When was the last time you looked at your health and safety board?

If you can’t remember the last time you looked at your health and safety board, it’s probably due for a refresh. Organizations must meet mandatory posting requirements to remain compliant, and keeping the information updated, fresh, and relevant will ensure that no one ever walks by the health and safety board without stopping to check out what’s new. 

In this article, we'll go through the essentials about health and safety boards:

• What's required on a workplace health and safety board in Ontario?
• What posters should we have on health and safety boards?
• What JHSC documents do workplaces need to display on health and safety boards?

We also provide a health and safety board compliance checklist.

Learn more about JHSC Training in Ontario

A compliant health and safety board must have all mandatory posting requirements. But you can include more than the mandatory requirements! 

What’s Required on YOUR Health and Safety Board?

It is a requirement under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (the Act) to display specific information on the workplace health and safety board.
 
Section 25(2)(i) of the Act states “An employer shall post, in the workplace, a copy of this Act and any explanatory material prepared by the Ministry…”
 
While there’s no requirement that the posted Act must be current, it is best practice and industry standard to update it every year. The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD) makes posting all current legislation mandatory. If you choose to continue to display an older version of the Act, you must ensure that you’ve printed and displayed all new and updated legislation. An MLITSD inspector will issue a ticket if any information is missing. Because the legislation is always changing and adapting to better protect workers, buying and displaying a current copy of the Act each year is a small price to pay for compliance. Commonly known as the "Green Book", the Occupational Health and Safety Act is published annually.

Order Green Books

What Posters are Required on Health and Safety Boards?

Along with a current copy of the Act, your health and safety board must display specific informational posters, such as: 

1. Health and Safety at Work: Prevention Starts Here
​This poster provides important information to workers about their rights and responsibilities at work. It includes the MLITSD phone number for reporting accidents, critical injuries, fatalities, and work refusals. 

2. In Case of Injury (1234)
All workplaces covered by the WSIB require this poster. It outlines the steps to take in the event of a workplace injury. 

3. Employment Standards Poster
Posting this poster on the health and safety board or in the workplace is no longer required. But it must be given to all employees so that they receive the important information it contains, including their rights and requirements under the Employment Standards Act. It is still a best practice to include the poster on the health and safety board, as it makes the information easily accessible to employees. 

JHSC Documents

The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) must post meeting minutes and workplace inspection results on the health and safety board. 

Learn more about JHSC Refresher Training

Other Requirements

The health and safety board must also display the following: 

• The names and work locations of JHSC members
• The organization’s health and safety policy
• The organization’s workplace violence and harassment policy

 
Most organizations also display the names and work locations of certified first aiders.
 
Need to get First Aid Certified? Learn more about first aid training with MidSouthWest Training and Consulting.

Compliance Checklist

To be compliant, your health and safety board must have all the below: 

• A current copy of the Act
• Health and Safety at Work: Prevention Starts Here poster
• In Case of Injury (1234) poster
• The workplace health and safety policy
• The workplace violence and harassment policy
• A list of JHSC members’ names and work locations
• The most recent JHSC minute meetings
• The results of the most recent workplace inspection
• Any relevant, important, or new health and safety information
• OPTIONAL: Employment Standards poster

 
Are you missing something? Check out the onatrio.ca posting requirements site or give us a call! MidSouthWest Training and Consulting can help you get what you need to ensure that your health and safety board is compliant.

The Health and Safety Board Should not be Boring!

A compliant health and safety board must have all mandatory posting requirements. But you can include more than the mandatory requirements! The key to keeping your health and safety board exciting is to ensure it doesn’t stagnate. Be sure to change the information frequently to keep people coming back, and don’t be afraid to up the fun factor with bright colours, contests, celebrations, and more! ​

Trust MidSouthWest Training and Consulting

Need help getting your health and safety board up to date? Looking for ways to get the health and safety board noticed? Give us a call. We can help! You can trust MidSouthWest Training and Consulting to provide you with cost-effective training solutions tailored to meet your organization’s unique health and safety needs. 

To ask to learn more, contact us online or call 289.309.1143. Visit us 24/7 on the web at midsouthwest.ca.

​Last updated May 10, 2023