Occupational Safety and Health
Concerned about the safety of people at work and the related workplace hazards? This College Certificate program provides students with knowledge skills and training in the theories and practices of occupational safety and health.
- Graduates can step into Occupational Health and Safety roles that are mandated for workplaces with more than 5 employees
- Benefit from supportive and experienced facilitators who are active in their industry
- Courses are built with flexibility in mind and can be accessed anytime and from anywhere
Program Availability and Schedule
Availability
Availability varies by course. Click here to view availability for courses in this program.
Schedule
Given the part-time delivery of this program, there is not a standard schedule for all learners.
Program Summary
Credential
Program Code
Area of Interest
Graduates may find employment in a wide range of jobs, within provincial and federal enforcement, or the private sector, ensuring that legislative obligations in occupational safety and environmental protection are met....(read more)
Overview
Concerned about the safety of people at work and the related workplace hazards? This College Certificate program provides students with knowledge skills and training in the theories and practices of occupational safety and health. In addition to the fundamentals, students learn the management skills required to help them gain the ability to oversee workplace safety programs.
Graduates may find employment in a wide range of jobs, within provincial and federal enforcement, or the private sector, ensuring that legislative obligations in occupational safety and environmental protection are met.
Workplaces with more than five employees in Ontario are legally required to plan an OHS policy and put it into practise. Personnel with in-depth, applied knowledge of OHS are required across all industries. OHS roles are found in public and private workplace settings, including:
- hospitals and other healthcare providers
- heavy industry such as mining and forestry
- universities and other educational institutions
- airports
- local government and other public sector organizations
- construction
- transportation agencies and providers
- environmental protection
- emergency management
- occupational hygiene
To qualify for this certificate, you must complete the program within two years.
SUCCESS FACTORS
This program is well-suited for students who:
- Have strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Possess strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
- Have the ability to deal with sensitive issues with tact.
- Can be assertive when required.
- Have a good understanding of industrial processes, human resources, environmental studies, or similar fields.
- Are interested in understanding how law is written and applied.
Courses
Read this before applying:
If you would like to take courses individually or start the program part time, you are not required to apply to the program. You can register for up to three courses per term by clicking on the course title and selecting “Register Online”.
Note:Â OHS4010 Health and Safety Program Management is equivalent to MGT2396 Occupational Health and Safety
Online  |
| Course Number | Hours | Course Name | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAF5402 | 45.0 | Industrial Hygiene | |
| SAF0001 | 45.0 | Legislation for Health and Safety | |
| SAF5409 | 45.0 | Environmental Management - an Introduction | |
| MGT5602 | 30.0 | Management Labour Concerns in Occupational Health and Safety | |
| FIR8441 | 45.0 | Fire Protection | |
| OHS4005 | 42.0 | Ergonomics | |
| OHS4010 | 45.0 | Health and Safety Program ManagementHealth and Safety Program Management There are no classes currently scheduled for this course. |  |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SAF5402 Industrial Hygiene
Workplace safety encompasses the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of chemical, physical and biological hazards arising in or from the workplace. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and other relevant legislation are explored.
SAF0001 Legislation for Health and Safety
Understanding the various jurisdictions is foundational to occupational health and safety. Students learn to locate specific legislation, the interface between the statutes, regulations, codes and standards. The obligations of employers and of employees are discussed, as is the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and Regulations, filing claims, entitlement decision making, benefits, appeals and re-employment.
SAF5409 Environmental Management - an Introduction
The development of analytical and evaluation skills is required in the management of environmental issues. Students are exposed to environmental policies, legislation procedures, and become familiar with the implications and effects of environmental management strategies. The application and development of site inspections and program auditing are explored to assist in the recognition and analysis of potential environmental risks as they would apply in the development of an environmental management system.
MGT5602 Management Labour Concerns in Occupational Health and Safety
Emerging trends and current management issues, concepts, and practices pertaining to the field of occupational health and safety are examined. Students focus on several functional characteristics within organizations that pose unique challenges for the practitioner attempting to effectively manage resources, both material and human.
FIR8441 Fire Protection
The risk of fire is a threat to health, safety and the delivery of services. Students learn specific information related to fire and life safety. Topics include the chemistry and physics of fire, building design for life safety, and other aspects of fire and life safety. Applicable legislation related to fire and life safety is also covered.
