WHS & First Aid
Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety - BSB41419
About this course
Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety - BSB41419
This qualification is a 10-day face-to-face program - activities & assessments are completed in the classroom with trainer support. We understand students have busy work and personal lives, so we focus on completing the work during the course with limited out-of-classroom work required.
The course is completed in 2 x 5-day blocks and the full qualification can be completed in under a month.
Our focus is the outcome - ensuring students complete their qualification and they are equipped with real-world knowledge & skills - all the while enjoying the learning process in an engaging & supportive classroom environment.
The course has been developed with flexibility in mind with one unit of competency delivered each day (10 units of competency over 10 days). For example, a student who missed Session 1 Day 4 due to illness, can attend a make-up day on another Session 1 Day 4 course. Or a student completes Session 1 in February - instead of joining Session 2 in March, their work schedule means they join Session 2 in July.
The units selected for the qualification are based on industry consultation - ensuring our students attain the skills most commonly required of a safety professional. This includes the 'Rehabilitation and Return to Work' unit of competency - giving students the ability to be a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator (RRTWC) as well as a safety professional. It also includes contractor management, continuous improvement, WHS implementation & monitoring and facility emergency procedures and preparedness.
WorkSafe Connect has delivered client-specific programs for University of Queensland, Amazon, Queensland Rail, FKG and Brisbane City Council. For client-only courses, we aim to contextualise the program to the students’ workplace as much as possible. Our Trainer will contact the employer to conduct a pre-course briefing – ensuring client objectives are understood and the outcomes being sought are achieved. We also recommend that a client supplies their own policies and procedures ahead of time so the Trainer can use these during the program instead of the generic templates.
WorkSafe Connect has been delivering this program for over 10 years. We deliver the full qualification program at least four times a year at both our Brisbane and Townsville facilities as well as online (virtual real-time trainer-led over Zoom).
Available Dates
Townsville Training
Bayswater Road, Garbutt, Townsville, QLD 4814
8:00am 15th September to 4:30pm 19th September 2025
8:00am 3rd November to 4:30pm 7th November 2025
Reviews and testimonials
Course Details
This qualification is a pathway to a safety career - including roles such as a safety advisor, safety officer, safety professional and a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator.
In the course, students gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to undertake responsibility for safety in the workplace.
This qualification is typically considered the minimum entry point for anyone pursuing a career in work health & safety (WHS).
This qualification is also a natural pathway for those who are already a HSR (Health & Safety Representative) and want to progress their safety career.
The qualification is national given the harmonisation of WHS laws (note, the only jurisdiction within Australia that has not implemented the model WHS legislation is Victoria).
Our course is offered via a ten (10) day delivery program consisting of two five (5) day sessions.
The key areas covered by this course include:
- Identifying, interpreting and applying WHS Legislation with the inclusion of Australian Standards, Codes and Guidelines
- Risk assessment and hazard control
- WHS management systems
- WHS consultation and participation processes
- Continuous improvement processes
- Incident response procedures and assisting in incident investigations
- Emergency preparedness and response systems
- Managing WHS implications of return to work
- Managing claims and implementing rehabilitation / return-to-work programs
- Establishing, reviewing and evaluating WHS measures and initiatives
Core – Session 1 – 5 days
- BSBWHS412 - Assist with workplace compliance with WHS laws
- BSBWHS413 - Contribute to implementation and maintenance of WHS consultation and participation processes
- BSBWHS414 - Contribute to WHS risk management
- BSBWHS415 – Contribute to implementing WHS management system
- BSBWHS416 – Contribute to workplace incident response
Electives – Session 2 – 5 days
- BSBWHS418 – Assist with managing WHS compliance of contractors
- BSBWHS417 – Assist with managing WHS implications of return to work
- PUAFER002 – Ensure facility emergency prevention procedures, systems and processes are implemented
- BSBSTR402 – Implement continuous improvement
- BSBWHS419 – Contribute to implementing WHS monitoring processes
The two sessions are typically at least one month apart. Students should complete the sessions sequentially (i.e., session 1 prior to session 2), however the program allows the student to attend a later session 2 (e.g., in 6 months) if that better suits their work / personal commitments.
Students need to complete the program within 12 months.
Our Trainers
Training will be conducted by one of our experienced trainer assessors who have WHS industry currency, strong knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and industry standards.
There is direct Trainer support throughout the program (either in the classroom, or via email / phone outside the classroom).
Course Assessments & Activities
All assessments in this course are open book and students will have access to all learning materials such as legislation & codes of practice.
