WSN seeks input for enhanced supervisor training: Your contribution matters

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Feedback needed on new Competent Supervisor Refresher Training course

Complete the 5-min. survey

Workplace Safety North is reaching out to members for help to develop a new training program aimed at enhancing supervisory skills in the workplace. 

The new course, “The Competent Supervisor Refresher,” builds on the existing “The Competent Supervisor” training for industrial workplaces. The refresher component is now in its early stages of development and is set to be available in an e-learning format.

Your voice counts: Survey and Program Advisory Committee

WSN recognizes the importance of aligning the course content with the diverse needs of supervisors across industries. To achieve this, it is actively seeking input from individuals like you.

A brief survey has been launched, requiring about five minutes of your time to complete. Designed to be user-friendly, the survey welcomes contributions from all backgrounds, regardless of prior expertise in the field.

WSN is also calling for volunteers to join its Program Advisory Committee (PAC). This committee will play a pivotal role in shaping the course content by providing feedback and suggesting topics to cover

The commitment for PAC members involves virtual meetings, typically lasting no more than two hours, held two or three times during the course development process.

The Competent Supervisor program

The Competent Supervisor training program aims to address a critical gap in workplace safety training. Often, Joint Health and Safety Committee members receive extensive training, but supervisors may not possess the same level of knowledge and awareness regarding health and safety regulations.

The course seeks to equip supervisors with a solid understanding of their legal obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, along with essential health and safety principles applicable to their roles. It covers a range of topics, including duties of employers, supervisors, and workers, the right to refuse unsafe work, and the internal responsibility system.

The training covers practical aspects such as workplace inspections, risk assessment, hazard control, and incident investigation. Upon completion of the program, participants will be awarded 1.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) approved by the Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office.

Target Audience and Refresher Course

It’s important to note that while the course is beneficial for supervisors, lead hands, and superintendents, it is also open to managers, safety representatives, coordinators, and stewards who play a role in ensuring workplace safety.

For those who have previously undergone the full Competent Supervisor course or its Day 1 component, the refresher course offers the opportunity to refresh their knowledge. This refresher course revisits key topics covered in the original course, providing updates on new legislation and reinforcing crucial concepts.

Your contribution matters

Your help is needed to develop and enhance supervisory training and help make Ontario workplaces safer.  

By actively participating in the survey or joining the Program Advisory Committee, you can contribute to shaping the future of workplace safety training and ultimately help reduce workplace accidents and injuries.

For more information, contact Kelly Ann Smith, WSN Program Training Specialist

Related

The Competent Supervisor training course