Fast facts
| Required by law? | Yes, within one weekO. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (1) |
|---|---|
| Approved provider required? | NoO. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (3) |
| Does it expire? | None in Ontario lawO. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 |
| Can it be verified? | Employer records onlyO. Reg. 297/13, ss. 4 (1) and 4 (3) |
| How long is the training? | Not prescribedO. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (3) |
| Also called | supervisor awareness training, Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness in 5 Steps |
| Applies to | Workplaces generally |
Last verified August 23, 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Is basic awareness training for supervisors required by law in Ontario?
Yes, within one week. An employer shall ensure that a supervisor who performs work for the employer completes a basic occupational health and safety awareness training program for supervisors within one week of performing work as a supervisor.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (1)
Does the training provider have to be government-approved?
No. Ontario approves no providers for supervisor awareness training. The regulation prescribes six topics, and the ministry publishes free materials that meet them.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (3)
Does basic awareness training for supervisors expire in Ontario?
None in Ontario law. The regulation sets no expiry and no refresher for supervisor awareness training.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 2
Refresher
There is no refresher for supervisor awareness training in Ontario law.
How long is the training itself?
Not prescribed. Ontario sets no minimum hours. The requirement is coverage of all six prescribed topics inside the one-week window.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 2 (3)
What has to be covered
- The duties and rights of workers under the Act
- The duties of employers and supervisors under the Act
- The roles of health and safety representatives and joint health and safety committees under the Act
- The roles of the Ministry, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and entities designated under s. 22.5 of the Act
- How to recognize, assess and control workplace hazards, and evaluate those controls
- Sources of information on occupational health and safety
How an employer proves it
Employer records only. There is no government registry. The employer must maintain a record, and must provide written proof of completion, or of exemption, on request.
O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 4 (1) and 4 (3)
What the employer has to keep
- A record of the supervisor awareness training completed
- A record of any supervisor the employer is exempt for under the grandfather clause
- Written proof of completion or of exemption, given to the supervisor on request
What people get wrong about basic awareness training for supervisors
One week is a hard deadline, unlike the worker rule
Workers must complete awareness training as soon as practicable. Supervisors must complete theirs within one week of first performing supervisory work. A new supervisor promoted on Monday is out of compliance the following Monday.
O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 1 (1) and 2 (1)
The supervisor topics are not the worker topics
Four topics overlap, but the supervisor program replaces common workplace hazards, WHMIS requirements and occupational illness with how to recognize, assess and control hazards and evaluate those controls, plus where to find health and safety information. Sending a supervisor through the worker course does not satisfy s. 2.
O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 1 (3) and 2 (3)
A grandfather clause still runs from 2014
The worker awareness requirement does not apply to a supervisor who was already supervising for that employer before the regulation came into force, provided the employer verifies they had completed a program meeting the supervisor requirements. That exemption is portable: a later employer can rely on it if the supervisor provides proof.
O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 3 (1) and 3 (2)
Awareness training does not make someone a competent person
The Act's definition of a competent person requires knowledge, training and experience to organize the work, familiarity with the Act and applicable regulations, and knowledge of the actual dangers present. A one-hour awareness module does not establish that on its own.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 1
Related safety training requirements
Official sources
Every statement above was read from the source itself rather than a summary of it. Where Ontario law is silent, this page says so instead of repeating industry practice as if it were a legal requirement.
This is an independent summary of public information, not legal advice, and requirements change. Confirm the current requirement with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development before acting on it.