Inclement Weather Policy

Severe Weather

We are StartSafe Training & Consulting, Inc., operating publicly as StartSafe. Our priority during severe weather is to make reasonable decisions that protect customers, participants, instructors, and staff while minimizing unnecessary disruption.

Poor weather does not automatically mean that training or appointments are cancelled. Decisions are based on the actual conditions affecting safe travel and our ability to deliver the scheduled service safely and effectively.

Conditions we may consider include:

• Heavy snow, freezing rain, or ice
• Severe thunderstorms or lightning
• High winds or poor visibility
• Flooding or significant road hazards
• Extreme cold or heat where relevant to the service
• Road closures or emergency travel restrictions
• Power or utility outages
• Facility or training-site conditions
• Instructor travel requirements

When We May Cancel or Postpone

We may cancel, postpone, delay, or reschedule a course, appointment, private training session, or other service when conditions make delivery unsafe or impractical.

We may consider information from sources such as Environment and Climate Change Canada, municipal or provincial authorities, police, road-condition reporting systems, emergency alerts, facility management, and local conditions we observe.

No single weather advisory, warning, snowfall amount, or temperature automatically determines whether a service will be cancelled.

Our instructors are not expected to travel or conduct training where conditions create an unreasonable safety risk.

If We Cancel

If we cancel a course, appointment, or private training session because of weather or related conditions, you will not lose the amount paid for that booking.

You may choose:

• Rescheduling to another available date
• A training or service credit
• A full refund

These options apply to public training, respirator fit-testing appointments, and private or group training when we make the decision to cancel.

Delayed or materially changed training

In some situations, we may delay a course, move it to later in the day, or reschedule it rather than cancel it completely.

If a materially changed date or time means you can no longer reasonably attend, we will provide an appropriate rescheduling, credit, or refund option based on the circumstances.

If You Decide Not to Attend

Weather may sometimes make an individual customer uncomfortable travelling even though we remain open and the scheduled service is proceeding.

If you choose not to attend while we remain open, our normal Cancellation, Rescheduling & Refund Policy generally applies. Weather conditions or a weather advisory do not automatically create a right to a refund.

We may provide additional flexibility through a reschedule, training credit, or another reasonable accommodation where severe conditions materially affect your ability to travel safely.

Customers remain responsible for assessing their own travel circumstances. We do not expect customers to ignore travel advisories or take unreasonable risks to attend training.

Read our Cancellation, Rescheduling & Refund Policy

Public Training & Fit Testing

For scheduled public courses, we will consider whether participants and instructors can reasonably access the training location and whether the course can be delivered safely.

If we cancel the course, participants will be notified and may choose a refund, training credit, or another available date.

If the course proceeds and you choose not to attend, please contact us as soon as possible. Our normal cancellation rules will generally apply, although additional flexibility may be provided where circumstances justify it.

Respirator fit-testing appointments

Weather-related fit-testing appointments follow the same general approach.

If we cancel, you may choose a refund, credit, or reschedule. If we remain open and you choose not to attend, normal cancellation rules generally apply.

Because fit-testing appointments are individually scheduled, rescheduling will often be the most practical option.

Private & On-Site Training

Private and group training may require additional consideration because it can involve instructor travel, customer worksites, equipment, facility access, participant coordination, and longer travel distances.

We and the customer should communicate as early as reasonably possible when severe weather may affect a private or on-site booking.

Customer site closures

If a customer's workplace or training site closes because of severe weather, the customer should notify us as soon as reasonably possible.

Where practical, we will work with the customer to reschedule the training or apply the existing payment toward another date.

A customer-controlled site closure does not automatically guarantee a cash refund. The financial treatment may depend on notice provided, instructor commitments, travel already completed, equipment costs, and other non-recoverable expenses.

These situations remain subject to the Cancellation, Rescheduling & Refund Policy and any applicable quotation or service agreement.

Official road closures or travel restrictions

Where an official road closure or emergency travel restriction materially prevents attendance or service delivery, we will work with affected customers to find a reasonable solution.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include rescheduling, training credit, or a refund where we cancel the service.

Equipment & Practical Training

Weather may affect practical training involving Mobile Elevated Work Platforms, forklifts, other equipment, or outdoor activities.

Unsafe conditions may include:

• Ice or snow accumulation
• High winds
• Lightning or severe thunderstorms
• Poor visibility
• Unsafe ground conditions
• Extreme temperatures

Our instructors have authority to pause, modify, postpone, or stop practical training when conditions are unsuitable for safe operation or participation.

Where practical, we may continue safe indoor instruction, modify an activity, delay the practical portion, or move the activity before deciding to cancel the entire course.

How We Communicate Weather Changes

We will make weather-related decisions as early as reasonably possible based on the information available at the time.

Because conditions can change quickly, we cannot guarantee that a decision will always be made the evening before, by a specific hour, or a fixed number of hours before training.

If we cancel or materially change a scheduled service, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected customers as quickly as practical.

Communication may include:

• Email
• Telephone
• Text message where available
• Booking-system notification
• Website notice where appropriate

Customers are responsible for ensuring that the contact information provided during booking is accurate and current.

If you are uncertain whether your course or appointment is proceeding, please contact us before travelling.

Refunds, Credits & Rescheduling

When we cancel a service because of weather, customers may choose a full refund, training or service credit, or rescheduling to another available date.

Training credits are governed by the Cancellation, Rescheduling & Refund Policy. Unless otherwise confirmed, our training credits are valid for 12 months from the date issued and remain subject to future availability.

Approved refunds will be returned to the original payment method where reasonably possible.

We will initiate an approved refund, but the time required for the funds to appear in your account may depend on your bank, credit-card company, Stripe, or another payment provider.

We cannot guarantee the exact date that an approved refund will appear in your account.