Offices: Lively ON, Ottawa ON, Sault Ste. Marie ON
1.866.244.3334
info@nattsafety.com

Complete Guide to Working at Heights Training

Complete Guide to Working at Heights Training

working at heights training sudbury

Are you curious about Working at Heights training, who it’s for and what is involved?

Many industries and jobs require Working at Heights (WAH) training, especially in the mining, construction and pulp and paper industry.

The working at heights training requirements set out in O. Reg. 213/91 came into force on April 1, 2015, requiring that employers ensure that workers on construction projects successfully complete a working at heights training program approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) and delivered by a CPO-approved training provider before they can use a method of fall protection.

In this article, we review the FAQ’s of Working at Heights training, details on the Working at Heights refresher course, and the complete guide to Working at Heights training.

Working at Heights FAQ’s

Here are some commonly asked questions about Working at Heights and the Working at Heights refresher training programs.

How long is a Working at Heights certificate valid for?

Working at heights training is valid for 3 years from the date of successful completion of a Ministry of Labour- approved program.

In order to keep your Working at Heights training certification valid, you need to take a refresher training within 3 years of the date of successfully completing a CPO -approved working at heights program.

Is working at heights training mandatory in Ontario?

Yes.

Working At Heights is a mandatory requirement as per the Ministry of Labour in Ontario if you or your workers are working at heights of 3 meters or more. Working At Heights training should only be taken through a Ministry of Labour-approved training provider. The Ministry of Labour provides a complete list of approved training providers here.

What is considered working at heights?

Working at heights means to work in a place where a person could fall some distance which would be likely to cause personal injury. You are working at height if you work above ground/floor level, could fall from an edge, or could fall through an opening.

Working at Heights training NATT Safety Services

What are the Ministry of Labour’s requirements for working at heights training?

The Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation O Reg. 297/13 requires employers to ensure that workers on construction projects successfully complete a working at heights training program if they may use specified methods of fall protection.

The working at heights program must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) and must be delivered by a training provider approved by the CPO.

Who is Working at Heights for?

The Working at Heights and Refresher Training is designed to:

  • Educate workers on the dangers of working at heights and how to avoid hazards and prevent accidents.
  • Promote a safe workplace by identifying the importance of safe working at heights.
  • Teach all workers the proper theory and practical working at heights training.
  • Demonstrate fall protection equipment available.

The training requirement is for workers who use any of the following methods of fall protection:

  • travel restraint systems
  • fall restricting systems
  • fall arrest systems
  • safety nets
  • safety belts
  • work belts

This training requirement is in the Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation, and is in addition to training requirements under the Construction Regulation.

Working at Heights training is not only for the construction industry but also:

  • Mining
  • HVAC workers
  • Roofers
  • Film and Television industry
  • Hydro workers
  • Telephone line workers
  • Cable installers

What is involved with the Working at Heights Refresher Training Course?

The Working at Heights refresher course involves similar training aspects to the Working at Heights course.

Course Outline for Our Working at Heights Refresher training:

  • Personal fall protection equipment
  • Barriers, guardrails and safety nets
  • Practical demonstrations
  • Fall distance calculations
  • Anchor points
  • Work positioning systems
  • Work access equipment and platforms
  • Rescue planning

Employers need to ensure that workers complete Working at Heights Training and Working at Heights Refresher Courses that have been approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) and delivered by an approved training provider before they can work at heights.

Is there a practical portion involved with Working at Heights training?

Absolutely. With most working at heights training programs, both a theory (classroom) portion and a practical portion are given in order to provide participants with real-life situations.

With practical WAH training, students learn on actual raised work platforms including potential hazards that they might see on a worksite.

What is included in the theory portion of Working at Heights training?

The theory aspect of working at heights includes:

  1. Rights and Responsibilities
  2. Identification of the Hazards of Working at Heights
  3. Eliminating or Controlling the Hazards of Working at Heights
  4. Warning Methods and Physical Barriers
  5. Ladders and Similar Equipment
  6. Personal Fall Protection EquipmentYou must achieve an 80% or higher on the written evaluation in order to successfully complete the course.

For more details of a Working at Heights program, or Working at Heights Refresher training program, please contact us today.

 

6 Responses

  1. Daniel Connell says:

    Thanks for posting! It’s important to make sure that you are safe in your work, especially when you are working at heights. Height safety training helps you to be aware of the safety rules and precautions to avoid accidents.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Greetings! I’ve been following your web site for a while now and just wanted to mention to keep up the good work!

  3. Chrinstine says:

    Great blog, continue the good work! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent job!

    Very well written!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *