Human Resource Services provide a range of health and safety courses. Some courses are mandatory for all faculty, staff and volunteers. Students may require training due to a specific course, program or clinical placement requirement. Other courses may be required depending upon your role or duties at Western. Please confirm your specific training requirements with your supervisor.
For more information on training requirements, please see Western's Safety Procedure & Guidelines.
For dates and locations of classroom training, please see our webpage of upcoming classroom training sessions. Before registering, carefully read the information below regarding required training and the method of delivery for courses. Please also note that when attending classroom training sessions, ALL Western buildings are scent free. (see guideline)
For detailed information on a course, click on the specific course title below. Click again to return to the list.
Faculty, staff* and volunteers are required to complete the following online training programs using OWL: |
For online training programs, the preferred browser to use is Internet Explorer. If you must use another browser, please take the following steps listed below: On Chrome, update settings as follows: Settings, Content Settings, Flash, Allow, Add [*.]uwo.ca |
Which version: There are two versions of mandatory Health and Safety Awareness Training. The decision of which version is appropriate is based on an individual’s role and duties. For more information, read "Who should participate" under the two course descriptions below.
Course length: | 45-60 minutes | Training frequency: | Once. New supervisors must complete training within one week of starting their role. |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select"Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate:
Mandatory for all Western academic and administrative leaders, principal investigators, managers, supervisors (including work study supervisors), lead hands and senior grad students who have the responsibility of overseeing others’ work. (A supervisor is defined as a person who has charge of workplace or authority over a worker.)
If you have completed the Supervisor version of Health and Safety Awareness training you are not required to complete the Worker version.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 45-60 minutes | Training frequency: | Once |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Worker Health and Safety Awareness on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, choose "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Western staff, faculty, graduate students, work study students and volunteers who do not meet the definition of a supervisor (see above “Supervisor Health and Safety Training - Who should participate”).
Course objectives:
IMPORTANT: WHMIS is changing. On May 2, 2016, a single new version of WHMIS training replaced the previous two WHMIS training programs. You will be required to take the new version of the training, even if you completed one of the previous versions prior to the introduction of the new training.
Course length: | 60-90 minutes | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to WHMIS *New* on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, choose "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all new Western staff, faculty, graduate students, work study students, co-op students and volunteers.
Reminder: All existing Western staff, faculty, graduate students, work study students, co-op students and volunteers must also complete the NEW version of WHMIS. Please do so by August 31, 2016.
Course objectives:
At the completion of the course, the participant will be able to:
Course length: | 30 minutes | Training frequency: | Once |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Safe Campus Community on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Western staff, faculty, graduate students, work study students and volunteers.
Course objectives:
Which version: We offer two versions of AODA training: Accessibility in Service or Accessibility in Teaching. The decision of which version is appropriate is based on your role. For more information, read "Who should participate" under the two course descriptions below.
Course length: | 45-60 minutes | Training frequency: | Once |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Accessibility in Service on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Western Academic and Administrative Leaders, Staff and Volunteers.
Other Western relationships such as contractors interacting with Western students, alumni, visitors, or retirees are to receive and become familiar with a summary brochure.
Course objectives:
Please visit the Accessibility at Western website to view more information.
Course length: | 45-60 minutes | Training frequency: | Once |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Accessibility in Teaching on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Western Faculty, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Librarians and Archivists.
Course objectives:
Please visit the Accessibility at Western website to view more information and access Supplemental Resources.
At Western, we are committed to fostering a community that actively promotes mental health. As a community member you are encouraged to complete this on-line learning module.
Course length: | 30 minutes | Training frequency: | Once |
Type of training: | Online | Course link: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to faculty/staff training on OWL or click here to link to student training on OWL. |
Who should participate:
All members of the Western community (students, faculty and staff). A specific course is available to students.
