Occupational Health and Safety Program Frequently Asked Questions
Updated June 2019
Questions and answers for the Occupational Health and Safety certificate.
Looking to register for a course?
Visit Occupational Health and Safety continuing education page for the list of courses, start dates, costs and course registration numbers (required to register).
Students of the Occupational Health and Safety program who have completed a course within the applied certificate or certificate program prior to June 30, 2017, please refer to the end of the FAQ for more information.
Students studying through distance are encouraged to contact Nolan Horbach, Program Head, at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca prior to starting the program for course load and scheduling support.
- Employers across the country, from natural resource companies to hospitals, schools to manufactures, office-based businesses to retailers, all must conform to Occupational Health and Safety legislation. As legislation and standards become more multifaceted, demand for qualified Occupational Health and Safety professionals grows.
- Occupational Health and Safety is a career path with remarkable possibilities. As a graduate of Saskatchewan Polytechnic's OHS program, you will have the skills necessary to provide knowledgeable advice that employers rely on to develop, implement and evaluate safety management systems.
- The program is a great fit if you're looking to enter the Occupational Health and Safety profession, already working in Occupational Health and Safety and want to expand your career opportunities, or are considering or preparing to write the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) or Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) exam and are looking to expand your knowledge.
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Occupational Health and Safety certificate offers flexible learning options with program delivery available on campus in Saskatoon, SK and through distance education for students across Canada.
- The Occupational Health and Safety certificate program is recognized by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals as meeting necessary academic eligibility requirements.
- The program consists of 14 theory-based courses, a 2-week practicum and five electives (must complete one of five electives).
- Total program course hours and credit units available
- 998 course hours
- 66 credit units
- Total program course hours and credit units to complete
- 902 course hours
- 60 credit units
Course Code |
Course Title |
Course Hours |
Credit Units |
SFTY 177 |
Auditing Safety Management |
45 |
3 |
SFTY 198 |
Contractor Safety Management |
45 |
3 |
HLTH 187 |
Disability Management |
60 |
4 |
SFTY 174 |
Emergency Management |
60 |
4 |
HLTH 191 |
Ergonomics |
60 |
4 |
SFTY 199 |
Fire Prevention and Protection |
60 |
4 |
HLTH 179 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 1 |
60 |
4 |
HLTH 189 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 2 |
60 |
4 |
HLTH 190 |
Incident Investigation |
60 |
4 |
LAW 100 |
Law and Ethics |
60 |
4 |
MGMT 191 |
Organizational Behaviour |
60 |
4 |
PRAC 189 |
Practicum (2 weeks) |
80 |
5 |
HUMR 102 |
Professional Education and Career Planning |
60 |
4 |
SFTY 173 |
Risk Management |
60 |
4 |
SFTY 175 |
Safety Program Management |
60 |
4 |
Electives: Students must complete one elective
Course Code | Course Title | Course Hours | Credit Units |
HLTH 105 | Fatigue Management | 30 | 2 |
HLTH 106 | Psychological Health and Safety | 30 | 2 |
HLTH 192 | Respiratory Test/Train Trainer | 16 | 1 |
TRAN 181 | Transportation of Dangerous Goods Train the Trainer | 16 | 1 |
WHMS 184 | WHMIS Train the Trainer | 16 | 1 |
Yes, many of our courses have necessary prerequisites that must be successfully completed before participating in other courses.
For course load and scheduling support please contact the Nolan Horbach, Program Head at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca.
