SAFE Work Manitoba has made reasonable attempts to confirm the accuracy of information contained in this document. However, this document is intended for general information purposes only. SAFE Work Manitoba shall not assume responsibility or liability for actions taken or not taken as a result of reliance on information in this document alone. Manitoba employers must comply with Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations, as may be amended from time to time.

1. Training standard topic

Principles of safety and health management

2. Purpose

The purpose of the principles of safety and health management training program is to provide employers, supervisors, workers and committee members with an understanding of:

• The principles, benefits and framework for a workplace safety and health program.
• The development of workplace safety and health management systems.

The training is intended for persons who have:

• Charge of a workplace.
• Authority over safety and health in the workplace.
• Responsibility for conducting maintenance audits.

This training program standard outlines the minimum requirements for the development and delivery of principles of safety and health management training programs in Manitoba. It was developed in consideration of Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation and Canada Labour Code, Part II.

This course is one of the four essential courses defined in the SAFE Work Certified standards and procedures that the certifying partners are required to offer to employers.

To be authorized as a certifying partner, industry-based safety programs and/or associations (IBSPs) must meet the training standards for each of these courses. 

The format and structure of the training may vary and may be customized by certifying partners to address the specific needs of their industry. Certifying partners need to effectively demonstrate the requirements outlined in the SAFE Work Certified standards and procedures and the SAFE Work Certified audit framework and achieve the learning outcomes outlined in the standard.

3. Design

The training program must meet the following criteria:

• Comply with adult learning principles:

• • Ensure learners know why they need to learn specific content and its relevance to their workplaces.
  • Relate training to learners’ own experiences when simulating workplace scenarios.
  • Challenge and engage learners using a variety of activities that include participation, feedback and interaction.
  • Recognize the limits of attention spans and apply techniques to address the ways that adults learn.
  • Use activities and tools relevant to the workplace.

• Use appropriate language.
• Provide accurate and current content.
• Include references to legal and technical information.
• Use a variety of technical teaching aids.
• Provide learner materials that follow the principles of instructional writing and good graphic design.
• Be consistent with provincial and federal legal requirements, the SAFE Work Certified standards and procedures, SAFE Work Certified audit framework and COR® standard.

4. Delivery

Regardless of the delivery method, all approved training programs must meet the requirements of this standard along with The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA). Also, the delivery method must support the learner’s ability to attain the learning outcomes.

4.1 Face-to-face learning

Recommended maximum ratio of learners to instructor:

• Basic theory module: 24:1
• Practical module: N/A

 Minimum hours for training delivery:

• Basic theory module: 7 hours
• Practical module: N/A

The timing for delivery of this training program may be extended for various reasons such as the       amount of available equipment, instructor experience, and/or the learning needs of the training participants.

4.2  eLearning and blended learning

The eLearning content should be consistent with Manitoba eLearning instructional design guidelines.

• Basic theory module

4.3 Distance learning

Training via a live video link and a plan for interactivity with a qualified instructor should be developed and available.

This type of learning is acceptable for:

• Basic theory module

5. Learning outcomes

5.1 Basic theory module

5.1.1    Legal requirement

Content must include:

• An overview of legal framework including: duties and responsibilities, elements of a safety and health program and the structure and function of an internal responsibility system with reference to statutory, regulatory, and criminal law.

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Use and identify relevant parts in Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation and/or the Canada Labour Code, Part II and the Criminal Code.
• Reference the legal duties and responsibilities of employers, supervisors, workers and committee members in the workplace and how they relate to a safety and health program.
• Identify the elements of a safety and health program.
• Describe the structure and function of an internal responsibility system.

5.1.2    Workplace safety and health management system

Content includes:

• An overview of a safety and health management system and how it is different from a safety and health program.
• An overview of the importance and reasons for having a safety and health management system in the workplace including the benefits and risks.
• An overview of the certification program and its requirements, audit process and quality assurance process.

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Explain what a safety and health management system is and how this is different from a safety and health program.
• Discuss the moral, financial and legal obligations, benefits and risks of having or not having an effective safety and health management system.
• Describe what the certification program is and recognize the foundational principles on which it is built.
• Explain the audit process and quality assurance process.
• Identify where their workplace currently resides on the path to becoming certified.

5.1.3    Safety and health certification program requirements

Content includes:

• An overview of the three safety and health essentials and their measures that workplaces are required to demonstrate within their safety and health program

1. Leadership commitment measures include:

• Employer commitment.
• Evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Safety is communicated and demonstrated.
• Roles and responsibilities.

2. Hazard identification and risk control measures include:

• Hazard identification, risk assessment and control.
• Emergency management.
• Contracted workers and other people in the workplace.
• Safety and health training and orientation.
•  
• Incident reporting and investigation.

3. Worker participation measures include:

• Worker rights and responsibilities.
• Workplace safety and health committees and worker safety and health r
• Protections for vulnerable workers.
• Safety culture.
• an overview of industry-specific elements (as determined by the certifying partner).

