Working at Heights Training – Full Course
In Person
Overview
Falls are one of the major causes of injury and death on construction sites in Ontario.
Injuries and deaths related to working at heights can be avoided by knowing the correct information. Part of this means being aware of what fall prevention systems can be used, such as guardrails and protective covers, being aware of how to properly inspect, use and store a fall arrest system, and being familiar with the various types of equipment available.
In addition to the types of equipment, participants will also become familiar with the legislative requirements found under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as the regulatory requirements found under Regulation 213 for Construction Projects.
This CPO Approved Working at Heights training program focuses on providing all participants with the information they need to know in order to perform their task safety, and to be compliant with the applicable occupational health and safety laws.
What You’ll Learn
- Review of the OHSA and applicable Regulations
- Occupational Health and Safety Act, sections 23 to 31, 50, 66
- Regulation 213/91 for Construction Projects
- Fall Hazard Recognition
- Incorrect or temporary conditions
- Hierarchy of controls
- Methods of fall prevention
- Guardrails
- Protective covers
- Barriers
- Travel restraint systems
- Proper set up, inspection and use
- Application
- Fall protection systems
- Fall restrict systems and associated components
- Safety nets
- Fall arrest systems and associated components
- Access structure overviews
- Scaffolding
- Powered elevating work platforms
- Ladders
- Boatswain chairs
- Suspended access platforms
- Workplace specific training
- Practical demonstration of proper inspection and use of a fall arrest system
FAQ
How is this program taught?
This program is taught using an interactive discussion method. This means that all participants will be involved in discussing the content throughout the duration of the program. This method ensures that all participants receive and understand the information.
Where possible, all material being discussed throughout the length of the Working at Heights program will be related directly to the participants workplace in order to provide a better understanding on how to apply what is being taught.
Who should take this training?
This course is mandatory for Ontario construction workers who work at heights and use any form of fall protection equipment. It is ideal for:
- Construction and roofing workers
- General labourers and apprentices
- Carpenters, electricians, ironworkers, and HVAC technicians
- Forepersons, supervisors, and site managers
- Health and safety representatives
What do I need to do in order to pass?
In order to successfully pass the program and obtain the working at heights certification, all participants are required to successfully demonstrate how to inspect, don and doff a fall arrest harness and lanyard, demonstrate the proper use of a 100% tie-off lanyard, and obtain at least a 75% passing mark on the written evaluation.
Are there accommodations for learning disabilities?
Participants that may have a learning disability or other impairment, such as language, literacy hearing, or vision, will be accommodated. This may involve having the questions read to the participant(s) by the instructor, the assistance of an interpreter supplied by the employer, or other means. Where disabilities or impairments are identified, please advise your contact when scheduling the course so all efforts to accommodate can be made.
How long is the certificate valid for?
The Working at Heights certificate is valid for three years from the date of completion
Details
Course Length
approximately 8 hours
Breaks
Two 10-minute breaks, one 30-minute lunch
Location
Private onsite or in public setting at STC facilities in the Simcoe-Muskoka region
Requirements
Photo ID
Prerequisites
CSA approved steel-toed safety boots or shoes depending on the training environment
Free Download
Ladder inspection checklist
Working at Heights Quick Reference Guide
This is a CPO Approved Training Course
The Chief Prevention Office (CPO) is a division within Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). It was created under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to strengthen the province’s approach to workplace health and safety.
The Chief Prevention Officer (the individual who leads the Office) is responsible for providing strategic leadership in preventing workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities across Ontario. The CPO works with employers, workers, labour organizations, training providers, and other stakeholders to create a coordinated and consistent prevention system throughout the province.
Key Responsibilities of the Chief Prevention Office
- Setting Health and Safety Training Standards
The CPO develops and approves mandatory training standards. Only CPO-approved training providers may deliver these mandatory programs, ensuring consistency and quality across Ontario workplaces: - Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification programs
- Working at Heights training standards
- Worker and Supervisor Awareness training
- Establishing and Overseeing Prevention Strategies
The Office develops Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Strategy, which outlines priorities for reducing workplace injuries and occupational diseases through education, enforcement, and collaboration.
