Training providers
If you are a training provider, you can apply to Comcare to be approved to offer courses under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and/or the Fair Work Act 2009.
We provide course guidance and monitoring tools to help you.
We have a process for training providers to be approved by Comcare to give courses for:
Training courses must be submitted to Comcare for approval.
If you are looking for current training providers, see Health and safety representatives (HSRs) or Work health and safety entry permit holders for current lists of approved training providers.
Health and safety representative training
Health and safety representatives (HSRs) working under the Comcare scheme are entitled to attend:
- an initial five-day course of training
- one day of refresher training each year.
This training must be provided by a Comcare-approved training provider.
Initial five-day course
View the HSR Training Course Requirements guidance (PDF, 2.1 MB) for the:
- principles for developing a Comcare-approved training course
- learning outcomes and objectives
- agreed approach to training, delivery mode and course duration.
One-day refresher course
After completing the initial five-day course, health and safety representatives (HSRs) are entitled to attend a one-day refresher training course each year.
We do not prescribe the learning outcomes or content of refresher training courses. However, the course should:
- give an overview of the learning outcomes from the initial five-day course
- outline any changes to work health and safety legislation
- help develop skills related to the role, powers, functions and behaviours of a HSR
- cover changes that may affect a HSR in performing their role in the workplace.
We encourage approved training providers to consider developing a suite of refresher courses, covering different themes.
Providers should also respond to requests and suggestions from government agencies, self-insured licensees, industry sectors, and health and safety representatives (HSRs) when developing refresher training content.
The approval process and other requirements
A training organisation, company or sole trader may apply for approval to deliver the initial Health and Safety Representative (HSR) five-day course and the one-day refresher course.
See the Become an Approved Provider of HSR Training for the Commonwealth Jurisdiction guidance (PDF, 986.8 KB) for:
- an application form and checklist
- the approval process
- requirements for approval
- trainer qualifications required
- conditions of approval
- renewal process
- how compliance is monitored and enforced.
Training providers can only apply for approval to deliver the refresher HSR training if they are also applying for or have been approved to deliver the initial five-day HSR training course.
Application fee
The fee for the assessment and approval of a five-day course is $5500. The fee needs to be submitted with the application.
There is no fee for the assessment and approval of a refresher course.
Approval is granted for up to five years.
Post-approval monitoring
We provide information and tools to help approved providers of health and safety representative (HSR) training meet the conditions of approval and to ensure HSRs receive quality training. This includes:
- HSR Training Courses—Post-approval Monitoring booklet (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- HSR Training Provider Compliance Audit report template (PDF, 116.1 KB)
- HSR Training Provider Compliance Audit workbook (PDF, 174.7 KB)
- HSR Training Provider Compliance Audit tool (PDF, 113.8 KB).
The HSR Training Courses—Post-approval Monitoring booklet (PDF, 1.5 MB) outlines:
- post-approval monitoring
- complaints and investigations
- sharing information across jurisdictions
- power to revoke or vary a provider’s approval
- Comcare’s review process
- reinstatement of approved training provider status.
We audit approved providers at least once during the period of approval.
Work health and safety entry permit holder training
Work health and safety entry permit holders are union officials who have completed an approved training course.
An entry permit gives the holder the right to enter a workplace to investigate a suspected contravention of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
The approval process and other requirements
A training organisation, company or sole trader may apply for approval to deliver initial or refresher work health and safety entry permit holder training
Our Work Health and Safety Entry Permit Holder Training Guidance booklet (PDF, 1.1 MB) includes:
- an application form and checklist
- the approval process
- requirements for approval
- trainer qualifications required
- conditions of approval
- renewal process
- how compliance is monitored and enforced.
Our Work Health and Safety Entry Permit Holder Training Course Requirements booklet (PDF, 1.4 MB) includes:
- the principles for developing an original training course
- learning outcomes and objectives for training courses.
Post approval monitoring
Comcare monitors training providers after they have been approved.
We provide information and tools to help approved providers of entry permit holder training meet the conditions of approval and ensure people are receiving quality training. This includes:
- Entry Permit Holder Training Courses - Post-approval Monitoring booklet (PDF, 1.3 MB)
- Entry Permit Holder Training Provider Compliance Audit report template (PDF, 172.3 KB)
- Entry Permit Holder Training Provider Compliance Audit workbook (PDF, 409.3 KB)
- Entry Permit Holder Training Provider Compliance Audit tool (PDF, 231.1 KB).
