Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act through Bill 27, proclaimed on June 14, allow WorkSafeNB to approve training providers to deliver the JHSC education program. This will provide WorkSafeNB’s education consultants who currently deliver the training to better focus their time where it is needed most − with the workplaces and JHSCs that are struggling. It will also provide greater flexibility in the delivery of training.
We believe this will result in healthier and safer workplaces in New Brunswick.
WorkSafeNB has met with potential training providers and those who have expressed interest in providing JHSC training. We are developing an approval process, and will work with the training providers on the curriculum. We will also develop an auditing process and oversight. We will make available all our training resources (curriculum, supporting documents) to the training providers. WorkSafeNB has made available free on its website five modules of the JHSC training workshop to create a blended learning option for JHSC members. This would necessitate just one day of in-class training that can also be delivered by approved providers.
Larger employers will also have the option to develop in-house trainers through an approval process.
As training providers are approved they will be listed on WorkSafeNB’s website.
Yes. Employers will be responsible for hiring approved training providers, who will independently determine their fee structure. WorkSafeNB will list approved JHSC training providers on its website.
In addition to the three-day in-class program, a blended option will be available that includes WorkSafeNB’s five e-courses (free online) and one day of in-class learning. The blended learning option reduces the necessity for an employee to be away from the workplace for three consecutive days and creates greater flexibility as the online components need not be completed all at once. In some cases, this may reduce expense costs for JHSC members, such as travel, meals and lodging incurred under the current JHSC training model.
Employers must continue to meet their obligations under the OHS Act regarding JHSCs.
WorkSafeNB is committed to healthy and safe workplaces in New Brunswick. And effective JHSCs are key to this outcome. We will work closely with training providers through the approval process to ensure a quality curriculum.
We will have a process in place to monitor approved training providers.
There are five e-courses (online learning modules): New Brunswick Health and Safety Legislation; Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control; Incident Reporting and Investigations; Workplace Inspections; and, Effective Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs). Each module takes approximately one hour to complete.
Under section 14.1(6) of the OHS Act, JHSC members must be paid during the time they are taking any educational program relating to their duties as a JHSC member, and to attend JHSC meetings. The employer and JHSC members may choose to work out an agreement such as if the JHSC member does complete the online modules on their own time, they are compensated with time off in lieu, or some other arrangement. An employer cannot require a JHSC member to do the online components on their own time if there is no compensation.
