The NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 requires all employers to consult with employees on health, safety and welfare issues regardless of how many employees there are in the organisation. Section 16 of the Act outlines the three ways in which consultation may be undertaken:

1. An Occupational Health and Safety Consultation Committee is to be established at the request of a majority of employees if the employer employs 20 or more staff.
   
   
2. An Occupational Health and Safety Representative is to be elected if at least one person employed by an employer requests it.
   
   
3. There can be other agreed arrangements for consultation to take place between an employer and employees. These arrangements are to be made in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001.

Under the legislation, each member of an Occupational Health and Safety Consultation Committee or elected OHS Representative must attend an appropriate accredited course.

The Workers Health Centre provides this officially accredited course, developed by WorkCover NSW. The course is made up of seven modules and has a nominal duration of 4 days.

Topics

1. Workplace Health and Safety
   
   • The importance of effectivemanagement of health and safety
   • Employers' duties under the NSW OHS legislation
   • OHS obligations of individuals
   
   
2. OHS Consultation in the workplace
   • How, when, where and why consultation should be conducted in the workplace
   • Role and functions of OHS committees and OHS representatives
   • Elements of effective and meaningful communication
   • Developing a basic protocol for ensuring effective communication between OHS representatives, OHS committee members and management
   • Problem-solving techniques
   
   
3. Systematic Management of Health and Safety
   
   • The importance of a systematic approach to OHS management
   • OHS policy and programs
   • The OHS risk management process
   • Tools for systematically managing safety
   
   
4. Action Learning Exercises
   
   • Hazard identification and risk assessment activities
   • Appropriate control measures based on risk assessment and the hierarchy of control
   
   
5. Continuous Improvement of OHS Systems
   
   • Methods of ensuring continuous improvement in OHS
   • Techniques that can be used to monitor and review the effectiveness of safety management
   
   
6. Summary and Conclusion
   
   • Review of elements of effective meaningful consultation
   • Responsibilities of the OHS Committee and OHS representative
   • Prionciples of risk management
   • Importance of continuous learning

Expected course outcomes

Participants will be trained to meet the requirements of the legislation and become equipped to perform an active and competent role as a member of an OHS Consultation Committee or an OHS Representative in the workplace.

Duration

The course runs for 4 days in two blocks of two days each, in other words Days 1 and 2 in one week and Days 3 and 4 in the next week. Check the training calendar for upcoming scheduled training days.

Venue

All courses can be presented on your site or at our Granville training facilities.

Contact Linda Rhyder on 9749 7666 or by email for information on course fees, content and Registration forms.

This is a WorkCover accredited course. Completion of all topics is required to obtain a certificate of completion. Individual topics can be selected and done by people not requiring the full qualification.