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Overview of the Relevant Legislation
Summary of Consultative Provisions
Designated Work Groups
Role of Health and Safety Representatives
HSR Training Courses

Information for Health and Safety Representatives : HSR Training Courses

What the law requires

Clause 30 of Schedule 3 to the OPGGSA, states that health and safety representatives "must undertake a course of training relating to occupational health and safety that is accredited by the Safety Authority". The same requirement to attend an accredited course applies under the mirror legislation of each State and the Northern Territory.

The facility operator and the HSR's employer are obliged to allow the HSR to take time off to attend the training, without any loss of remuneration or other entitlement. Therefore, the course should be during the HSR's normal work time, or time off in lieu should be granted, or an overtime payment made. The operator should also pay for the training and any necessary travel and accommodation.

It should be noted that the HSR's powers commence as soon as they are selected, and do not have to wait for the accredited training to take place.

Course Accreditations

NOPSA's accreditation process is similar to that employed by other Commonwealth, State and Territory OHS authorities under their legislation.

Each nominated course is subject to an initial assessment prior to accreditation, and on-going monitoring thereafter. The initial and on-going accreditation of courses is made by the CEO of NOPSA (or delegate), taking into account the advice of the OHS inspectors who assess and monitor the courses.

NOPSA's criteria for accrediting courses are that the course content conform to the HSR training course descriptor that was endorsed by the National Oil and Gas Safety Advisory Committee (NOGSAC) in early 2005, that the course is run by a Registered Training Organisation or by a company that meets relevant criteria for being an RTO, that the trainers are experienced in OHS and in training HSRs, and that the trainers are knowledgeable of the offshore petroleum industry.

The course descriptor and suggested outline for registered training organisations is available here: Offshore Petroleum HSR Training Course Descriptor (please note that this is the original NOGSAC document and hence still refers to the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967, which has since been replaced by the OPGGSA 2006).

A list of currently accredited courses may be found here: Accredited HSR Training Course Providers

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning will be assessed by training providers under normally accepted processes.

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