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 Regulation, as may be amended from time to time.

1. Training standard topic

Worker participation in safety and health certification

2. Purpose

The purpose of the worker participation in safety and health certification training program is to provide the workplace committee worker co-chair or worker safety and health representative with an understanding of what safety and health certification is and their roles in certification audit activities. It is designed to clarify the need for workplace committee worker co-chair or worker safety and health representative sign-off on the certification audit and to provide input into the action plan arising from the audit.

The training is intended for:

• Workplace committee worker co-chairs.
• Worker safety and health representatives.

This training program standard outlines the minimum requirements for the development and delivery of worker participation in safety and health certification 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 certifying partners are required to offer to employers. This training program can be embedded into the workplace safety and health committee and worker safety and health representative training program. 

To be authorized as a certifying partner for SAFE Work Certified, industry-based safety programs and/or associations (IBSPs) must meet the requirements of this training standard. 

The format and structure of training may vary and 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. 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

Minimum hours for training delivery:

• Basic theory module: 1 hour

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 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      Safety and health certification

Content must include:

• An overview of the certification program, its requirements and audit process.

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

• Recognize the certification program.
• Identify the three safety essentials that workplaces are required to demonstrate within their safety and health programs for certification: leadership commitment, hazard identification and risk control, and worker participation.

​5.1.2      Worker role in certification

Content must include:

• An overview of the worker’s role in the certification process specific to the independent audit sign-off and input into the action plan.

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

• Describe how their roles as workplace safety and health committee worker co-chairs or representatives includes them:
  • Having access to safety and health information.
  • Supporting transparency and sharing information with their committees and/or other workers.
  • Understanding that their participation in the certification process is an extension of these roles.
• Explain that their purpose in signing the audit is to confirm that the audit content has been reviewed, that the audit process has been explained, and that there has been an opportunity to ask questions.
• Explain that the purpose of having input into the action plan is to ensure their participation in the certification process and support their right to participate in workplace safety and health. 
• Restate that their signature on the audit and their input into an action plan does not mean they are legally liable, agree with the findings or are accountable and/or responsible for the safety and health program or carrying out the action plan.
• Reiterate that any concerns they may have regarding the workplace safety and health certification, audit results or audit process should be raised with the certifying partner and/or SAFE Work Manitoba.

6. Resource material

The worker participation in safety and health certification 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.
• Sample audit and action 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

• Learning outcomes requiring demonstration must be performed satisfactorily in order to successfully complete the practical module.
• 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 worker participation in safety and health certification 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:

• 3.5 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 worker participation in safety and health certification working group has developed a worker participation in safety and health certification 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 the criteria of the Training Program Standard are met, responsibility resides with employers to ensure compliance with training requirements under Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation. In determining what rights or obligations a party may have under the province’s legislation, reference should always be made to the official version of the WSH Act and WSH Regulation.