Workplace Safety North
Workplace Safety North is an Ontario-based not-for-profit health and safety association, founded in 1915, that delivers Ministry-approved mandatory training and consulting for the province's mining, forest products, and general industry workplaces, and administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1915
- HeadquartersSudbury, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Workplace Safety North does
Workplace Safety North (WSN) is an independent, Ontario-based not-for-profit health and safety organization that has operated continuously since 1915 (over 100 years). It is one of four designated sector-based Health and Safety Associations (HASAs) in Ontario and holds a provincial mandate from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to develop and deliver Ministry-approved mandatory workplace health and safety training and services for the mining and forest products sectors, plus services to general industry.
WSN's core product set comprises legally mandated certification programs including JHSC Certification (a two-part program for workplaces with 20+ employees), Mining Supervisor Common Core Training (Accelerated and Classic formats covering underground hard rock, soft rock, and surface mining), the Professional Chainsaw Operator (IPCO) program for logging, Working at Heights, Mental Health, and a catalog of awareness e-learning courses. The organization administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program (training academy, competitions, rescue stations, and emergency response resources) and publishes proprietary reference manuals (The Cutting Edge, Ground Support Manual, Auxiliary Mine Ventilation Manual, The Green Book). Underlying delivery infrastructure is a standard e-learning platform with course management, online registration, and Zoom-based virtual training.
WSN generates revenue from training course fees (range observed from $19.95 WHMIS e-learning to $2,525 Common Core multi-day programs), consulting and auditing services (on-site specialists, Safe Workplace Ontario certification, industrial hygiene), and reference-manual sales. Training is delivered via in-person (North Bay and Sudbury facilities plus partner locations across Ontario), virtual instructor-led (Zoom), and self-paced e-learning formats, with a Training Partners network extending approved courses into local communities.
Workplace Safety North firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Workplace Safety North
- Legal name
- Workplace Safety North
- Website
- https://workplacesafetynorth.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1915
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Workplace Safety North is an Ontario-based not-for-profit health and safety association, founded in 1915, that delivers Ministry-approved mandatory training and consulting for the province's mining, forest products, and general industry workplaces, and administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Workplace Safety North industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workplace Safety Training and Consulting
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Occupational Safety, OSHA & Workplace Compliance Training (EDAOAMAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Occupational Safety & OSHA Compliance (EDABAEAA), Working at Heights, Fall Protection & Scaffolding (EDABAEAH)
Keywords
Where Workplace Safety North is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sudbury
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Workplace Safety North business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Training Programs: Revenue from health and safety training courses delivered in-person, virtual, and e-learning formats. Course fees range from free awareness courses to premium multi-day certification programs ($19.95 to $2,525)
- Consulting Services: Fees for on-site consultations, health and safety audits, industrial hygiene testing, and specific problem-solving services provided by WSN specialists
- Training Materials and Products: Sale of training materials, reference manuals (The Cutting Edge, Ground Support Manual, Auxiliary Mine Ventilation Manual), and The Green Book (OHSA Act and Regulations)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | JHSC Certification Part 1 - 3-day certification course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | JHSC Certification Part 2: General - 2-day sector-specific training |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Common Core for Underground Hard Rock First Line Supervisors - 5-day program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | WHMIS e-learning - 1 hour online course |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Wood Dust Exposure e-learning - hazard awareness course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mechanical Harvesting e-learning - French course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mining First Line Supervisor Refresher - 2-day course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Train-The-Trainer: IPCO - 2-day intensive course |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Workplace Safety North product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Workplace Safety North develops and delivers Ministry-approved mandatory workplace health and safety training, consulting, auditing, and reference products for Ontario's mining, forest products, and general industries. Training is delivered in-person, virtually via Zoom, and through self-paced e-learning, while specialist consulting covers health and safety audits, industrial hygiene testing, and on-site problem solving. WSN also administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program and publishes proprietary reference manuals used across the sectors.
