Fast facts
| Required by law? | Yes, for at least two committee membersOccupational Health and Safety Act, s. 9; O. Reg. 297/13, s. 5 (1) |
|---|---|
| Approved provider required? | YesO. Reg. 297/13, s. 5 (1) |
| Does it expire? | Three yearsMinistry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development |
| Can it be verified? | Yes, through the ministryMinistry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development |
| How long is the training? | Six days across Part One and Part TwoJHSC Certification Training Program Standard, s. 6.1 |
| Also called | JHSC, certified member training, Part 1 and Part 2 |
| Applies to | Workplaces generally |
Last verified August 23, 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Is joint health and safety committee certification required by law in Ontario?
Yes, for at least two committee members. Most workplaces with twenty or more workers must have a joint health and safety committee. At least one worker member and at least one employer member on that committee must be certified. The employer must carry out the training needed to get them there.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 9; O. Reg. 297/13, s. 5 (1)
Does the training provider have to be government-approved?
Yes. The program must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer against both the JHSC certification training program standard and the training provider standard. Certification itself is issued by the Chief Prevention Officer.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 5 (1)
Ontario publishes the list. There are currently 59 approved providers delivering 276 approved programs across 33 cities. See the approved JHSC certification providers by city.
How long does joint health and safety committee certification last before it expires?
Three years. Certification is valid for three years after successfully completing Part Two. A refresher within three years of certification, or of the last refresher, keeps it valid.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Refresher
One day, 6.5 hours, delivered by an approved provider. It must be completed within three years of certification or of the previous refresher, and both Part One and Part Two must already be complete.
How long is the training itself?
Six days across Part One and Part Two. Part One is three days, or 19.5 hours. Part Two is two days, or 13 hours. The refresher is one day, or 6.5 hours. Class size must normally be between six and twenty-five learners.
JHSC Certification Training Program Standard, s. 6.1
What has to be covered
- Part One covers the general health and safety knowledge a committee member needs, including the Act, rights and duties, and hazard recognition
- Part Two is workplace-specific and covers the hazards actually present at the learner's workplace
- The refresher maintains the knowledge from both parts
How an employer proves it
Yes, through the ministry. A worker must hold a valid certification record issued by the Chief Prevention Officer. An employer can accept that record, look it up with the worker's consent through the ministry's certification management system, or contact the ministry to confirm it.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
What the employer has to keep
- Proof of each worker's JHSC certification, made available to a ministry inspector on request
What people get wrong about joint health and safety committee certification
The employer must pay for it, and the regulation says so outright
The regulation defines the employer's duty to carry out the training and then adds, for greater certainty, that carrying it out includes paying for it. This is unusually explicit and it removes the usual argument about who covers the cost.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 5 (2)
Certification under the 1996 standards never expires
A member certified under the 1996 standards set by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board does not have to take refresher training at all. The three-year cycle applies to certifications issued under the current standards.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
There is a one-time extension if you are about to lapse
An active certified member whose certification is about to expire may apply once to the Chief Prevention Officer for a three-year extension without taking the refresher. The request has to be approved before the certification expires, not after.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Refresher eligibility requires both parts
A worker who completed Part One but never Part Two is not eligible for refresher training. The ministry publishes an eligibility checker for this.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Certification training is not the same as job training
The program standard draws the line explicitly: certification training is separate from the job-specific health and safety training an employer already has to provide under the Act and its regulations. Certifying a member does not discharge any other training duty.
JHSC Certification Training Program Standard
The Distance Learning Standard was revoked
The separate JHSC Certification Distance Learning Standard announced on 1 June 2020 was revoked. Since 30 June 2021 the distance requirements sit inside the main program and provider standards. Providers approved under the old standard did not have to reapply.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
The old regulation is long gone
O. Reg. 780/94, Training Programs, which used to govern certification training, was revoked on 14 November 2013 by O. Reg. 297/13. Anything still citing it is out of date.
O. Reg. 780/94, revocation note
Related safety training requirements
Official sources
Every statement above was read from the source itself rather than a summary of it. Where Ontario law is silent, this page says so instead of repeating industry practice as if it were a legal requirement.
This is an independent summary of public information, not legal advice, and requirements change. Confirm the current requirement with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development before acting on it.