This course helps participants:
Course length: | 1.5 hours | Training frequency: | Once every three years |
Type of training: | Online | Link to course: | Laboratory Safety & Hazardous Waste Management |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all laboratory supervisors and workers. This includes faculty, staff, post-doctoral scholars, graduate students, fourth year thesis students, volunteers, work study students, co-op students, etc.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1.5 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Online | Link to course: | Biosafety |
Who should attend: Mandatory for all new principal investigators, workers and students who work with biohazardous materials such as microorganisms, cell cultures and human blood and body fluids.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 6 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Classroom | Link to course: | Go to Radiation Safety - Nuclear on My Human Resources |
Instructions for registering (When you register, search for the course number "RADIN")
Who should attend: Mandatory for all individuals working with nuclear substances, radiation devices or class II prescribed equipment including permit holders, faculty, staff and students.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1 to 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Online | Link to course: | Go to Radiation Refresher on OWL |
Access to Radiation Safety Refresher training is automatically set up on OWL for individuals who have completed the in-class Radiation Safety Nuclear course. If you are unable to access the course, please contact Hoa Ly.
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Nuclear Energy Workers who have not received training in the last three years.
Course length: | 20 - 30 minutes | Training frequency: | Once, prior to formal training |
Type of training: | Self-study | Link to course: | View radiation safety awareness material |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all personnel who intend to enter a nuclear radiation room and have not received radiation safety training. The radiation permit holder (or an authorized nuclear energy worker listed on the permit) is responsible for providing the awareness training and documenting who has taken the training. Participants can view the radiation safety awareness material online or can review a hard copy version.
Course length: | 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Online | Link to course: | Complete “Registration” web form. Login required |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all x-ray users prior to using x-ray equipment.
Course objectives:
To get you set up in the course, complete and submit the registration form (login required). You will receive a follow-up email message with further instructions.
Link to X-ray Safety Training on OWL.
Course length: | 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Online | Link to course: | Complete “Registration” web form. Login required. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all class 3B or class 4 laser users.
Course objectives:
To get you set up in the course, complete and submit the registration form (login required). You will receive a follow-up email message with further instructions.
Link to Laser Safety Training on OWL.
Course length: | 10 - 15 minutes | Training frequency: | Once, prior to entering laser facilities |
Type of training: | Self-study | Link to course: | View laser safety awareness material |
Who should participate: Required for all personnel who intend to enter a laser room and have not received laser safety training. The laser permit holder (or an authorized laser worker listed on the permit) is responsible for providing the awareness training and documenting who has taken the training. Participants can view the laser safety awareness material online.
Course length: | 4 hrs total (2 days) | Training frequency: | Once every 2 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | This course is given by special arrangement only. Please contact Mike Mosley to discuss your needs. |
Who should participate: Required for all University personnel who will be either shipping or receiving chemical shipments by land (road/rail) transport. This applies to both shipments sent by commercial means (ground courier) and to shipments driven personally (ie. chemical/samples driven off campus on public roads).
Note: This course does not include air transport. Separate, targeted courses will be offered for those who ship by air.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 16 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Classroom | Link to course: | This course is given by special arrangement only. Please contact Matt Mills to discuss your needs. |
Who should participate: Mandatory for all Western First Aid Representatives. This course is reserved for permanent, full-time employees (excludes contract) who have been designated by their supervisor, and Occupational Health and Safety, as the official First Aid Representative for their department/unit.
The course is given by SERT (Student Emergency Response Team) and is the Canadian Red Cross, Standard First Aid and Basic Rescuer CPR (Level C) certification. All materials, including the manual, are supplied.
Course length: | 1 to 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Asbestos Awareness on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Required for Facilities Management Caretaking Personnel.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1 to 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Comprehensive Asbestos Awareness on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Required for Facilities Management Trades Personnel
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1 to 2 hours | Training frequency: | Once every 4 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Personal Protective Equipment on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Required for Facilities Management trades, caretaking and other personnel who work with hazardous materials or situations.
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1 hour | Training frequency: | Once every 5 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Electrical Awareness on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Required for Facilities Management staff
Course objectives:
Course length: | 1 hour | Training frequency: | Once every 3 years |
Type of training: | Individual | Link to course: | If you have not already done so, sign the Acceptable Use Agreement, then wait 15 minutes. Next, click here to link to Lock-In Tag-Out on OWL. Login with the same Western User ID used for My Human Resources. After login, select "Yes, please add me" to join worksite. |
Who should participate: Required for all Facilities Management staff
Course objectives:
Additional training may be required, please refer to the Training Requirements Matrix for a complete list of all required health and safety training by role.