Health and Safety Training
The information below details the health and safety training, in class and online, that is available to students at Laurier. Some of the sessions are coordinated for student attendance only, while others are open to anyone in the Laurier community. Some types of training are mandatory for students in certain classes or for student employees.
Online training is open to the Laurier community through self-registration on MyLearningSpace.
For general questions about health and safety training, or if no other contact is listed, contact sherm@wlu.ca.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act considers you to be a worker if you are performing work, or supplying a service under and approved postsecondary program, regardless of whether you are paid or unpaid. If you are working in this capacity, Laurier must provide you with information and instruction to ensure you understand the hazards involved in your work and know how to work safely.
Young workers are 24% more likely to be injured on the job than other groups, particularly during the first few days of employment. This course is designed to ensure young workers understand their rights and responsibilities and provides a general overview of health and safety policies, procedures, rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act along with WHMIS training.
Additional training modules for Laboratory Safety and Biosafety will follow after the Young Worker Health and Safety Orientation. Please indicate the additional training you are registering for in the form.
Young Worker Health and Safety Orientation training is divided into three parts as follows:
- Part One: Online orientation training (accessed through MyLearningSpace).
- Part Two: Via Zoom (mandatory) half hour orientation training (provided by SHERM). You must complete part one before registering for part two. REGISTER HERE
Zoom Part Two Training (Register and Select Date/Time then submit your form). Note meeting ID and password are the same for all training sessions.Meeting ID: 960 0425 5476Password: 78892 - Part Three: Job-specific orientation training (provided by your supervisor).
Studies show that the use of an AED, mixed with performing CPR, can increase the chance of survival of a person in cardiac arrest by 50%, higher if the AED is applied within the first few minutes of the event.
Laurier’s AED (Automated External Defibrillation) Program provides information pertaining to AED use, and how you can participate in ensuring the AEDs on campus are ‘Ready for Use’. The program also lists the locations of the AEDs for Waterloo, Brantford and Milton campuses and at Laurier’s Kitchener Location.
To learn more about AEDs on campus go to MyLeaningSpace, Self Register for, and complete the module titled ‘AEDs and CPR, Every Second Counts’.
The objective of this training session is to review legislation, and understand the responsibilities associated with handling compressed gas cylinders. This session will also review procedures for storing, handling, and the proper use of cylinders, as well as understanding the hazards associated with compressed gas cylinders.
Available online on MyLearningSpace.
- Contact: Ryan Schierholtz
This training session will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to properly and safely operate all types of portable fire extinguishers. The session includes an in-class portion and practical portion.
- Contact: Karen Harrison
This online training session will provide dons with basic fire safety principles. Dons will learn about Laurier’s fire alarm procedures, prevention of fire hazards and will gain knowledge of fire/life safety systems such as fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems and standpipe systems. This session is mandatory for all dons annually.
Available online on MyLearningSpace.
- Contact: Karen Harrison
This training session will provide participants knowledge of kitchen fire safety. The leading cause of fires in Ontario is unattended cooking. This session will review Laurier’s fire alarm procedures and teach you what to do if you have a small fire in the kitchen. It will also review how to safety deal with a stove fire and microwave fire.
For kitchen safety tips, see Fire Safety.
- Contact: Karen Harrison
Laboratory safety training is necessary for all personnel working in laboratories. Training consists of two components: general laboratory safety provided by Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management (SHERM), and laboratory-specific training provided by the laboratory supervisor.
General laboratory safety training is provided by SHERM in either in-class or online format. The course reviews general laboratory safety topics that are common to most laboratories on campus. It provides direction on safe handling of chemicals, hazardous waste procedures and what to do in the event of an emergency.
Your laboratory supervisor will ask you to attend a session in class or have you register for the online course via self-registration online on MyLearningSpace.
If your laboratory work involves handling biohazardous or radioactive materials, you will be required to attend additional training. Your laboratory supervisor will organize the training that you require to take for your work in the lab.
- Contact: Ryan Schierholtz
Ergonomics is a way of designing work to fit the person so as to reduce the risk of sustaining musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs can lead to discomfort and in some cases can be life altering. In this training, learn more about MSDs, their causes and how to prevent them. Learn how to set up your workstation so it works for you. Training is available online on MyLearningSpace.
Online training is available on MyLearningSpace.
- Contact: Cindy Schmidt
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training will provide information to you about safe handling of chemicals. The training must be completed by everyone who is handling chemicals through the course of their work or education on campus. All first-year students entering a BI110 or CH110 course will receive WHMIS training during Orientation Week.
WHMIS training is available online through MyLearningSpace.