Course Title | Prerequisite |
SFTY 177 Auditing Safety Management | LAW 100, SFTY 173, SFTY 175 |
SFTY 198 Contractor Safety Management | None |
HLTH 187 Disability Management | None |
SFTY 174 Emergency Management | SFTY 173 (Co-Req) |
HLTH 191 Ergonomics | None |
SFTY 199 Fire Prevention and Protection | None |
HLTH 179 Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 1 | None |
HLTH 189 Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 2 | HLTH 179 |
HLTH 190 Incident Investigation | LAW 100, SFTY 173 |
LAW 100 Law and Ethics | None |
MGMT 191 Organizational Behaviour | None |
PRAC 189 Practicum (Two weeks) | HLTH 187, HLTH 189, HLTH 190, HLTH 191, HUMR 102, SFTY 175, SFTY 177, SFTY 198 (co-req), SFTY 199 (co-req) |
HUMR 102 Professional Education and Career Planning | None |
SFTY 173 Risk Management | LAW 100 |
SFTY 175 Safety Program Management | LAW 100, SFTY 173 |
Electives | |
HLTH 105 Fatigue Management | None |
HLTH 106 Psychological Health and Safety | None |
HLTH 192 Respiratory Test/Train Trainer (elective) | None |
TRAN 181 Transportation of Dangerous Goods Train the Trainer (elective) | General TDG |
WHMS 184 WHMIS Train the Trainer (elective) | General WHMIS |
- On campus (Saskatoon SK)
- The program is offered from September – June for a total of 39 weeks.
- Online
- Courses have definite start and end dates with each course.
- Start dates are in September, January and April of each academic year.
- For a full list of courses including dates, costs, location and course registration numbers (CRN) visit OHS courses.
- As part Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Occupational Health and Safety certificate program, students are required to complete a two week / 80-hour practicum with an OH&S professional who has or reports directly to someone with a minimum of 5 years’ OH&S experience or holds a CRSP designation.
- While onsite students,under the guidance of their assigned OH&S professional, will participate in activities such as inspections, auditing, training, reviewing programs and policies, preparing and conducting a 10 minute presentation, and much more.
- Prior to registering for PRAC 189 students are required to contact Nolan Horbach, Program Head at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca.
- On Campus
- 39 weeks (September – June)
- Online
- One to two years (approximate)
- Students have four years to complete the program.
- Yes, courses are open to the public for registration.
- Enrolment is required prior to the completion of the program, if you wish to receive a certificate of completion.
- Submitan Application Admission form and an application fee (non-refundable), and applicable documentation/transcripts to Registration Services.
- For forms call 1-866-467-4278 or print from Admissions
- Yes, those applying must have obtained Grade 12 or GED equivalent and English Language Requirements.
- To learn more visit Admission Requirements
- Desirable skills include good computer skills (typing, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint), strong organization and problem solving skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills and a passion for preventing workplace injury.
- Students can obtain transfer credit if 80% of a similar postsecondary courses taken within the last five (5) years.
- To learn more about Transfer Credits visit Get Credit for What you Know or contact Nolan Horbach, Program Head by phone at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca
- Yes, the Certificate program offers credit based on previous experience through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Availability (PLAR).
- To learn more about PLAR visit the Occupational Health and Safety program page.
- If you have success experience as an Occupational Health and Safety professional please contact Nolan Horbach, Program Head by phone at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca
- Congratulations! Your first step is to decide which classes you will take first and then register
- To view the course listing and co / pre requisites go to OHS courses.
- Course registration opens June 1st for the upcoming academic year.
- Please note you must be accepted into the program prior to registering for courses, with the exception of those open to the public.
On-campus
- The class schedule will dictate the order of classes through the 39-week program and will be provided to students by the Occupational Health and Safety Program.
- Courses will begin the first Tuesday following September Labour Day long weekend.
Distance
- While students are allowed to participate in as many courses as they wish, with the exception of those with prerequisites that have yet to be completed, there are a few courses we highly recommend students look to begin their studies with.
- LAW 100 Law and Ethics (suggest taking SFTY 173 Risk Management once completed)
- HUMR 102 Professional Education and Career Planning
- For course load and scheduling support, please contact the Nolan Horbach, Program Head at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca.
- Yes, all courses have a registration deadline.
- Practicum – six weeks prior to the start date
- Electives – one week prior to the start date
- Theory-based courses accept registration until the end of the day of the first day of the course
- Please note all courses have a seating capacity (online included).
- Should a course you wish to register for be full you can request to go onto a waitlist.
- If you are being sponsored for a class, the sponsoring agency must send a letter specifying your personal information, the specific class you are registering for, and whether they are paying for tuition and books or just tuition. Another option is to complete the Continuing Education Course Student Registration Form which includes a second page for sponsorship.