Product overview
Workplace Safety North (WSN) is an independent not-for-profit health and safety organization providing province-wide workplace health and safety training, consulting, and products to Ontario's mining, forest products, and general industries. WSN operates as a platform of interconnected training programs and consulting services rather than a single unified software product. The core training portfolio includes JHSC Certification (a two-part mandatory program for joint health and safety committees), Mining Supervisor Common Core Training (accelerated and classic formats for underground and surface mining supervisors), and Professional Chainsaw Operator (IPCO) training for logging operations — each comprising multiple modules and delivery formats (in-person, virtual, and e-learning). WSN also administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program, provides consulting and auditing services, and publishes reference manuals including the Auxiliary Mine Ventilation Manual, Ground Support Manual, and The Cutting Edge chainsaw safety manual. The Mining Health and Safety Conference is an annual industry event. Services are delivered through specialist consultants located across Ontario, with training centers in North Bay and Sudbury.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ontario Mine Rescue: Program administered by Workplace Safety North providing mine rescue services, training, and competitions across Ontario
Products and services
- JHSC Certification Training Mandatory two-part certification program required in Ontario workplaces with 20 or more employees. Part 1 covers hazard recognition, assessment, and control; Part 2 is sector-specific and must be completed within 12 months.
- Mining Supervisor Common Core Training Ministry-approved mandatory skills training for first-line supervisors in Ontario mining operations, available in Accelerated and Classic formats covering underground hard rock, soft rock, and surface mining.
- Professional Chainsaw Operator (IPCO) Training Mandatory pre-employment classroom training for professional chainsaw operators in logging operations, covering sharpening and maintenance, safe handling, felling and limbing, and field practice modules.
- Working at Heights Training Ministry-approved mandatory safety training for workers in Ontario's construction sector and other sectors who use fall prevention or fall arrest equipment.
- Mental Health Training Training programs addressing psychological health and safety in the workplace, including Occupational Mental Health e-learning and Opening the Door to Mental Health Support e-learning.
- Ontario Mine Rescue Program Province-wide mine rescue program administered by Workplace Safety North, including rescue competitions, training courses, and resources for underground mining emergency response.
- Consulting Services On-site health and safety consulting provided by specialists located across Ontario, covering industries including mining, forestry, pulp and paper, and general sectors.
- Auditing Services Health and safety auditing including the Safe Workplace Ontario (SWO) voluntary certification program for forestry companies, pre-verification preparation, and machine safety audits.
- Health and Safety Excellence Program A WSIB-connected program providing a roadmap for workplace health and safety improvement, connecting businesses with approved providers and offering premium rebates.
- Industrial Hygiene Services Industrial hygiene testing including noise and dust sampling, radon sampling, and contamination control assessments.
- Auxiliary Mine Ventilation Manual Proprietary reference manual covering the principles, functions, and applications of mine ventilation systems and their role in maintaining safe and healthy underground working environments.
- Ground Support Manual Proprietary reference manual covering ground control issues and techniques in underground mines, including rock properties, structural features, ground support, and Ontario regulations.
- The Cutting Edge Chainsaw Safety Manual Proprietary chainsaw safety manual used as course material in the Professional Chainsaw Operator training program, covering safe and efficient chainsaw operation in professional logging environments.
- The Green Book (Ontario OHS Act and Regulations) Publication of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations available as a physical or digital reference for workplace compliance.
- Safe Workplace Ontario Certification Voluntary certification program for forestry companies to continuously monitor and improve their health and safety programs, in operation since 1997.
- Small Company Health and Safety Program Specialized support program providing health and safety resources and guidance for small businesses across Ontario.
- E-Learning Self-Paced Courses Self-paced online training courses accessible 24/7 through the WSN website with 365-day access windows, covering JHSC Certification, mechanical harvesting, chainsaw operation, lockout, manual material handling, WHMIS, ground control, water management, and occupational illness prevention.
Quantifiable outcome
- Helping make workplaces safer since 1915 with province-wide reach
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Workplace Safety North
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Workplace Safety North technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Workplace Safety North partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills DevelopmentcoreWSN develops and delivers Ministry-approved mandatory training programs for mining and forestry sectors. Agreement requires circulating surveys to collect demographic information for training effectiveness assessment.
- Ontario Mine Rescue SystemcoreWSN administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program including training academy, competitions, mine rescue stations, and resources for emergency response.
- Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA)minorPartner in Prevention network member; collaborated on January 2023 webinar about signing authority responsibilities for mandatory skills training
- Institute for Work and Health (IWH)minorPartners in Prevention network member; WSN shares participant names/contact info with IWH for Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention Research purposes
- WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board)minorPartners in Prevention network member; WSN promotes WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program for premium rebates
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Workplace Safety North competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB): Ontario's workers' compensation body that finances WSN's sector-based association system and runs its own Health and Safety Excellence program with premium rebates. Operates adjacent to WSN in Ontario workplace safety but at broader mandate scope including insurance, claims, and return-to-work.
- National Safety Council (NSC): Long-established US national safety organization delivering occupational training, certification, and advocacy. Has a parallel structural role to WSN in another country — serving as the umbrella body for workplace safety training, content, and standards — making it a useful international functional benchmark.
Direct peers
- Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS): The fourth Ontario sector-based safety association, serving manufacturing, service, retail, and agricultural sectors. Operates the same Ministry-mandated model for training, consulting, and JHSC certification as WSN, making the two directly comparable structural peers within the Ontario system.
- Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA): One of the four Ontario sector-based safety associations operating under the same Ministry mandate as WSN. Focuses on healthcare, education, municipalities, and public-sector workplaces. Operates an identical model of Ministry-approved training, consulting, and member services, making it a directly comparable peer.
- Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC): Ontario's designated health and safety training centre for workers, delivering occupational training including WHMIS and JHSC. Active Partner in Prevention member alongside WSN, providing complementary worker-focused training in the same Ontario regulatory system.
- Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA): One of the four Ontario Ministry-designated sector-based health and safety associations alongside WSN. Serves construction, transportation, electrical, and utilities sectors with mandatory training, consulting, and certification — same operating model, just different industries. Listed as a Partners in Prevention collaborator.
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS): Canada's national occupational health and safety body, co-developing WSN's WHMIS e-learning course and serving as a reference source for Canadian EHS standards. Operates a similar training, resource, and advisory model at a national scope rather than provincial.
Others
- Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP): National certification body for Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP), to which WSN Executive Director Cindy Schiewek was recently appointed. Operates adjacent to WSN by credentialing the safety professionals WSN's programs support, rather than competing directly.
Regional players
- BC Forest Safety Council: BC's forest products safety association with overlapping mandate to WSN's forest products work, including IPCO-equivalent chainsaw operator certification. Direct sector-aligned analogue in another province, illustrating how the Ontario model extends to other jurisdictions.
- Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC: British Columbia's health and safety association serving manufacturing and related sectors. Operates the same provincial-association model WSN uses in Ontario, providing a close structural and functional analogue in a different Canadian province.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Workplace Safety North social profiles
Digital presenceWorkplace Safety North financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Workplace Safety North leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Workplace Safety North funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Workplace Safety North M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Workplace Safety North
What does Workplace Safety North do?
Workplace Safety North develops and delivers Ministry-approved mandatory workplace health and safety training, consulting, auditing, and reference products for Ontario's mining, forest products, and general industries. Training is delivered in-person, virtually via Zoom, and through self-paced e-learning, while specialist consulting covers health and safety audits, industrial hygiene testing, and on-site problem solving. WSN also administers the Ontario Mine Rescue program and publishes proprietary reference manuals used across the sectors.
Is Workplace Safety North a public or private company?
Workplace Safety North is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Workplace Safety North founded?
Workplace Safety North was founded in 1915. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Workplace Safety North based?
Workplace Safety North is headquartered in Sudbury, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Workplace Safety North make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Training Programs are the primary driver. The others are consulting Services and training Materials and Products.
Who are Workplace Safety North's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) and National Safety Council (NSC). Direct peers are Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA), Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC), Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) and Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) is listed as an others. Regional players are BC Forest Safety Council and Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC.
Does Workplace Safety North have an API?
No public API is recorded for Workplace Safety North.
What industry is Workplace Safety North in?
Workplace Safety North's product category is Workplace Safety Training and Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAMAK, Occupational Safety, OSHA & Workplace Compliance Training, with a secondary code of EDABAEAA, General Occupational Safety & OSHA Compliance. Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 8200.