How to get your working at heights certificate in Ontario

Step by step

1. Check that you need it

   You need approved working at heights training if you work on a construction project and are required to use a travel restraint system, fall restricting system, fall arrest system, safety net, work belt or safety belt. It comes on top of training on the specific fall protection equipment you use on site.

   Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights

2. Complete basic health and safety awareness training

   Every Ontario worker must complete basic occupational health and safety awareness training as soon as practicable. It covers worker and employer rights and duties, the roles of the ministry and the WSIB, common hazards, WHMIS and occupational illness.

   Source: O. Reg. 297/13, s. 1 (e-Laws)

3. Choose a CPO-approved provider

   The ministry's Marketplace lists approved working at heights providers and their classes, so you can register for a course near you. Beware of fraudulent providers that take fees and issue cards without valid training: only an approved program from an approved provider counts.

   Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights

4. Take the Basic Theory module

   The theory module (at least 3 hours face to face) covers roles and responsibilities, fall hazards, the hierarchy of controls, warning methods and barriers, safety nets and ladders. It must be completed before the practical module, and it may be delivered by eLearning or live video only if you can interact with a qualified instructor.

   Source: Working at Heights Training Program Standard, ss. 3, 4 and 6

5. Take the Practical module in person

   The practical module (at least 3.5 hours) covers fall protection systems, personal fall protection equipment, anchor points, access equipment and rescue planning. It cannot be delivered by eLearning or distance learning, and you must satisfactorily demonstrate four skills: calculating fall clearance, inspecting equipment for defects, putting on and taking off a harness and lanyard, and staying tied off while changing anchor points.

   Source: Working at Heights Training Program Standard, ss. 3, 6 and 10.2

6. Pass the written test

   There is a written test at the end of each module or of the whole program, and you need at least 75% to complete the program. The evaluator then reviews your incorrect answers with you. Learners with language, literacy or accommodation needs can be evaluated by other methods.

   Source: Working at Heights Training Program Standard, s. 10.1

7. Get your proof of completion

   The provider gives you (and your employer, with your consent) a document showing your name, the program and its ID number, the completion date, the provider and its ID number and the evaluator's signature. It must also report your completion to the CPO within seven business days.

   Source: Working at Heights Training Provider Standard, s. 3.7

Who can get it

• The training is required for workers who, under O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects), must use travel restraint, fall restricting, fall arrest, safety nets, work belts or safety belts. Source: O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 6–7 (e-Laws)
• Workers whose workplaces are not covered by the Construction Projects regulation do not have to take approved working at heights training, and there is a limited exemption for workers directly employed by an automobile manufacturer or assembler. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights
• Fall protection training approved by WorkplaceNL (Newfoundland and Labrador) is accepted instead, but those workers also need basic awareness training and site-specific fall protection training before working at heights in Ontario. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights
• To take the refresher instead of the full program, you must have previously completed both modules of an approved program. Source: Working at Heights Training Program Standard, s. 11.2

What it costs

Fees change. Check the amount on the official page or with the provider before you pay.

Where to take the test

With a training provider approved by the Chief Prevention Officer, anywhere in Ontario. The ministry's Marketplace lists approved providers and available classes; separate lists show providers that are no longer approved or offer in-house training only. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights

What to bring or have ready

• Any personal protective equipment or other equipment the provider asks you to bring: approved providers must tell you in advance, along with the course format, evaluation methods and all costs. Source: Working at Heights Training Provider Standard, s. 3.2
• Your language, literacy or accommodation needs, so the provider can plan for them: providers must ask about learning needs at registration, and alternative evaluation methods are allowed. Source: Working at Heights Training Provider Standard, s. 3.3
• For the refresher: check first with the ministry's eligibility checker, since only workers who completed both modules of an approved program can take it. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights

After you pass

Give your employer a copy of your proof of completion; employers must keep a training record and show it to an inspector on request. You can also get a digital copy of your record through a free account in the ministry's certification management system, using the address you gave at registration, your year of birth, your email and your phone number. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights

Validity and renewal

Working at heights training is valid for three years from successful completion. To keep it valid for another three years, complete a refresher, which is the Practical module taken again with an approved provider. Source: O. Reg. 297/13, s. 8 (e-Laws)

Common mistakes

• Paying a provider that is not approved by the Chief Prevention Officer. Employers must check that the provider was approved at the time you trained, and the ministry warns of fraudulent cards. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights
• Expecting a fully online certificate. Only the Basic Theory module may be taken by eLearning or live video, and only with instructor interaction; the Practical module is always in person. Source: Working at Heights Training Program Standard, s. 6
• Letting the three years run out. Once training expires you cannot use fall protection on a construction project until you complete the refresher. Source: O. Reg. 297/13, ss. 7–8 (e-Laws)
• Retaking the whole course when you change employers. Valid training moves with you; the new employer still trains you on the fall protection equipment used on its site. Source: Ontario — Training for working at heights
• Studying only the harness. The written test also covers the hierarchy of controls, guardrails, ladders, anchors, clearance and rescue planning, which our practice questions cover topic by topic.

Prepare for the test

Free practice written from the official material: full practice tests, a study guide, a printable sheet and a timed mock exam.