FAQ

Click on Training at the top of the page, then select the general area you’re looking for. The training providers who have indicated that they provide training in your area will be listed in alphabetical order. Contact whichever of these providers you wish.

Find the training providers in your area and look at their websites; the course you’re looking for may be listed there. Or, you can telephone the providers and ask if they conduct training in your desired course.

Evaluating an Occupational Health and Safety Training Provider

Before approaching a prospective training provider, you should have a clear idea of what you want. Discuss ideas with colleagues and all interested workers within your organization to define the type of work you expect the training provider to do. Training providers may provide standard course(s) to meet your needs or you may require services customized to your workplace.

You should review the following:

• insurance
• professional credentials
• occupational health and safety experience
• general training knowledge and experience
• cost of training

What to look for in a course

Insurance

• A service provider should have proof of professional liability insurance for both the business and the instructors, who may be subcontractors.
• It is important to hire a training provider that is registered with WorkSafeBC. If the provider is not registered with WorkSafeBC, then you may be regarded as their employer. You can contact the WorkSafeBC Assessment Department Automated phone service for assistance: 604-244-6181 or Toll Free 1-888-923-2768.

Professional credentials

• What trainer/instructor credentials has the provider listed in the directory? Can an independent group, or professional organization, attest to the trainer’s qualifications?
• What professional associations does the trainer belong to?
• What grade of membership does the trainer hold, and how long has the trainer held that grade for each credential and/or association?

Occupational health & safety experience

• How many years has the provider been active in occupational health and safety training and consultation?
• How many years has the provider been active in your area of interest?
• Does the provider’s experience relate specifically to the work you want done or to a closely related area?
• Has the trainer a thorough knowledge of the WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, policies, guidelines, and standards relative to the training requirements?
• Has the trainer appropriate knowledge of WorkSafeBC enforcement options and processes?
• Can the provider give references? (e.g., the last five clients in your area of interest, or your industry, which will ensure that not just those clients who will give favourable references will be identified). Note: this information may not always be available, as some clients prefer to remain anonymous.

General training knowledge and experience

• How experienced, or knowledgeable, is the trainer in your specific industry?
• Has the trainer had special training in developing and delivering adult education, for example, do they possess the British Columbia “Provincial Instructors Diploma”, or equivalent, or a “Train the Trainer” certificate?
• Can the trainer customize a standard course for your firm?
• Can the trainer meet the training needs of your workforce? (e.g., young workers, English as a Second Language (ESL), learning challenged)
• Can the trainer deliver a standard course in another language?

How is the cost of service/training managed?

• What is the training provider’s fee structure?
• How are clients charged? (By the hour? By the day? By participant? By the total course?)
• Where are the services provided? Can they be provided at your work site?
• How does the service provider treat expenses such as course materials, travel, accommodation, shipping, and report writing?
• Are cost estimates binding?
• What insurance and bonding does the provider have?

What should I look for in a training course?

Training courses should be developed properly. There is a Standard that may be of interest, and any training course a provider delivers should be developed in accordance with it. It is called the American National Standard Institute ANSI/ASSE Z490.1-2009 “Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training” and it is available from the American Society of Safety of Engineers.

Training for high-risk situations should include theory and a practical component. The length of the course or training session should be adequate to cover all the elements identified in the job task analysis. Assessment may include a written test that assesses knowledge of the subject matter, but should include evaluation of practical competencies.

Attendance and achievement should be documented; it is reasonable for the employer to receive documentation indicating the competencies and standard on which the worker was assessed. It is important to note that it remains the employer’s responsibility in all situations to instruct workers regarding specific risks at the workplace and to ensure the training the worker received is adequate.

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