Effective March 27, 2020, O. Reg. 297/13 is amended by O. Reg. 96/20 to temporarily extend the validity period of Working at Heights training for workers who successfully completed an approved Working at Heights training program between February 28, 2017 and August 31, 2017. The validity period for these workers is extended to four years from the current three.
As a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak, workers may be unable to complete refresher training due to course cancellations. This amendment allows the affected workers to continue to work and constructors and employers to engage these workers on construction projects.
The related training requirements for workers who use fall protection systems on construction projects, which are in section 26.2 of O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) under the OHSA, are not affected by these amendments and employers must continue to ensure that the requirements in section 26.2 are complied with.
Please see the amended regulation: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r20096
Further communications from the government to follow.