Working at Heights
Proof of Completion and Record-keeping
Do workers have to retake an approved working at heights training program if they change employers?
No, the training is portable. The worker does not need to complete another CPO-approved working at heights training program when changing employers, as long as the earlier training is still within the three-year validity period.
Each employer must ensure new workers meet the requirements in subsection 26.2(1) of the Construction Projects Regulation and has valid working at heights training. Therefore a worker would still need to be adequately trained on the use of a specific fall protection system used at a specific workplace. He or she would also still require adequate oral and written instructions by a competent person.
How can a worker show that they have completed working at heights training?
A worker can provide the CPO-issued proof of completion card to a new employer to prove that their working at heights training is valid. Alternatively, a worker and a current or potential employer, with the worker’s written consent, could confirm whether a worker has successfully completed an approved working at heights training program and whether the training is still valid by calling the Ministry of Labour Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008 in order to be connected to the administration team.
A worker could also provide the proof of completion issued by a CPO approved training provider. In this case, the employer should check the Ministry of Labour website to verify that the working at heights training was completed after the date that the training provider was approved by the CPO.
What will a learner get when he or she successfully completes an approved working at heights training program?
An approved training provider must provide a learner with proof of training as soon as he or she successfully completes an approved working at heights training program. A worker may use this proof of completion immediately to show a current or future employer that they have completed the required training.
Will the Ministry of Labour keep a record of who has completed an approved working at heights training program?
The successful learner’s information will be uploaded into a secure centralized Ministry of Labour database. Workers and current or potential employers, with the worker’s written consent, will be able to confirm whether a worker has successfully completed an approved working at heights training program and whether the training is still valid.
How can workers access their working at heights training record on the MOL database?
Workers can access their working at heights training record by calling the Ministry of Labour Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008 in order to be connected to the administration team.
Will employers need to keep records of completion of approved training?
Employers are required by O. Reg. 297/13 (Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training) to maintain a record of a worker’s approved working at heights training. The training record must include the:
- worker’s name
- approved training provider’s name
- date on which the training was successfully completed and
- name of the approved training program
The employer must make a training record available to an inspector on request.
Keeping a copy of a worker’s proof of completion is one way for an employer to fulfill the requirement to maintain a training record. The employer may choose to use another record-keeping method that includes the required elements listed above.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour