Health & Safety Representative Training Course

Approved by the Work Health and Safety Commission | Down to Earth Training & Assessing, RTO 51199

Course overview

Stepping into the HSR role can feel daunting at first. One week you might be raising concerns about unsafe machinery. The next it could be repeated manual handling injuries, fatigue on long shifts, or psychosocial hazards such as bullying and work-related stress. Knowing how to approach these situations, and which powers and protections apply, is essential.

This five-day course is for newly elected Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and deputy HSRs in Western Australia who haven’t attended an approved course before. It gives you the knowledge, skills and confidence to do the role under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA). You’ll learn to represent your work group, exercise your powers and help resolve safety issues early.

The course covers the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 and, for participants in the mining sector, the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022. Down to Earth Training & Assessing is approved by the Work Health and Safety Commission to deliver this training.

What you’ll learn

The WHS legislative framework

• The objectives, principles and structure of the WHS Act and Regulations
• The role of the regulator and how WHS inspectors support HSRs
• Duties of PCBUs (persons conducting a business or undertaking), officers, workers and other duty holders
• Enforcement measures available under WHS law

Your role, rights and powers as an HSR

• Work groups, and how HSRs and deputy HSRs are elected, including grounds for disqualification
• Your entitlements, rights and legal protections
• Issuing Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs): requirements, process and follow-up
• Directing unsafe work to cease

Consultation, communication and issue resolution

• Consultation requirements under the WHS Act
• Practical consultation and negotiation strategies
• Working with Health and Safety Committees (HSCs)
• Building constructive dialogue between workers and management

Hazard identification and risk management

• Identifying common physical and psychosocial workplace hazards
• Assessing and controlling risks using the hierarchy of control
• Taking part in workplace inspections

Incident notification and investigation

• PCBU incident notification duties
• The HSR’s role in investigations and follow-up actions

Putting it into practice

• Case studies, role plays and group discussions
• Applying the legislation to real workplace scenarios
• Developing action plans to improve safety in your workplace

Who should attend?

• Newly elected HSRs and deputy HSRs
• Workers who want to take an active role in workplace health and safety
• Supervisors, managers and HR professionals who support HSRs or manage WHS compliance

The course suits every industry, including construction, mining, transport, Local Government, government departments, health, education and community organisations.

Under WHS law, an elected HSR who asks to attend approved training must be allowed to attend as soon as practicable within three months of the request. The PCBU pays the course fees and reasonable costs.

Course details

Already trained?

If you’ve done HSR training before, talk to your employer about our annual HSR Refresher course to keep your knowledge current. The initial course is also a solid grounding if you’re thinking about the Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety.

Book now or contact us to arrange an in-house course for your team.