All employers need to provide new and young workers and workers who are new to a task, with sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure that they are competent to work safely.

An induction into the business, including working through your current policies and procedures, is a great way to convey safety standards and expectations to new workers.

Induction training

As an employer, you need to determine, and provide, relevant workplace specific training. There may be some situations where varying levels of induction training are needed. For example, a person may need general induction, site induction or no induction training, depending on the nature and extent of the following:

  • the expected level of risk at the site or for the particular task, and
  • the level of supervision.

See our advice on informing, training and supervising your team.

Induction training is not required for:

  • visitors if they are accompanied by a person who has received WHS induction training
  • people who would be temporarily at a workplace for instance to deliver plant, supplies, materials or services where a risk assessment indicates that any risks to persons can be controlled through other measures (such as implementing visitor management plans, restricted access to low-risk areas, visitor sign-in/out procedures, etc.).

However, if a visitor is going to spend a considerable time and/or visits frequently then you may choose to induct them.

Employer responsibilities

You must ensure that your new workers or workers who are new to the task, receive effective induction, training and information. An induction is where you explain how you manage work health and safety at your workplace. You should cover:

  • your workplace's health and safety policies - our Induction Checklist can assist
  • the vulnerability of new and young workers to inappropriate behaviours and how they can report issues such as bullying, discrimination and harassment
  • the rights and responsibilities for workers, supervisors and employers
  • the hazards and risks specific to your workplace and your employees job, and how they can control these
  • who your employee should speak to if they are concerned about a health & safety matter
  • the safe work procedures applicable to the task(s)
  • your emergency procedures
  • who the first aiders, fire wardens and health and safety representatives are in your workplace
  • the incident or hazard reporting procedures
  • other work matters such as who to tell (and how)  if they’re sick, pay and time keeping, working hours, eating and parking facilities, and any social matters.

To make your induction effective:

  • pace your induction over several days as your workers may feel overwhelmed by too much information at once
  • give clear verbal and written instructions
  • demonstrate and explain how to perform tasks safely; watch them do it and correct any mistakes. Check on their competency after a period such as a week.
  • encourage them to ask questions - workers should be made to feel comfortable asking any question that will help them work safely
  • involve their supervisor and health and safety representative
  • follow up with support visits and training sessions
  • be patient.

Site-specific induction

If your business has more than one worksite then you will need to ensure that workers are inducted for each site. In addition, if the work involves visiting different worksites (such as a contractor) then a plan to mitigate the risks for the worker needs to be put in place and may include site induction.

The detail required for each site induction will vary depending on the complexity of the work being undertaken at the site and factors such as the size of the site, the number and variety of other people working on the site.

Each worksite induction should cover:

  • site hazards
  • control measures
  • safety rules
  • other information specific to the site.

Construction site induction

Induction for workers in the construction industry have specific requirements.

Worker responsibilities

Workers also have a responsibility to maintain their own work health and safety. Workers should contribute to a safe workplace by:

  • taking responsibility for their safety and the safety of the people they work with
  • speak up if they don’t fully understand the task
  • follow all safe work procedures
  • report safety issues
  • use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where required for the task such as Hi-Viz clothing, safety glasses and gloves.

Further information