New HSR training guidelines

Comcare has released the new publication ‘Guidelines - Health and Safety Representatives training in the Commonwealth jurisdiction’ in response to feedback from health and safety representatives (HSRs) in the workplace.

The role and powers of HSRs and the requirement for them to undertake OHS training are outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 (the Act). The Act requires that training must be conducted through a course accredited by the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC).

The SRCC recently endorsed the new guidelines for the training of HSRs in the Commonwealth jurisdiction. The publication outlines the SRCC’s strengthened framework for monitoring accredited courses to promote a more effective and transparent administrative process.

The guidelines also outline learning outcomes for each of the existing four training objectives, encouraging and facilitating an instructional shift from teaching to learning. The guidelines came into effect at the beginning of May.

Key things that HSR training providers need to know:

• No need to take any action until contacted by the Workplace Arrangements Team;
• Comcare is currently reassessing all accredited HSR Training Courses to determine which courses meet the requirements in the revised guidelines and which courses require modification;
• Comcare will provide all training providers with the completed reassessment reports detailing the status of their course. Where relevant, the reassessment reports will detail changes to be made to bring a course into line with the requirements in the revised guidelines; and
• It is intended that providers of courses not meeting the requirements in the revised guidelines will be given an appropriate time in which to modify/change their courses.