Health and Safety Representative Course

Lesson 1 • Legal Framework and Regulatory Structure

Outlines the hierarchy of safety legislation, regulations, and standards. Connects regulatory obligations to practical workplace duties.

Lesson 2 • Duties of Workplace Parties

Identifies the distinct obligations of employers, workers, supervisors, and contractors. Clarifies accountability at each level of the organisation.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to the Representative Role

Defines the health and safety representative's mandate, authority, and limitations. Sets expectations for the representative's conduct throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Accessing Training and Resources

Details the entitlement to paid training time and access to safety information resources. Ensures representatives can develop competence without personal cost.

Lesson 2 • Core Rights of the Representative

Enumerates statutory rights including inspection, information access, and consultation. Demonstrates how each right supports effective representation.

Lesson 3 • Protection Against Retaliation

Covers legal protections that prevent discrimination against representatives for performing their duties. Prepares representatives to recognise and respond to retaliatory actions.

Lesson 1 • Workplace Inspection Techniques

Teaches structured methods for conducting formal and informal workplace inspections. Connects inspection findings directly to the risk assessment process.

Lesson 2 • Conducting a Risk Assessment

Guides students through a five-step risk assessment methodology. Produces a completed assessment document as a practical outcome.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Hazards and Risk

Distinguishes between hazard, risk, and harm and explains how they interact. Provides the conceptual basis for all subsequent assessment activities.

Lesson 4 • Prioritising Risks for Action

Applies risk matrix tools to rank hazards by urgency and impact. Enables representatives to focus limited resources on the most critical issues.

Lesson 1 • The Hierarchy of Controls

Introduces the five-level hierarchy from elimination to personal protective equipment. Establishes the principle that higher-order controls are always preferred.

Lesson 2 • Verifying Control Effectiveness

Teaches methods for confirming that implemented controls are working as intended. Closes the loop between risk assessment and ongoing hazard management.

Lesson 3 • Engineering and Physical Controls

Examines physical modifications that reduce or remove hazards at the source. Covers selection criteria and maintenance requirements for engineering solutions.

Lesson 4 • Administrative Controls and Safe Work Procedures

Covers policies, procedures, and work practices that reduce exposure to hazards. Links procedure development to worker consultation and training.

Lesson 1 • Chemical and Biological Hazards

Covers routes of exposure, health effects, and control strategies for chemical and biological agents. Introduces safety data sheets as a primary information tool.

Lesson 2 • Physical Health Hazards

Examines noise, vibration, radiation, and thermal stress as sources of occupational illness. Links exposure monitoring to control selection.

Lesson 3 • Ergonomic Hazards and Musculoskeletal Disorders

Identifies ergonomic risk factors that lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Guides representatives in recommending workstation and task redesign.

Lesson 4 • Psychosocial Hazards and Mental Health

Addresses workplace stressors, harassment, and burnout as legitimate occupational health hazards. Equips representatives to raise mental health concerns without stigma.

Lesson 1 • Conducting Witness Interviews

Develops skills for gathering accurate, unbiased accounts from workers and witnesses. Addresses psychological sensitivity and legal considerations in interviewing.

Lesson 2 • Writing the Investigation Report

Guides students through structuring a clear, evidence-based investigation report. Ensures corrective actions are specific, assigned, and time-bound.

Lesson 3 • Incident Classification and Reporting Obligations

Defines incidents, near misses, and dangerous occurrences and explains mandatory reporting thresholds. Ensures representatives understand what must be reported and to whom.

Lesson 4 • Securing and Preserving the Scene

Covers immediate post-incident actions to protect evidence and prevent secondary harm. Establishes the representative's role in the first response phase.

Lesson 1 • Structure and Mandate of Safety Committees

Explains the composition, quorum, and legal mandate of joint safety committees. Positions the committee as the primary forum for collaborative safety governance.

Lesson 2 • Preparing for Committee Meetings

Covers agenda preparation, review of outstanding items, and pre-meeting consultation with workers. Ensures representatives arrive informed and ready to advocate effectively.

Lesson 3 • Recording and Communicating Outcomes

Addresses accurate minute-taking and the distribution of decisions to the broader workforce. Connects committee outputs to visible workplace improvements.

Lesson 1 • Emergency Drills and Plan Testing

Explains how to design, conduct, and evaluate emergency drills. Connects drill outcomes to plan revision and worker preparedness.

Lesson 2 • Influencing Safety Culture Long-Term

Examines how representatives can champion cultural change beyond compliance. Synthesises course competencies into a strategic advocacy role.

Lesson 3 • Safety Performance Measurement

Distinguishes leading and lagging indicators and explains how to use data to drive improvement. Enables representatives to interpret safety statistics and present findings.

Lesson 4 • Safety Management System Overview

Introduces the plan-do-check-act cycle as the backbone of a safety management system. Positions the representative as a contributor to systemic safety improvement.