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Health and Safety

Health and Safety Refresher Training: Is Your Business Ignoring This Hidden Hazard? 

Health and safety refresher training 

A new employee’s safety orientation is just the starting point. As their role and responsibilities grow, tailored health and safety refresher training is what keeps them safe and protected. Every Canadian employer is responsible for ensuring that every employee has the resources, equipment, and knowledge to do their job safely. This responsibility doesn’t end after an employee’s probationary period — health and safety refresher training is essential to keep safe working practices ingrained in everyday operations.

Regular training keeps everyone informed and aware of changes to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation. In this blog post, our health and safety experts share their top tips for creating a health and safety program that includes the types of health and safety refresher training that establish safety as a lasting habit.

Focus on safety topics that matter

Start by identifying the specific hazards in your workplace. Since every workplace is unique, tailor your organization’s hazard assessments to the work environment. Consult senior staff and members of the joint health and safety committee (if applicable), as they’ll have firsthand knowledge of hazards and high-risk areas.

Every workplace across Canada must make certain safety considerations, such as those related to violence and harassment and WHMIS. Employers have a duty to recognize these and all other real and potential hazards in their workplace and make the effort to control them.

Employers must address both physical and psychological aspects of OHS, which means programs must account for a variety of workplace hazards related to things like stress, burnout, ergonomics, and physical injury.

Understand the legislation that applies to your organization

Whether you’re federally or provincially regulated, you need to meet specific legal requirements. Failing to maintain compliance can result in hefty fines, stop work orders, and worse, serious injuries or death. To ensure your health and safety training aligns with your jurisdiction’s legislation, consult your trusted HR or H&S professional regularly.

WHMIS refresher training 

WHMIS refresher training isn’t primarily about keeping pace with legislative changes; it’s about keeping established requirements top of mind so safe practices don’t slip. When a significant legislative update does occur, the right first step is to have employees complete the full WHMIS course again, not just a refresher. Once that foundation is renewed, regular refresher training can resume its role: reinforcing what employees already know and ensuring that knowledge stays sharp on the job. 

WHMIS training and education 

Two of the most important ongoing responsibilities for WHMIS are education and training. The system is only effective if employees understand it, which means employers are responsible for providing and verifying that understanding. This responsibility can’t be met by providing training only once. Employers need to ensure their employees retain this knowledge throughout their employment.

Remember that different roles may require tailored training approaches based on the workplace and industry. In general, employees should complete a comprehensive WHMIS training session, supplemented by training on the hazards, procedures, and personal protective equipment specific to their duties.

WHMIS training from previous employers

Even if an employee completed WHMIS training with a previous employer, that training does not satisfy your compliance obligations. Employers are responsible for ensuring every employee receives sufficient WHMIS training for their current role and workplace. Relying on what someone learned elsewhere doesn’t meet compliance requirements. The right approach is to have all employees complete the full WHMIS course, regardless of their prior experience. From there, regular refresher training can help keep that knowledge current and top of mind.

Streamline health and safety refresher training with online courses

Health and safety technology ensures compliance without requiring your team to waste hours searching for training materials that could still miss the mark. With online health and safety training software, organizations can:

  1. Tailor training to meet the specific needs of its industry and workers
  2. Assign refresher courses and share safe operating procedures in minutes 
  3. Track completions and collect digital signatures from desktop or mobile devices

Create a safety-first culture 

When employees feel heard and valued, the workplace is often more productive. Encourage your team members to voice their concerns whenever possible. Show you’re listening by acting promptly on feedback, especially when it involves personal safety. Health and safety refresher training is about more than protecting the business or maintaining compliance; it’s about building a culture where everyone gets home safely.

According to a study by Threads of Life, a charitable organization that supports people affected by workplace injury, illness, or death, 49% of Canadian employers cite a lack of time as their biggest hurdle to improving safety.

Want to strengthen your health and safety program but struggle to find time? 

Our innovative Canadian-made HR solutions can help. Streamline everything from your health and safety program’s implementation to scheduling regular refresher training on WHMIS or dozens of other workplace-specific topics. For trusted advice on Canada’s evolving health and safety legislation, partner with us and access:

Our HR software and live support services have helped thousands of business owners simplify training and safety compliance. Explore our conveniently priced packages to learn more about how our software and support can fit your business needs and budget.