- Data Analysis and Performance Measurement
The CPO analyzes injury, illness, and fatality data to identify trends and focus prevention efforts where they are most needed. This evidence-based approach helps guide policies and resource allocation.
- Accrediting Health and Safety Management Systems
Through initiatives such as COR 2020 (Certificate of Recognition) and other recognized systems, the CPO supports employers in implementing formalized health and safety management frameworks that meet provincial standards.
- Collaboration with Partners
The Office works closely with the Health and Safety Associations (HSAs), including Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA), Workplace Safety North (WSN), and others, to deliver training and prevention programs to specific sectors.
Fall Protection Training Is Mandatory in Ontario
Falls are one of the top causes of serious injuries and fatalities in Ontario’s construction industry. To protect workers, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires that anyone using fall protection systems—including fall arrest, travel restraint, or work positioning systems—must complete CPO-approved Working at Heights training before starting work at elevation.
STC’s Working at Heights course teaches participants to:
- Recognize and assess fall hazards in construction environments.
- Properly inspect, don, and maintain fall protection equipment such as harnesses, lanyards, and lifelines.
- Identify safe anchor points and calculate clearance distances.
- Use ladders, scaffolds, and elevating work platforms safely.
- Develop emergency response and fall rescue plans that save lives.
Already Have a Working at Heights Certificate?
Your Working at Heights certificate is valid for three (3) years from the date of issue. To maintain compliance, workers must complete a Working at Heights Refresher course before their certification expires.
The refresher course reviews essential fall prevention principles, legislative updates, and practical demonstrations to ensure workers remain confident, compliant, and up to date with Ontario’s latest safety standards.
Choose STC for Your Working at Heights Training
With over 15 years of experience in safety training and consulting, Safety Training and Consulting Services Ltd. (STC) is a trusted CPO- and TSSA-approved provider serving industries across Ontario.
We don’t just teach compliance — we build safety cultures that last.
What sets STC apart:
- ✅ CPO-Approved Programs – Fully compliant with MLITSD and OHSA regulations.
- ✅ Experienced Instructors – Trainers certified since the first CPO training standards were introduced in 2013.
- ✅ On-Site Training Available – We bring certified safety instruction directly to your worksite anywhere in Ontario.
- ✅ AODA-Compliant & Inclusive – Accessible learning for every worker.
- ✅ Full-Service Safety Support – STC also provides policies, procedures, and compliance consulting for complete workplace safety solutions.
Working at Heights, Fall Protection, Fall Arrest: What’s the Difference in Ontario?
These three terms get used interchangeably on job sites and in hiring conversations, and that creates real confusion when it comes to booking the right training. Here’s how they actually work in Ontario.
| Working at Heights | Fall Protection | |
| Who it’s for | Construction workers using fall protection equipment | Industrial, mining, healthcare, residential, and other non-construction workplaces |
| Regulatory basis | O. Reg. 297/13 and O. Reg. 213/91 | Employer responsibility under OHSA and sector-specific regulations |
| Provider requirement | Must be CPO-approved | Competent and qualified provider, no CPO requirement |
| Certification validity | 3 years, then refresher required | Typically 3 years, set by employer or regulation |
| At STC | CPO Approved provider | Contact us to discuss industrial fall protection training |
Working At Heights
The training mandated by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) for any worker on a construction project who uses fall protection equipment. It is established under O. Reg. 297/13: Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training, and tied to O. Reg. 213/91: Construction Projects.
The course must be approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) and delivered only by a CPO-approved provider. If you are doing construction work in Ontario and you will be using a harness, lanyard, travel restraint, or similar equipment, this is the course you need. STC’s Working at Heights Training is a fully CPO-approved program.
