BSB41407 Certificate IV in Occupational Health and Safety - Blended Course

This course is funded and supported by The Union Education Foundation (TUEF), an education trust of the ACTU, which works in partnership with the Organising Centre to deliver accredited qualifications.  

OHS is Union Business - Mainstreaming
Historically unions have been involved with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues and have played a very significant role in protecting the rights of working people, to bring about change, including the introduction of OHS and worker’s compensation laws.

Union influence is essential to workplace safety and the belief held by some that OHS should be separated from industrial relations is factually flawed. For example an issue like staffing levels, work organization, use of contractors, introduction of precarious employment, etc. have health and safety implications such as job security, occupational stress, discrimination, etc.

Working conditions are core issues for the majority of workers. Safe jobs and a healthy working environment meet the basic needs and rights of workers. A national poll conducted by the ACTU in 2008 shows that:

• 80% of workers wanted more to be done to reduce workplace illness and injury
• 81% want to be able to call in a union to help with OHS issues at their workplace.

To quote a Union Organiser, Sophie Harris, “If we’re not organised then employers use OHS to drive their own agenda. They avoid the real issues. We miss opportunities and HSR’s are often cajoled into becoming de facto managers”.

What are the benefits to those Unions who have Organiser/Officials trained in OHS?

• In the majority of jurisdictions Organisers have the right of entry to workplaces to investigate a suspected breach of OHS laws, this includes workplaces where there are currently no union members but where the Union would normally have coverage. A qualification in OHS will facilitate the Organiser obtaining the permit and increase their confidence to deal with the issues;
• Organisers have an improved chance of successfully dealing with the issues if they are armed with knowledge specific to health and safety risk management systems and the principles and objectives of our legislation;
• Health and safety can be a critical issue in a campaign. If you don’t have the capacity to use it when it’s needed, it will be too late;
• Using health and safety increases our likelihood of winning a campaign. It is an excellent mobilizing issue;
• Health and safety can be an important point of leverage in public and corporate campaigns, eg. James Hardie and Bernie Banton (compensation for exposure to asbestos campaign)

Who is it for?
This course is for union trainers who deliver OHS training, union officials and organisers involved in OHS issues and safety reps who wish to gain a formal qualification and increase their knowledge and involvement in OHS application and policy-making in Australian workplaces.

• To give participants an understanding of a proactive and preventative approach to occupational health and safety.
• To build health and safety knowledge and experience of employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety officers, other health and safety practitioners and health and safety trainers.

• Understand the union approach to occupational health and safety;
• Explore the link between organising and OHS structures and issues in the workplace;
• Familiarize themselves with OHS laws and the rights they contain;
• Understand what is involved in hazard identification and the effective control of the hazards;
• Critically examine the concept of risk assessment and management systems;
• Explore the role unions can play in OHS consultative process.

• BSBWOR404A Develop work priorities
• BSBRSK401A  Identify risk and apply risk management processes
• BSBOHS401B  Contribute to the implementation of a systematic approach to managing OHS
• BSBOHS402B  Contribute to the implementation of the OHS consultation process
• BSBOHS403B  Identify hazards and assess OHS risks
• BSBOHS404B  Contribute to the implementation of strategies to control OHS risk
• BSBOHS406B  Use equipment to conduct workplace monitoring
• BSBOHS408A  Assist with compliance with OHS and other relevant laws 
• BSBWRK401A  Develop and implement an organising plan

• Access to a workplace for completion of some assessment projects
• Good writing, computing and internet skills
• Email and web access, a personal computer and telephone

Study mode
The Blended Course is a guided program.  Delivery is through an interactive mix of face to face workshops and online learning units.

Participants are required to attend two (2) three-day face to face workshops, with at least six weeks separating each workshop.  Between workshops, participants will have the opportunity to relate their learning to their workplace, and to practice and consolidate their skills.  They will also complete self paced online learning units in this time.

• Health and safety representative
• Entry level OHS officer
• Supervisor positions with a major workload in OHS

More information
Enrolment information