Ontario extends working-at-heights certifications during COVID-19

The working-at-heights training of more than 120,000 Ontario workers is set to expire over the next six months.

This training is mandatory, but many training providers have shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a news release issued Monday by the provincial government.

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is giving workers in the construction sector an extra year to renew their training if they work at heights.

Workers who successfully completed their working-at-heights training between February 28 and August 31, 2017, would have had their training ended this year. Now, it will now end in 2021.

To enable this extension, Ontario has amended the Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation. The regulation is under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The extension ensures affected workers can continue to work, and construction continues, when possible.

The health and well-being of every Ontario resident is the ministry’s number one priority, stated the release.

For more information, please visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/training-working-heights.