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Identify the three safety and health essentials that workplaces are required to demonstrate within their safety and health program: leadership commitment, hazard identification and risk control, and worker participation.
• Discuss the measures under each safety and health essential.
• Determine what requirements from each element their organization currently has, requires improvement and/or is missing.

5.1.4    Implementing the program

Content includes:

• An overview of the different methods to develop and implement a safety and health program in the workplace.

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Recognize that developing a safety and health program is a process with many steps, which requires considerable effort, time, commitment and participation from all levels within an organization to implement.
• Determine which method would best suit their workplace for development and implementation of a safety and health program.
• formulate an initial plan to implement a safety and health program.

5.1.5   Resources and supports

Content includes:

• An overview of resources available and the support offered by the certifying partner and others to develop and implement a safety and health program.

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Recognize the services of the certifying partner and other tools, training, resources and service providers which can support implementing a safety and health program.

5.1.6   Key concepts

Content includes:

• An overview of the continuous improvement cycle and how this is relevant to an effective safety and health management system.
• An overview of safety culture.
• An overview of how attitudes, values and perceptions can help or hinder improving safety and ways to foster a positive culture.

At the end of this module learners will be able to:

• Describe the continuous improvement cycle and where their workplaces are in the cycle.
• Describe general culture in the workplace and identify ways to foster a positive culture.
• Apply the concepts of culture and continuous improvement into building an improvement plan.

6. Resource material

The principles of safety and health management training standard has material requirements for both learners and instructors.

The date and version number should be indicated on all resource materials, which include:

• Terms and definitions.
• Job aids, evaluation tools and templates.
• Copies of the applicable provincial or federal safety legislation.
• Manufacturers’ instructions for equipment.
• Participant and instructor manuals with copies of activities.
• Instructor manual and lesson plan.

Learner materials include:

• Learning objectives, agenda, training content and evaluation/testing.

Instructor materials include:

• Instructional methods, learning activities, and lesson plan timing.
• Detailed instructor manual and lesson plans including all learning activities and audio-visual resources.

7. Learner evaluation

The training program must include a plan for learner evaluation that meets the requirements below. There must be a variety of evaluation methods available to the instructor and/or evaluator that suit the learning outcomes.

7.1 Evaluation methods

The training program will include a variety of evaluation methods to ensure that key concepts have been understood by the learner including:

• Open discussion.
• Group discussion.
• Questions and answers.
• Written and/or oral test, where applicable.

Evaluation methods must be clearly outlined in the evaluation plan and the results must be documented by the evaluator.

7.2 Evaluation of demonstration learning outcomes

1. Learning outcomes requiring demonstration must be performed satisfactorily in order to successfully complete the practical module.
2. For learners with language, literacy or accommodation needs, alternative evaluation methods may be used. These evaluation methods must be clearly outlined in the evaluation plan and the corresponding results must be documented by the evaluator.

8. Validation/refresher requirements

Completion of the basic theory module in accordance with the criteria set out in this standard and the training provider standard is required to confirm a principles of safety and health management training program has been successfully completed.

Refresher training may be recommended following an audit and/or as part of an audit action plan. The certifying partner may recommend refresher training based on an employer’s specific situation/needs.

Glossary

General terms

Asynchronous instruction (ASTD)

A general term used to describe forms of education, instruction, and learning that do not occur in the same place or at the same time. It uses resources that facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and place among a network of people.

Blended learning
Describes the practice of using several training delivery mediums in a single training program and typically refers to the combination of classroom instruction and eLearning.

Distance learning

An educational situation in which the instructor and students are separated by time, location or both. Education or training courses are delivered to remote locations via synchronous or ASTD.

eLearning (Electronic learning)

A term covering a wide set of applications and processes that includes web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration.

Face-to-face training

Usually refers to traditional classroom training in which an instructor teaches a course to a room of training participants. The term is used synonymously with on-site training, classroom training and instructor-led training (slightly modified from ASTD definition).

Minimum hours for training delivery

The timing for instruction of a training program which excludes breaks and lunch.

• Hours of instruction is equal to a half-day of delivery.
• 7 hours of instruction is equal to a full-day of delivery.

Module

A unit of instruction that can be measured, evaluated for change, assembled to form complete courses or bypassed as a whole, and that is usually intended to teach one or a group of skills or areas of knowledge (slightly modified from ASTD definition).

Evaluator

A person who evaluates learners.

Instructor

A person who delivers training programs.

Qualification

A skill, quality or attribute that makes somebody suitable for a job, activity or task.

Acknowledgements statement

The principles of safety and health management working group has developed a principles of safety and health management training program standard that outlines the minimum requirements for program objectives, training requirements and learning outcomes that are designed to educate Manitoba workers on working in compliance.

Please note that while reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the criteria of the training program standard is met, the responsibility resides with the employers to ensure compliance with the training requirements under Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations. In determining what rights or obligations a party may have under the provinces’ legislation, reference should always be made to the official version of the Act and Regulation.