OHS4005 Ergonomics
An overview of ergonomic principles highlights basic worksite investigation and familiarization with basic principles relating to anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, manual material handling, cumulative trauma disorders and office ergonomics.
Careers & Pathways
Careers
In Ontario, the Ministry of Labour sets, communicates and enforces workplace standards regarding worker protection. Additionally, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change protects and improves the quality of the environment to keep it healthy and protect human health and safety. Private industry and municipal governments also employ compliance specialists. Graduates may find employment as health and safety assistants, OHS administrators, OHS coordinators, health and safety officers, health and wellness advisors, environmental officers, return to work specialists, and human resource generalists.
Pathways
Please use our Pathways tool to search for pathway options.
Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Recognize, describe, evaluate and control occupational health hazards in the workplace.
- Develop, deliver and evaluate workplace safety and health programs.
- Apply management strategies to examine and evaluate environmental issues and policies.
- Identify the impact of social, global, technological, environmental changes and trends in the safety and health industry.
- Analyze and manage processes related to occupational safety and health and legislation, Canadian federal and Ontario provincial legislation, National Fire Code and international standards.
Tuition & Fees
2024/2025 Academic Year
Fees are subject to change.
Fees for part-time programs are charged on a course-by-course basis and are published on each individual course page. For questions related to fees, please call the Registrar's Office at 613-727-0002.
Graduation Fee:
Once you have completed all the courses in the program, it is the responsibility of the student to complete a credential application (https://www.algonquincollege.com/online/certificationgraduating/). A graduation fee is charged when the application is submitted. After your credential application has been approved, you will be invited to Convocation.
Additional program related expenses include:
The approximate cost of books and supplies is $800 over the program duration. For more information visit https://www.algonquincollege.com/coursematerials/students/.
Admissions Requirements
All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.
The following requirements are recommended to ensure success in the program:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent; OR
- Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) certificate; OR
- General Educational Development (GED) certificate; OR
- Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and without a high school diploma at the start of the program).
Program Eligibility
The following requirement is recommended to ensure success in the program:
- English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent).
- It is recommended applicants with international transcripts have the following IELTS or TOEFL scores to ensure success: IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with a minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20; OR Duolingo English Test (DET) Overall 110, minimum of 110 in Literacy and no score below 95.
Application Information
Read this before applying:
If you would like to take courses individually or start the program part time, you are not required to apply to the program. You can register for up to three courses per term by clicking on the course title and selecting “Register Online”.
Note:Â OHS4010 Health and Safety Program Management is equivalent to MGT2396 Occupational Health and Safety
Additional Information
Program Resources
International students wishing to study online should visit https://www.algonquincollege.com/online/international for information related to International online students and for International fees information prior to registering. Please note that AC Online programs do not qualify international students for new study permits or study permit extensions.
Students must achieve a passing grade of 60% in each course to be successful in the program.
Note: Students may take MGT2396 instead of OHS4010.
PRIOR LEARNING AND RECOGNITION (PLAR):
Students who wish to apply for PLAR need to demonstrate competency at a post-secondary level in all of the course learning requirements. Evidence of learning achievements for PLAR candidates may include a comprehensive challenge examination and/or completion of a portfolio.
AC ONLINE ACADEMIC PLANNER:
The Academic Planner provides registered part-time students the ability to declare into a program of study. The Academic Planner outlines successfully completed courses to date, as well as courses that need to be completed in order to meet graduation requirements. It is therefore, essential that all part-time students declare to their program of study, allowing administrators to plan course offerings. The tool is available on ACSIS, located under 'Part-time Students' on the left-hand toolbar.
PROGRAM PROGRESSION:
As per policy AA39: Program Progression and Graduation Requirements when students are admitted to a program, they are assigned to the Program of Study that aligns with their start date. If a student takes a break for two or more consecutive terms the Program of Study is reset to align with the current version (when studies are resumed).
Contact
Future Students
For additional information, please contact our Customer Service Representative team at online@algonquincollege.com and they will direct you to the best person to answer your specific questions.
Current Students
For additional information, please reference the AC Online Circle of Care.