High-quality safety training for supervisors is essential for keeping people safe and allowing work to be done effectively.

In any workplace, safety should be a top priority. This is especially true in construction, factory, and industrial jobs, where workers are often exposed to conditions that present significant hazards. To ensure the safety of workers, it’s important for supervisors to receive proper training.

In this article, we’ll explore the types of training supervisors need in order to ensure the safety of their workers.

• Legal Expectations in Ontario
• Supplementary Skills
• Industry-Specific Training
• Getting the Right Training

Acute Safety specializes in safety training for supervisors and workers in industries that need it the most. From confined space awareness to spill response training to supervisor-specific training, ACUTE offers a wide range of courses for all your safety training needs.

Legal Expectations in Ontario

In Ontario, supervisors are expected to assume specific responsibilities to ensure workplace safety.

As detailed in Section 27, of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), these requirements include:

• Making sure that workers work in compliance with the OHSA and its regulations.
• Making sure that workers use any safety equipment, protective devices, or clothing required by the employer.
• Informing workers about any workplace health and safety hazards that the supervisor is aware of.
• Providing workers with written instructions on measures and procedures to be followed for their own protection, if prescribed by regulation.
• Taking every reasonable precaution in the circumstances to protect workers.

It’s important for supervisors to follow these workplace expectations to ensure the safety of their workers.

Failure to do so could result in fines, legal action, or even serious injury or death.

Supplementary Skills

In addition to the precise requirements of the OSHA, there are many general skills and pieces of knowledge that supervisors should have to ensure the safety of their workers.

Some of these skills include:

• Familiarity with the work being done: Supervisors should have a good understanding of the work being done by their workers, including any potential hazards or risks.
• General competence and education: Supervisors should have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively supervise their workers.
• Knowledge of WHMIS: Supervisors should have a good understanding of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) to ensure that workers are properly trained on how to handle hazardous materials, or what to do if an accident occurs.
• Behaviour that values the safety of workers first: Supervisors should prioritize the safety of their workers above all else, and encourage a culture of safety in the workplace.

Training for supervisors can help develop skills like the ones above and can help create a safer workplace for everyone.

Supervisors who prioritize safety and have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively supervise their workers are more likely to prevent accidents and injuries.

Industry-Specific Training

While the above expectations and skills provide a good foundation for workplace safety, supervisors also need industry-specific training to effectively guide and instruct their workers. The types of training needed will vary based on the industry.

For example, a construction supervisor may need training on how to properly use scaffolding, while a factory supervisor may need training on how to handle machinery safely.

If you are looking for industry-specific training for supervisors, browse our selection of courses to see what’s available, or contact us directly for customized details and general information.

Industry-specific training programs can help supervisors gain the necessary knowledge and skills to keep their workers safe.

Getting the Right Training

So how do you find the right training for supervisors in your workplace? We recommend researching businesses that specialize in health and safety training, such as Acute Safety.

ACUTE offers a wide range of training programs for workers and supervisors in construction, factory, and industrial jobs. Our programs cover a variety of topics, including WHMIS, fall protection, and confined space entry. We also offer supervisor-specific training programs, which can help supervisors gain the knowledge and skills they need to effectively guide and instruct their workers.

By taking advantage of Acute Safety’s training programs, supervisors can ensure that they meet legal and general requirements, as well as gain the necessary knowledge and skills to create a culture of safety in their workplace.

Acute Safety’s training programs are designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing supervisors to use actual real-world equipment during the training, with an informed teacher to answer any questions. While ACUTE does have its own training facilities, we can even perform the training directly at your workplace if you prefer.