What is happening with WHS qualifications in Australia?
Over the years there has been a concerted push for BSB41415 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety and its predecessors to be conducted over an extremely short time frame. There is now a focussed activity by the National VET Regulator (ASQA) to stamp out this behaviour. Here is an extract from a recent message from ASQA’s Chief Commissioner Mark Paterson:
“Following ASQA’s June 2017 publication of a strategic review report relating to unduly short courses, in December 2017, Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, the Hon Karen Andrews MP, announced a public consultation with VET stakeholders on the implementation of ASQA’s recommendations. This consultation is currently underway.”
We expect to see additional activities embedded in the qualifications over the next year or so and that will be a good thing given the high level of risk these qualifications pose. If we consider data published by Safe Work Australia we note that 3,414 Australians lost their lives in work related incidents in the 14 years from 2003 to 2016. The data further states that up to 23/2/18 there has been 18 deaths. This is terrible because these people went to work and did not return home. The lives of their families are irreparably damaged for all time and mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters are left in tears. The data breaks down incidents by industry segment and I suggest you should have a look at the figures https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/statistics-and-research/statistics/fatalities/fatality-statistics
A WHS qualified workforce is an educated workforce.
from HBA http://bit.ly/2Fat8Bs