Work Health and Safety for Organisers

Learn how to use workplace health and safety (WHS) as a powerful organising tool.

Category

Organising
Work Health and Safety

Intended Audience

Organisers and Campaigners

Delivery Mode

Face-to-face

Duration

4.5 days over 3 months

Cost

$1,265

About

This course gives union organisers and officials the knowledge, skills and confidence to use workplace health and safety (WHS) as a powerful organising tool.

Participants build their capacity to support workers and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) to identify hazards, use their rights, and win real improvements at work.

Through real-world case studies, practical scenarios and campaign planning exercises, the course covers WHS legislation, risk management and the hierarchy of control. Participants learn how to use consultation processes, permit rights and regulatory powers strategically.

The course also explores psychosocial hazards, multiple causation theory, and how to integrate WHS into broader organising and bargaining strategies ensuring safety issues strengthen union campaigns.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to: 

  • Explain why WHS is a part of core organising and not a specialist add on
  • Identify key worker and HSR rights under WHS legislation 
  • Distinguish between behaviour-based and systems-based approaches  
  • Apply risk management and the hierarchy of control to workplace issues 
  • Support the establishment and effective use of HSRs and work groups 
  • Use WHS permits, consultation rights and regulators strategically 
  • Integrate WHS issues into broader organising and campaigning strategies 

Content

  • History of WHS and union campaigns 
  • Behaviour-based vs systems-based safety-based vs systems-based safety 
  • Psychosocial hazards as organising issues 
  • Multiple causation theory and risk management 
  • Navigating WHS legislation 
  • Role of regulators and codes of practice 
  • HSR powers, elections and work groups 
  • Consultation and issue resolution 
  • Legal hierarchy and application 
  • Hierarchy of control in practice 
  • Supporting HSRs and workers to act 
  • Organising and negotiating around WHS 
  • WHS permits vs Fair Work permits 
  • Campaign planning and implementation 

Delivery Style

Course delivery will include small group scenario analysis, real-world workplace case studies, facilitated discussion and reflection and practical organising and campaign planning exercises. 

Prerequisite

Ability to obtain a WHS Permit 

Related Courses

Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Entry Permit Holder
Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety

Course Enrolment

QLD

Part 1: 18 – 19 November 2026 | 9:00am to 5:00pm
Part 2: 9 – 11 March 2027 | 9:00am to 5:00pm (Day 1 and 2), 9:00am to 1:00pm (Day 3)

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