How To Get A White Card In Australia

National occupational health and safety laws have seen the introduction of mandatory general occupational health and safety induction for the construction industry. Under national OHS law, any person working within the construction industry must successfully complete this general OHS induction training for their industry, before they're able to commence work.
This includes those whose work involves housing construction, concreting, plumbing, bricklaying, civil constructions, renovations, repairs, refurbishment, carpentry, roof, floor and wall tiling, and asbestos removal.
The general OHS induction training aims to see the construction industry nation-wide have the same safety standards in place. It's part of a larger governmental reform to see a safer construction industry and is in addition to the mutual recognition Australia-wide of induction cards that are obtained in any Australian state or territory.
There are four sections to the OHS induction course:
1. How to identify workplace health and safety (WH&S) requirements,
2. Training on how to identify construction hazards and control methods,
3. Training on how to identify WH&S communication and reporting processes and
4. Incident response procedures.
The four sections cover in detail basic information regarding the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 and codes of practice; Risk management; Principal contractor's safety plan; Material safety data sheets; Work method statements; Causes of fires and types of controls; Basic emergency procedures like first aid, evacuation plans and procedures; Reporting hazards to relevant people at the workplace; Workplace Health and Safety Officers; Obligations of people at the workplace; Duty of care, and recording of work injuries, work caused illness and dangerous happenings at the workplace.
Upon successful completion of the course CPCCOHS1001A 'Work Safely in the Construction Industry' you will receive a White Card. The White Card acts as proof to employers and policing bodies that a construction industry employee has successfully completed the general OHS induction course.
The course can be completed online or in person and is delivered by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Whether completing the course online or in person you will need to provide your RTO with the following:
A copy of your Statement of Attainment, which is available as soon as you've completed the course via the RTO or a printer. A Statutory Declaration form signed by you, a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declaration and an observer, which can be anyone. A copy of your photo I.D. also signed by the Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declaration or legal practitioner.
Once you've successfully completed the general OHS induction course, provided your RTO with the above documents in person, via email or fax you will be provided with your White Card. If completing the training online and faxing or emailing documentation you can expect the White Card to arrive to you via post within five to seven working days.