Organisational safety resources and training

Induction, task or job specific training, and ongoing supervision and monitoring will give workers the capability and confidence to work safely. You may need to use different strategies to ensure that everyone in the workplace receives the training they need to complete their work safely.

Training must be easy to understand and meet the needs of the workers. Consider ability, language and literacy to identify potential barriers to workers learning how to perform their job safely. Use pictures or illustrations to help train workers and consider modifying training methods and resources for workers who work irregular shifts or in remote locations.

Before they start work, give new workers information about the work they will do, the workplace and the people they will work with. After a long absence, returning workers can benefit from a re-induction process to ensure they are aware of any changes to work health and safety (WHS) processes at the workplace. Provide refresher training to all workers to ensure their knowledge and skills remain current.

The Safety fundamentals toolkit has multiple worker capability resources, including an Individual training record template (DOCX, 0.02 MB) to help record training completed by workers.

Ensure the following resources are readily available:

• time and money to manage risks and hazards and safety related activities
• the right plant, equipment, and training to conduct work safely
• time for conducting pre-start checks, safety committee meetings and reviewing procedures for effectiveness
• personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hearing protection, safety glasses and boots, and properly fitted and suitable respirators
• workplace amenities
• controls to protect against exposure to environmental risks, i.e., temperature fluctuations.

Plant and equipment should always be risk assessed prior to use to ensure it is fit for purpose, necessary controls are implemented and workers are trained prior to use.

Proactive management of plant and equipment includes:

• guarding moving parts that workers may be exposed to
• installing safety switches that protect electrical equipment
• protecting workers from excessive noise
• having easy to understand equipment procedures
• policies and procedures are reasonably available to workers while working
• emergency stops are visible and within reach while working
• maintenance is undertaken when due; and
• workers are trained to use the equipment, and training is documented.

Find out how to meet your plant and equipment related obligations in the Managing risks of plant in the workplace code of practice 2021 (PDF, 1.57 MB).

When undertaking risk assessments on new plant, equipment and work systems during the planning stages, involve workers who understand the work. Workers can use the risk management process in the How to manage work health and safety risks code of practice 2021 (PDF, 0.65 MB), to guide them in this process.

When the system of work is agreed, document the procedure and embed the process into the overall safety management system. Ensure your organisation’s safe work procedures are reasonably available to where the task is being performed.

Include a review process to ensure the procedure matches how workers perform their duties. Address any problems identified during the review and implement changes as necessary.