Training and supervision
As an employer, it's your responsibility to give your workers the information, training and supervision they need to stay safe at work.
What are my training and supervision responsibilities?
Your business must provide workplace health and safety training to your workers.
You need to provide your workers with information about:
- potential risks associated with their work
- the safety policies and procedures you have in place
- how to work safely
- how to deal with emergencies.
The information you provide must be easy to understand.
This responsibility is covered by your primary duty of care in the Work Health and Safety Act (QLD) 2011.
What types of training should I use?
Training can be a mix of formal and informal processes.
The type of training needed will vary depending upon the level of risk involved in doing the work.
Some workers will need formal training to do their work safely. This includes:
- operating high-risk equipment, such as a forklift or cranes
- working in high-risk places, such as a construction site.
Other workers may only need informal on-the-job training such as buddy training.
Make sure your workers can do their jobs safely by following these three steps.
Before they start work, you must give new workers training to help them become familiar with their tasks, their place of work, and the people working around them.
This helps them understand how to do their work safely and lets them know that you take safety seriously.
What to include in your induction
Induction topics should include:
- workers' responsibilities regarding health and safety
- what hazards and risks are in the workplace and how to control them
- safe work procedures and how to use equipment safely
- emergency procedures, such as how to evacuate, assembly points, exit locations and fire wardens
- where to find the first aid kit.
You should also give them contact details for people with health and safety responsibilities such as:
- first aid officer
- health and safety representative
- return to work coordinator
- employee assistance program.
Make sure every new worker demonstrates that they understand the training.
Use a checklist to make the induction easier and more thorough. Keep the list on file as a record of employee training.
Returning workers
Workers returning after a long absence should repeat the induction process to make sure they are aware of any changes to health and safety processes and procedures.
Use our induction checklist(DOCX, 0.03 MB) to help you plan your induction process.
Your workers must have supervised, hands-on training in the tasks they'll perform—before they start a job.
Train your workers to:
- perform tasks safely
- operate machines and equipment safely
- use and maintain any personal protective equipment
- follow safe work procedures.
Make sure each worker demonstrates that they can:
- follow the safe work procedures
- perform their work tasks safely and without direct supervision.
Some tasks also require workers to complete offsite training and hold a high risk work licence.
The most important part of training is following up. Make sure you:
- Regularly observe your workers to check they're still following safe work procedures.
- Conduct informal discussions or toolbox talks with them to talk about specific health and safety issues.
- Encourage workers to provide feedback.
Newer workers will need closer and more regular supervision than experienced workers. Also, consider the requirements of those with disabilities, cultural differences or language problems.
Training records
Keep training records so you know who has been trained, how they performed and what further training is required.
What must I do?
The law requires that you keep training records for certain tasks, such as working in confined spaces and working with certain types of hazardous chemicals. You also need to keep copies of high risk work licences.
It’s good practice to maintain records of all training including induction, as well as any supervision and spot checks.