Work Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety Officer Training - WHSO

About the Course

Queensland - Workplace Health and Safety Officer Training - WHSO

The Queensland Government’s Workplace Health and Safety Officer (WHSO) Training forms part of a renewed commitment under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 to reduce the serious economic and social impact on individuals, businesses and the Australian community of work-related incidents.

WorkSafe Connect has been providing WHS related training for over 15 years and is an approved provider of Workplace Health and Safety Officer Training on behalf of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

WHSO training is focused on providing participants with the information and skills that will assist WHSOs to carry out their role and functions under the WHS legislation including:

An understanding of the WHS legislation;
An understanding of how it applies to their role; and
The knowledge and skills necessary assist employers to meet their obligations under the WHS legislation.

From the 1 July 2018, a person appointed as a WHSO by a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) is required to undertake this training and receive a Certificate of Authority issued on behalf of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland or have an equivalent qualification.

Who Should Attend

This course is for individuals appointed, or who may be appointed, as a Work Health and Safety Officer (WHSO) by a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld). It is particularly relevant to supervisors, managers, senior staff, and workers in construction, industrial, or service industries requiring formal WHSO accreditation, as well as organisations seeking to ensure WHS legislative compliance.

Note: From 1 July 2018, appointed WHSOs must complete this course and be issued with a Certificate of Authority by WHSQ, valid for five years.

Course Description

WorkSafe Connect offers WHSO training as a client-only course for employer groups - either at our training facilities in Brisbane and Townsville or onsite at clients’ workplace.

The course comprises core and elective competencies and is structured as follows:

Core Competencies (5 days – Mandatory)

Day 1

Overview of the WHS legislative framework
Duties of various parties and key terminology
The role of WHSQ
Penalties for non-compliance

Days 2-4

Managing hazards and risks in the workplace

Day 5

Emergency procedures
Auditing and planning
Investigating workplace incidents

Elective Competency – 1 Elective to be chosen (1-3 days – Mandatory)

Service Industry Elective (1 day)
Industrial Industry Elective (2 days)
Construction Industry Elective (3 days)

The elective competencies are based on industry needs for participants and if you have any questions regarding which elective competencies outlined above would be most suitable then please contact WorkSafe Connect for further information.

Students will be supported throughout the program by our authorised trainers, learning materials, telephone and email support.

Course Delivery Options

Training will be conducted by one of our WHSQ authorised and experienced trainer assessors who have WHS industry currency, strong knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and industry standards.

This course is competency based and has both theory and practical assessment components. Due to the amount of content some modules are only delivered as a teaching component while other modules will include an accompanying assessment.

All assessments in this course are open book and students will have access to all learning materials such as legislation, codes of practice and student notes.

WorkSafe Connect offers WHSO training as a client-only course for an employer group - this can be delivered either at our training facilities in Brisbane and Townsville or onsite at a clients’ workplace.

If you would like to discuss delivery options in more detail, then please get in contact with us and we would be more than happy to discuss your requirements and options in more detail.

Accreditation

Successful participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance, authorised by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ).

This certificate is issued by WorkSafe Connect (RTO 31385) in our capacity as an approved provider of this course on behalf of the Queensland Government (Workplace Health and Safety Queensland).

A certificate of authority expires five (5) years after the day the certificate is granted.

If you have any questions regarding which Workplace Health and Safety course is most suitable for you then please get in touch with a member of the WorkSafe Connect team today.

Certificate delivery:

Courses at our facilities: Certificates are issued on the day, with digital copies emailed to participants and employers (if applicable) the following business day.
Courses at client sites: Certificates are issued within 7 business days, with digital copies emailed to participants and employers.

Course Entry Requirements

If any additional learning support is required (e.g. with language, literacy or numeracy), please notify our Operations team prior to the course or speak with your trainer on the day —we’re here to help.

What to Bring

Your USI (Unique Student Identifier) – click here for more info
Comfortable, practical clothing is recommended (long pants or shorts and a sleeved shirt or t-shirt).
No PPE/high-vis required
Closed-in shoes
All course materials are provided

Amenities at our Brisbane and Townsville Facilities

Parking available on-site or nearby
Complimentary tea, coffee, biscuits, and mints
Fridge and microwave available for use
Cafés and food options located nearby for breaks

Which safety course is the best for the job?

What roles can I do with a Cert IV WHS qualification?

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.

What is a WHS Certificate?

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).

What are the functions of a Work Health & Safety Officer in Queensland (WHSO)?

As a WHSO, your functions are to:

notify the PCBU about work health and safety matters
identify hazards and risks to health and safety arising from the work
report in writing to the PCBU any hazards and risks identified arising from the work
immediately notify the PCBU about:
- any incident the WHSO is aware has occurred at the business or undertaking; or
- any immediate or imminent risk to health and safety at the business or undertaking
investigate, or assist in the investigation of, any incidents that occurred at the business or undertaking
accompany and assist an inspector during an inspection of the business or undertaking
establish educational and training programs on matters relating to work health and safety.

Does the Cert IV WHS qualification allow me to be a WHSO?

What assessment functions do I have if I am a WHSO?

How do I become a Work Health & Safety Officer (WHSO)?

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.