The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 
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requires all workplaces with 30 or more workers to appoint a Workplace Health and Safety Officer (WHSO).
The role of a WHSO is to assist the Principal and management team by providing advice on the overall state of health and safety at the workplace. The WHSO can be a valuable member of the management team; for this reason it is important to choose the right person for the job. WHSOs are required to attend an accredited training program.
It is important that Principals and WHSOs work together. Information to help both can be found in Information for Principals and the WHSO (new window) 269k .
The Health and Safety Team coordinate courses across the state for staff who have specific health and safety roles within the school environment. These accredited courses are customised to Education Queensland and are designed to assist the participant perform their role effectively once back at school.
The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 requires workplaces (eg. schools) with 30 or more workers to have a trained Workplace Health and Safety Officer (WHSO). Regular visiting teachers and volunteers count towards the 30 person threshold.
Some schools should consider training additional WHSOs for the following reasons:
Where a school or workplace trains multiple WHSOs, the training fee is reduced by 15% for the second WHSO being trained. The discount does not apply to WHSOs being trained as a replacement for one resigning from the role or transferring to another school.
If you require a new WHSO it is important to nominate the right person for the job. A competent, well-informed WHSO can provide invaluable support to their Principal and make a significant contribution to the successful management of the school. Being a WHSO has little to do with looking at cracks in the concrete, it is about setting up health and safety systems and improving the attitude of staff towards health and safety. The ideal person for the job will:
Contact Alan Singleton for more information on:
Our courses are offered at a low cost compared to public courses. A school focus is maintained throughout and the mandatory Annual Assessment is completed as an assignment during the course.
Workplace Health & Safety Officer Course (core and elective must be completed)
Schools training an additional WHSO receive a 15% discount
WHSO Re-certification
WHSO Course Calendar and Registration Form
Course dates and regional locations are available in the WHSO Calendar 2008 (new window) 52k 
.
Complete your registration using the Registration Form 2008. This is a web form which will email directly to the Organisational Health Training Unit.
'There is enough information to absorb around a school site without taking on the concerns of other types of workplaces. There is no way I would have got the same out of a 'service-industry' programme. Everyone enjoyed the topical good-humoured style of the EQ presenter.' Gwenda, Deputy Principal
'This school based WHSO course was extremely valuable to me in my role as Registrar & WHSO. Unlike previous courses it was specifically directed at my needs as a school employee and workshops were specific in that the participants and presenter shared a common background and experiences. I now have a thorough working knowledge of departmental requirements as well as the wider perspective of WH&S general requirements.' Christine, Registrar
'I completed a WHSO course that was general. When I asked the presenter [at a general course] how different aspects related to schools, I couldn't get an answer. Thankfully this course was very much what I had hoped for, something designed to address school needs. It was also great to have school colleagues on the course that provided an excellent opportunity for networking.' Andrew, Teacher
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2007.