Fall Protection
This is a broader, more flexible category that applies to workplaces outside the construction sector. This includes industrial establishments, mining operations, healthcare facilities, residential facilities, and other workplaces that fall under different regulations than Construction Projects.
Fall Protection training covers similar equipment and principles, but the content is typically tailored to the specific industry and workplace. It is not CPO-regulated in the same way, and it is not a substitute for Working at Heights training on construction sites.
Fall Arrest
Refers to one specific type of system within the broader category of fall protection. A fall arrest system is designed to stop a fall after it has begun, using components like harnesses, lanyards, shock absorbers, and anchor points.
Both Working at Heights and Fall Protection training cover fall arrest systems as part of their curriculum. “Fall Arrest training” is often used colloquially to describe one of the other two, depending on who is talking.
Quick Comparison
| Working at Heights | Fall Protection | |
| Who it’s for | Construction workers using fall protection equipment | Industrial, mining, healthcare, residential, and other non-construction workplaces |
| Regulatory basis | O. Reg. 297/13 and O. Reg. 213/91 | Employer responsibility under OHSA and sector-specific regulations |
| Provider requirement | Must be CPO-approved | Competent and qualified provider, no CPO requirement |
| Certification validity | 3 years, then refresher required | Typically 3 years, set by employer or regulation |
| At STC | CPO Approved provider | Contact us to discuss industrial fall protection training |
Which One Do You Need?
If you or your workers are on Ontario construction projects and use fall protection equipment, you need Working at Heights training. That is not a preference, it is a legal requirement. Fall Protection training, no matter how thorough, does not satisfy the construction regulation.
If you are in an industrial, mining, healthcare, or other non-construction setting, reach out to STC directly and we will help you identify the right training for your sector.
About Your Working At Heights Certificate
Once you successfully complete STC’s Working at Heights training, you receive proof of your certification in two forms: a proof of completion document issued by STC, and a digital training record stored in the MLITSD’s certification management system. Both are valid, and both can be used to demonstrate your certification to employers, general contractors, and ministry inspectors.
What’s on the Record
Your Working at Heights training record includes your full name, the date the training was completed, the name and CPO approval number of the training provider, your year of birth, email address, home address, and the expiry date of the certification. This is the information employers and inspectors need when verifying that your training is valid and current.
How Employers Verify Your Certificate
Employers in Ontario have three ways to confirm that a worker’s Working at Heights training is valid:
- Accept the proof of completion document issued by the CPO-approved training provider.
- Access the worker’s training record directly through the ministry’s certification management system, with the worker’s consent.
- Contact the MLITSD, with the worker’s consent, to verify the training.
When reviewing a worker’s training, employers should also confirm that the training provider was CPO-approved at the time the training was completed. STC’s trainers have been CPO-certified since the first CPO training standards were introduced in 2013.
Accessing or Replacing a Lost Certificate
If your proof of completion document is lost or damaged, you have three options:
- Retrieve your digital training record by setting up a free, secure account with the ministry’s certification management system. The digital version can be shared and printed.
- Contact STC directly and we can provide a copy of your training record or a new proof of completion document.
- Contact the MLITSD to request your records.
How Long Your Certificate Is Valid
Working at Heights certification is valid for three years from the date of successful completion. After three years, workers are required to complete a CPO-approved refresher program to maintain valid certification for another three years.
STC offers a Working at Heights Refresher course that meets this requirement. We recommend booking refresher training before the three-year expiry date to maintain continuous certification and avoid any interruption in your ability to work on construction projects.
Get Your Working at Heights Certificate Today
Get Certified. Stay Compliant. Work Safe.
At Safety Training and Consulting Services Ltd. (STC), we provide Chief Prevention Officer (CPO)–approved Working at Heights training for construction professionals across Ontario. Our program meets all requirements set out by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) under O. Reg. 213/91 – Construction Projects.
Whether you’re a general contractor, roofer, labourer, or site supervisor, this mandatory Working at Heights certification ensures you and your team remain safe, competent, and legally compliant on every Ontario job site.