Making sure people can do the work safely — and proving it
You must provide the information, training, instruction and supervision needed for people to work safely — that's part of the primary duty of care under section 36 of the HSWA. Training is what you deliver; competency is whether the person can actually do the task safely. Keep records of both, and track when refreshers and certificates expire.
Providing the information, training, instruction and supervision people need to work safely is part of the primary duty of care under section 36 of the HSWA.
On top of that, the regulations require that workers who use plant, handle substances or do work that could create a risk are either adequately trained and experienced, or adequately supervised by someone who is. The level of training and supervision must match the risk: higher-risk work, and less experienced workers, need more. Some specific work also requires formal qualifications or certificates of competence — for example certain high-risk tasks — which sit on top of these general duties.
Sending someone on a course is the input; being able to do the task safely is the outcome — and only the second one keeps people safe.
Competency combines knowledge, skills and experience, demonstrated in the actual work. A worker might hold a certificate but still need supervision until they can apply it confidently on your site, with your equipment. So treat training as one part of building competency, alongside on-the-job instruction, supervision and verification that the person can genuinely do the work without putting themselves or others at risk.
A simple training matrix maps roles and tasks against the training and competencies each one needs.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify needs | For each role and task, list the training and competencies required — including any legal tickets or certificates. |
| 2. Assess current state | Record what each worker already holds, and where the gaps are. |
| 3. Plan and deliver | Schedule the training, instruction and supervised practice needed to close gaps. |
| 4. Verify competency | Confirm the person can do the task safely, not just that they attended. |
| 5. Track and refresh | Record everything and diary the expiry and refresher dates. |
If you can't show someone was trained and competent, you can't show you met your duty.
Good training records do three jobs at once: they prove you provided the training, instruction and supervision the law requires; they let you see at a glance who can do what; and they warn you before a certificate or refresher lapses, so a ticket doesn't quietly expire mid-job. They also support officer due diligence and are routinely requested in prequalification. Keep them current alongside the rest of your health and safety records.
Track training, competency and expiry dates in one register. Book a demo and we'll show you how it works — free 30-day trial included.
Yes, in effect. Providing the information, training, instruction and supervision people need to work safely is part of the primary duty of care under section 36 of the HSWA, and the regulations require workers to be adequately trained and experienced, or adequately supervised, for the work they do.
Training is what you deliver — a course, instruction or supervised practice. Competency is the outcome: whether the person can actually carry out the task safely, combining knowledge, skills and experience. Attending training does not automatically make someone competent.
Keep a record of who was trained, in what, and when, along with any certificates, tickets or assessments and their expiry dates. A training matrix mapping roles and tasks to required competencies makes the gaps and renewals easy to see.
Match it to the risk and the person. Higher-risk work and less experienced workers need more training and closer supervision. Some specific high-risk work also requires formal qualifications or certificates of competence on top of the general duty.
It depends on the training. Some certificates and tickets have set expiry dates and must be renewed; for others, refresh when skills are likely to fade, when equipment or procedures change, or after an incident. Tracking expiry dates is the practical way to stay on top of it.
