Purpose
This Procedure identifies the Work Health and Safety (WHS) induction and training requirements to ensure worker health and safety at work.
Scope
This document applies to all workers.
Glossary
Officer – means a person who:
- makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the business of the entity; or
- has the capacity to affect significantly the entity’s financial standing.
Supervisor – means:
- the line manager of a staff member; or
- any other individual who (separate to the line manager/principle supervisor) has control of a work area or other activity in which the worker is participating or working. For example a workshop manager who has control of what is undertaken and/or who determines which workers may/may not work within the workshop they control.
Worker – means any person that carries out work for the University including:
- employees;
- trainees;
- volunteers and affiliates;
- apprentices;
- work experience students;
- contractors and sub-contractors and their employees; and
- employees of labour hire companies.
Responsibilities
CEO
Ensure that supervisors undertake their responsibilities as identified in this procedure.
Supervisors/Managers
In addition to worker responsibilities, supervisors/managers are responsible for the following:
- provision of induction and training, as per below;
- ensuring their workers provide all records and evidence of training required for the position;
- records management, as per below; and
- training needs assessment and review, as per below.
Workers
Workers must:
- ensure they receive appropriate information and training as detailed in this procedure; and
- provide evidence of any training and qualifications they have, which are required for their position.
Induction
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Induction must occur at both University and local levels:
- at site, induction details the specific hazards of the workplace and the controls in place to eliminate or reduce the risk associated with these hazards.
- at the organisational level induction information is provided on organisational WHS processes and systems.
Supervisors must provide workers with information necessary for them to perform their role in a safe and healthy manner. This includes:
- information on specific hazards related to their work activities, and the implemented controls;
- organisational WHS information relevant to their role; and
- emergency procedures, numbers and contacts.
Training
There are three levels of WHS Training:
- level 1: Provision of information, which is typically induction level information. It can also include information relating to compliance with legislation, policy or procedures. Provision of information can be verbal, written, electronic or given in a presentation.
- level 2: Proficiency training. This includes being trained against a Safe Work Procedure (SWP) while working under supervision until deemed proficient by the supervisor. This level of training would only be required if identified as a control measure in a risk assessment.
- level 3: Competency based training. This training is assessed against knowledge and skills based competencies and results in the attainment of a certificate or licence, for example, a forklift high risk work licence. This level of training would only be required if identified as a legal requirement or a required control measure in a risk assessment.
Provision of Information
Supervisors must provide:
- information on hazards and the implemented controls to any worker who is exposed to a new hazard as a result of new or changed activities;
- information appropriate to Work Health and Safety (WHS) duties and leadership responsibilities; and
- organisational level WHS information as required.
Proficiency Training
Supervisors must ensure that, where a risk assessment identifies a proficiency is required, a Safe Work Procedure (SWP) is written and used as the basis of proficiency training. Workers must be supervised during proficiency training. Once the worker has demonstrated to their supervisor that they are proficient in the task they can then work unsupervised.
Supervisors must provide refresher training to their workers to ensure ongoing proficiency.
Competency Training
Supervisors and workers must ensure competency training is undertaken prior to commencing tasks where legislation or a risk assessment requires it.
Supervisors and workers must ensure licence and certificate requirements are complied with.
Training Needs Assessment and Review
Managers and Supervisors must ensure any required Work Health and Safety (WHS) competencies for workers are identified and documented in position descriptions. This process must be undertaken in consultation with workers.
Supervisors must assess training needs during induction and again on completion of the probationary period. Training needs to form part of a staff member’s development and review and must be recorded in the Employee records.
In addition, Managers must review WHS training needs:
- following identification of a safety risk or incident;
- after a change to legislative requirements;
- when a worker’s licence expires; and
- when a worker requests a review of training needs.
Records Management
Supervisors must maintain Work Health and Safety (WHS) training records through:
- sighting of original or verified copies of qualifications, certificates and licences. Copies must be filed electronically;
- verification of the currency of WHS qualifications and licences and recording of expiry dates;
- recording proficiency against Safe Work Procedures (SWPs); and
- making records accessible to those required and authorised to verify WHS competencies.
Anyone providing face to face training must maintain attendance registers.
Training providers must provide Recognition of Attendance certificates as required.
Details of competency training, certificates and licences are to be entered into the Employee record.
Supervisors must maintain evidence of the induction system and information including copies of induction checklists and related risk assessments and Safe Work Procedures (SWPs). Induction records do not need to be maintained.