- **Please note**
- If the sponsorship form states the specific class you are registering in for the semester, you do not need to call to register; that will be done automatically. You must contact the bookstore for your course material.
- If the sponsorship form covers sponsorship for the program as a whole (e.g. OHS Certificate program), you must call to register for classes. You must also contact the bookstore for your course material.
- To be eligible for a part time student loan, your course load percentage must be between 20 – 60% of a full course load.
- To be eligible for a full time student loan, your course load percentage must be over 60% of a full course load.
- When takingclasses through distance learning these percentages are difficult to achieve but you may be eligible for a part time student loan dependent on the amount of classes you are able to take in a semester.
- Your first step is to determine which classes you would be taking and contact Registration Services to do a course load calculation for you.
- Books and related course materials are available through Saskatchewan Polytechnic bookstores.
- You can order online or by calling 1-866-569-8398
- You must provide the corresponding Course Registration Number (CRN) and the course code (e.g. SFTY 199) of the class you wish to purchase books for.
The following is for students enrolled and having completed courses in the Occupational Health and Safety applied certificate or certificate program prior to July 1, 2017
- Effective July 1, 2017, the name of the program changed from the Occupational Health and Safety Practitioner program to the Occupational Health and Safety program.
- The applied certificate program has been suspended effective June 30, 2017.
- Students have the option to transfer to the Certificate program. To do so please contact Registration Services at 1-866-467-4278.
- Will any of my current Occupational Health and Safety courses transfer to the new program?
- Yes, however there is no action required on your behalf. Please contact Nolan Horbach, Program Head at 306-659-4083 or nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca if you have any questions.
OHSP Program (Pre June 30, 2017) |
Current OHS Program |
||
Course Code |
Course Title |
Course Code |
Course Title |
SFTY 177 |
Auditing Safety Management |
SFTY 177 |
Auditing Safety Management |
SFTY 198 |
Contractor Safety Systems |
SFTY 198 |
Contractor Safety Management |
HLTH 187 |
Disability Management |
HLTH 187 |
Disability Management |
N/A |
SFTY 174 |
Emergency Management |
|
HLTH 191 |
Ergonomics |
HLTH 191 |
Ergonomics |
SFTY 199 |
Fire Prevention and Protection |
SFTY 199 |
Fire Prevention and Protection |
HLTH188 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 1 |
HLTH 179 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 1 |
HLTH 189 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 2 |
HLTH 189 |
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene 2 |
HLTH 190 |
Incident Causation, Analysis and Investigation |
HLTH 190 |
Incident Investigation |
SFTY 191 |
Safety Systems |
LAW 100 |
Law and Ethics |
MGMT 191 |
Organizational Behaviour |
MGMT 191 |
Organizational Behaviour |
PRAC 189 |
Practicum (1 week) |
PRAC 189 |
Practicum (2 weeks) |
EDUC 182 |
Principles and Practices of Adult Education |
HUMR 102 |
Professional Education and Career Planning |
PCOM 180 |
Communication Strategies |
||
HLTH 180 |
Risk Analysis and Hazard Control |
SFTY 173 |
Risk Management |
HLTH 181 |
Occupational Health and Safety Programming |
SFTY 175 |
Safety Program Management |
Electives |
Electives |
||
N/A |
HLTH 105 |
Fatigue Management | |
N/A |
HLTH 106 |
Psychological Health and Safety | |
HLTH 192 |
Respiratory Fit Test Trainer (elective) |
HTLH 192 |
Respiratory Fit Test Trainer |
TRAN 181 |
Transportation of Dangerous Goods Train the Trainer | TRAN 181 | Transportation of Dangerous Goods Train the Trainer |
WHMS 184 |
WHMIS Train the Trainer (elective) | WHMS 184 | WHMIS Train the Trainer |
For more information, contact:
Nolan Horbach, CRSP CES
Program Head
CPR/First Aid & Occupational Health and Safety
School of Human Services and Community Safety
Saskatchewan Polytechnic | Saskatoon
306-659-4083
nolan.horbach@saskpolytech.ca