Selecting and Hiring a Health and Safety Training Provider

Health and safety training is a core element of any health and safety program. You may require outside assistance for the development and delivery of training for many reasons, including if in-house expertise for a specific topic is not available or if you do not have staff capable of training others within your organization.

Health and safety legislation often requires mandatory training on certain health and safety topics, such as health and safety committees, asbestos, and confined spaces. Sometimes, the law even requires that organizations use a training provider approved by the health and safety regulator. 

To show due diligence, employers must make sure that the training developed and delivered by the training provider is appropriate for the workplace. 

The qualifications of an instructor will be specific to each training program. Generally, a training provider should ensure that their instructors have:

• Subject matter expertise in the training program material
• Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation and good health and safety practices related to the topic
• Familiarity with technology used for training delivery, such as e-learning software systems
• Adult learning principles and effective delivery experience
• A health and safety professional designation, if required (e.g., Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)®, National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO)^TM, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH))
• Continuing education or professional development related to their expertise
• Familiarity with your workplace culture and industry

It is important to confirm the credentials, experience, and other qualifications of the training provider and the instructor. Talking with previous clients and verifying the competence, professionalism, and ability to deliver results can provide reassurance that you have selected the right training provider.

You may also need to perform verification of qualifications (licenses, degrees, certificates, etc.). In order to satisfy your legal obligations as an employer, you may be called on to demonstrate through records that someone acting on your behalf in this capacity is adequately qualified or competent. Therefore, request and maintain records and keep documentation of the training provider’s qualifications, references, and any other records that may be relevant. A professional should not be offended by this request and should willingly provide the documentation supporting their experience or credentials.

Training courses should be designed to meet your workplace’s training objectives and should be based on:

• Current literature related to the topic 
• Adult learning principles 
• Recognized scientific principles, as applicable 
• Workplace-specific hazards
• Target audience (e.g., workers, supervisors, health and safety committee) 
• Legal requirements 

The training provider should make sure that subject matter experts who are designing the training program have knowledge of specific hazards, hazardous situations, risk assessments, and controls needed to reduce risks. The training provider should consult with your workplace so that you can provide them with workplace-specific hazards and situations that may be relevant to the training program.

Adults process and retain information differently from children. Training providers and instructors should support the unique characteristics of adult learners. This approach means:

• Treating everyone with respect and professional behaviour 
• Recognizing different learning styles 
• Managing and resolving difficult situations or participants immediately and respectfully
• Encouraging active participation of trainees
• Relating the training material to the specific workplace, speaking to personal experiences and asking participants for examples of their own experiences 

Course materials will depend on the training program, but may include: 

• Training objectives 
• An outline of the course
• Diagrams and pictures 
• Exercises or interactive activities, including the use of hands-on equipment  
• Reference materials, including step-by-step instructions or site-specific policies and procedures 
• Evaluation tools

Training providers should arrange a safe and positive learning environment that meets the needs of training outcomes and the trainees. For in-person training, the training location should have the following: 

• Proper lighting 
• Sufficient seating, tables, or other work areas for training activities  
• Adequate indoor air quality and temperature 
• Access to drinking water and washrooms
• Emergency response procedures

Sample questions to ask the training provider include:

• What knowledge, training, and experience do you have with developing and delivering health and safety training on this particular topic? 
• What qualifications do you have that would make you a suitable training provider?
• Is the training program relevant to the health and safety legislation in my jurisdiction?
• Are you familiar with our industry? 
• How do you stay informed about changes to health and safety legislation?
• Do you have experience developing and delivering training for adult learners? 
• What course materials will be provided to the trainees? 
• How will you measure the learning of the trainees (e.g., written test, demonstration of skill)? 
• Do you provide trainees with a certificate of completion upon successful completion of the course? 
• Will the training be provided in-person or in a virtual environment? 
• How long is the training course? 
• Can the training be customized to our specific workplace and associated hazards? 
• Are you an approved training provider by the health and safety regulator (if applicable)?

Yes. Trainees should evaluate the training provider, and the results of the evaluation should be shared with the organization. There should also be a process in place to manage any concerns or complaints by the trainees and actions taken to address the situation. 

A training provider evaluation can include feedback on:

• Training course materials and whether they were covered as expected
• Adult learning principles 
• Time provided for feedback and discussion
• Subject matter expertise of the instructor 
• Facilitation skills of the instructor
• Learning environment

CCOHS offers online, self-paced courses on a variety of health and safety topics. CCOHS does not offer in-person training services. 

Always check the legislation that applies to health and safety training in your jurisdiction. The legislation may specify which training providers are required to be used for certain topics. Health and safety associations often provide options for industry-specific health and safety training. 

To locate training providers in your area, use an internet search engine. Keywords include “occupational health and safety training.” You may wish to add your specific topics (e.g., working at heights) and location to help narrow the results.