While the majority of assessments are completed during the 10 days of training, there are three minimal workplace activities (consultation; review a procedure; incident investigation) for the students to complete between the two sessions in either a real or simulated workplace).
Each student will be provided with a workbook to record these workplace activities and the detail will be discussed during the first session of the program.
Delivery Options
WorkSafe Connect is able to offer this course:
- Face to Face – Public Courses (Brisbane and Townsville)
- Face to Face – Onsite (at your site / workplace)
- Virtual – Video – Led Instructor Based Training (live)
Successful students will receive a certificate for BSB41419 - Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety accompanied by a transcript of units of competency.
To achieve the qualification, students must:
- Successfully complete the classroom assessments and activities
- Complete the workbook activities and provide the supporting evidence
- Provide a completed skills and experience form outlining any previous experience in the health and safety area.
WHSO Certification
Upon successful completion application can be made to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) for a Work Health and Safety Officer (WHSO) certificate.
Additional information is available from WHSQ by clicking here.
There are no formal pre-requisites units to undertake this qualification although the completion of Year 10 is strongly recommended.
Due to the intensive delivery format of this program, it is important that students have a general understanding of safety in the workplace. As such, these are the entry requirements for this course:
- Students are currently employed, or have previously worked, within a workplace environment; and
- Have had some exposure to workplace safety requirements within their role.
- It is also preferrable, but not mandatory, that a student has previously completed formal safety training.
- It is recommended students have solid computer literacy skills as well as comprehension and analytical skills.
Before enrolment can be confirmed, you are required to complete and return a Skills and Experience Form (click here) for your eligibility to be assessed.
In undertaking this course, it is advisable students have access to a workplace in order to contextualise and complete any workplace-based activities. Alternative arrangements can be made for those in between work or without access to a workplace through the provision of simulated activities.
All resources are supplied.
For face-to-face courses, it is recommended that students with access to a laptop bring this to the sessions as activities and assessments can be completed electronically. WorkSafe Connect also has Chromebooks available for use.
If preferred, students can elect to use paper-based assessments and resources.
We are happy to work with each student to decide which format is most suitable.
Please also ensure you bring your USI (unique student identifier) number with you – click here for more information about USI’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
This program enables participates to gain a qualification in BSB41419 - Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety.
It is designed to give students practical knowledge and skills to enable the provision of valid and timely WHS advice and assist with improving safety in the workplace.
The course covers a broad range of health and safety functions and responsibilities in the workplace including identifying hazards, assessing WHS risks, implementing strategies to control WHS risks and evaluating an organisation’s WHS performance.
Yes.
In Queensland, on successful completion of the qualification, you may apply for a Work Health and Safety Officer (WHSO) certificate from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) as the BSB41419 - Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety has been deemed an equivalent qualification for WHSO certification. Applications must be submitted directly to WHSQ.
Completing a course in work health and safety can open doors to a variety of industries.
All Australian industries are governed by legislation and therefore have obligations to demonstrate how this is done.
This qualification is considered the minimum entry point for anyone pursuing a career in work health & safety (WHS).
From the 1 July 2018, a person appointed as a WHSO by a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) is required to undertake training and receive a WHSO Certificate of Authority issued on behalf of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) or have an equivalent qualification.
There are two ways to become an accredited WHSO:
- Complete the WHSO training course developed by WHSQ. Registered training organisations (RTOs) are authorised by WHSQ to deliver this training and can issue certificates of authority to people who successfully complete the course. The course program varies in duration (from 6 to 8 days) depending on the elective chosen. See our WHSO course page for further information (click here).
- Complete a Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety (BSB41419) or equivalent or higher level tertiary qualification. Students may then apply for a WHSO certificate of authority from WHSQ using their BSB41419 certification. Applications must be submitted directly to WHSQ.
WorkSafe Connect's Certificate IV in Work Health & Safety (BSB41419) provides a pathway to a safety career - including as a safety advisor, safety officer, safety professional and a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator.
The units selected for the qualification was based on industry consultation - ensuring our students attained the skills most commonly required of a safety professional. This includes the 'Rehabilitation and Return to Work (RRTW)' unit of competency as well as contractor management, fostering continuous improvement, WHS implementation & monitoring and facility emergency procedures and preparedness.
This generally refers to a Certificate IV in Work Health & Safety (BSB41419) qualification or a WHSO certificate (Work Health & Safety Officer).
Where possible, we recommend students complete a Certificate IV in Work Health & Safety qualification - this means they have an accreditation to support their safety career and also allows them to apply to WHSQ to get their WHSO certification (click here for more details).
