Do training certificates expire? Yes. Many health and safety training courses need to be taken again after a certain period of time. Here are some of the more common courses that you need to do refresher training for.

1. Working at Heights
2. Confined Spaces
3. Joint Health and Safety Committee
4. HAZWOPER

You may also be interested in the follow training certificates FAQ:

• What are the employer’s responsibilities regarding training certificates
• Are training certificates always in paper form?
• What can be done about lost or damaged training certificates?

If you are looking for Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) approved training, contact us.

Do Training Certificates Expire?

1. Working at Heights

Renewal: Every 3 Years

Working at Heights training certificates expire after 3 years

Your Working at Heights training certificate is only valid for 3 years after the successful completion of a CPO approved program. After 3 years, you need to successfully complete a refresher program to keep your training valid for a subsequent 3 years.

In order to be eligible for working at heights refresher training, you must have previously successfully completed both modules of a CPO approved working at heights training program. You can check your eligibility status using the Government of Ontario’s eligibility checker tool. A training provider who has been approved by the Chief Prevention Officer can deliver refresher training.

If you have completed Newfoundland and Labrador fall protection training and you are now working in Ontario, you will need to present your certificate of “Fall Protection Training” issued by WorkplaceNL to your Ontario employer as proof of successful completion. Your certificate of completion issued by WorkplaceNL will show the expiry date of your training.

2. Confined Spaces

Review of Training: Every Year if Your Workplace Is Not a Project

You may need to take Confined Space Refresher training at intervals determined by the specific conditions of your workplace

According to Confined Spaces Regulation, you are not specifically required to take Confined Space Refresher training. However, if your workplace is not a project, a review of training is required on an annual basis.

In addition, whenever there is a change in circumstances that may affect the safety of a worker who enters a confined space in the workplace (like a change in process or hazard assessment) then you would also need to review your training. A review is not the same as providing annual training.

Regardless, your employer must always make sure that your confined space training is adequate to keep you safe. If you are reviewed and it is found that your training is inadequate, additional training should be provided. You may need to take refresher training from time to time as determined by the specific conditions of the workplace.

3. Joint Health and Safety Committee

Renewal: Every 3 Years

Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) training certificates are valid for 3 years. Certified members of a joint health and safety committee are required to take the JHSC Refresher course every 3 years to maintain their certification.

A certified JHSC member who does not complete a refresher within 3 years of certification (or their last refresher) is no longer recognized as a certified JHSC member.

4. HAZWOPER

Renewal: Every Year

HAZWOPER training certificates need to be renewed every year

Even though HAZWOPER training is not a legal requirement in Canada, the quality and comprehensive nature of this training makes it applicable and attractive to employers and workers who work at Canadian workplaces that contain environmental contamination or hazardous materials.

This training program covers the requirements of the OSHA HAZWOPER standard (29CFR 1910.120). This standard sets out the minimum training requirements for site workers on hazardous waste sites, environmental remediation and emergency projects in the United States.

You will need to take a HAZWOPER refresher training course every year after your initial 40-hour HAZWOPER training requirement has been met in order to maintain your current certification. ACUTE’s training program meets the requirements outlined in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 for 8 (eight) hours of annual refresher training.

The training program is composed of topics and can be customized to focus on topics that pertain to workplace hazards for workers associated with hazardous waste / materials operations.

What are the employer’s responsibilities regarding training certificates?

Employers must make sure training certificates are valid

Employers must make sure workers have valid training certificates

Ontario employers must make sure that workers:

1. Have completed a valid working at heights training course from Ontario or fall protection training from Newfoundland and Labrador
2. Are trained on any fall protection equipment they use on their construction project
3. Have taken training from a training provider that was approved by the Chief Prevention Officer at the time the worker completed the training.

If you hire a worker and they have valid training, they are not required to complete another training program.

Employers must keep training records

Ontario employers must keep records of training for each worker.

For working at heights training, you may keep either:

a) A copy of the worker’s proof of completion document

OR

b) A record that includes the:

• Worker’s name
• Approved training provider’s name
• Name of the approved training program
• Date on which the training was successfully completed

If you have a worker who completed fall protection training in Newfoundland and Labrador, you must keep a copy of the worker’s certificate of completion issued by WorkplaceNL.

Employers must make training certificates available

Ontario employers also need to make their workers’ training records available to a Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development inspector when it is requested.

Are training certificates always in paper form?

There are multiple ways to check whether your training is valid

When you think of training certificates, you probably are thinking of a physical piece of paper or card. If you have completed your training in Ontario, there are, however, four ways that your employer can check whether or not you training is valid.

1. Paper Training Certificates: Your employer can get to take a look at a proof of completion record that was issued by either:
The Chief Prevention Officer
A training provider who has been approved by the Chief Prevention Officer

2. SkillsPass™: Your employer can access your training information, with your consent, by creating a free and secure account through SkillsPass™ . SkillsPass is an online application that manages training certificates for millions of workers and is easy to use and access by phone, tablet, or computer.

3. Digital Copy: You can also get a digital copy of your training records online by setting up a free and secure account through SkillsPass™ . You need to provide the following information to get this:

• Address provided when you registered for training
• Year of birth
• Email address and phone number (mobile, if possible)

4. Contact the Ministry: With your consent, your employer can contact the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to confirm that your training is valid.

What can be done about lost or damaged training certificates?

If your training record for Ontario working at heights training was lost or damaged, you can either:

Get your digital record online from SkillsPass™. This record can be shared and printed out

OR

Contact your training provider to get a copy of your training records or a document that shows proof of your successful completion of training.

Why Choose ACUTE for Your Health and Safety Training?