Province to offer free health & safety training for small businesses
The Ontario government has earmarked $10.5 million over the next three years to a program that will provide small businesses with access to free health and safety training.
Announced on July 15, the new Small Business Health and Safety Training Program aims to improve health and safety awareness and prevent illnesses and injuries by training health and safety representatives of small businesses in such sectors as construction, retail, health care, accommodation and food services. Businesses will also be reimbursed for the time the representatives are away from work.
“As Ontario reopens, keeping workers safe will continue to be our top priority,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Small businesses have less resources to learn about health and safety than other businesses and we know they are facing a lot of financial pressures as a result of this pandemic. Our government is making sure they have the guidance and support they need.”
The Small Business Health and Safety Training Program will cover the course registration costs for an employee who is appointed as a health and safety representative for their workplace. The program will also reimburse small businesses $150 towards the representative’s training time. All small businesses that have six to 19 employees are required to have a health and safety representative, and can apply for this program.
“Protecting our economy starts with protecting our small businesses and the people who run them and foster their growth,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “By investing in health and safety training, we’re making our small businesses safer places for hardworking families to seize the opportunities they need to get ahead.”
The program is being delivered through an eLearning training course offered by Workplace Safety and Prevention Services. The covers a range of topics, including:
- occupational health and safety laws,
- rights, duties and responsibilities of workplace parties,
- duties and responsibilities of the health and safety representative under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and
- recognition, assessment, control and evaluation of common workplace hazards.
Small businesses can apply for reimbursement through the Small Business Health and Safety Training Program starting in Fall 2021.