all other individuals.
- Include a list of aggravating factors that the court must consider for the purposes of determining a penalty under the Act.
- Add a new authority under the Act permitting the courts to impose an order as set in regulation, on convicting a defendant, in addition to any fine or imprisonment imposed.
- Extend the limitation period for instituting a prosecution from one year to two years.
On the Radar:
Changes to the requirements for First Aid Training is coming up. They are currently being reviewed by the Ministry and we do anticipate a new regulation coming out later in 2022 or in early 2023. This new regulation will require the provision of Naloxone kits on-site, with the regulation being changed to align with the CSA Standard of First Aid.
If you have any questions about these changes or your obligations as an employer throughout these changes, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Wilkens Health and Safety Solutions.
|
Upcoming WHSS Courses
Register Your Employees Today!
|
All courses scheduled are offered following safe distancing protocols, as well as all other mandated safety protocols- this means fewer people being allowed to register for each course - allowing for safe participation.
Private on-site courses can also be arranged for groups of six (6) or more. Please contact
Amy Fortington at 613.546.9814 ext. 224 for more details.
WHSS continues to be a training partner for Working at Heights with the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA). Contact us today to arrange your full or refresher course. Courses are scheduled on an as needed basis and can be held at your site or at a suitable training location.
For a complete listing of upcoming courses, click here or contact Amy Fortington at afortington@whss.ca by email or 613.546.9814 ext. 224 for more details.
|
|
