Duty of Care for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
$27.50 inc. GST
This course explains what duty of care means in practice for managers and supervisors operating under New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). It covers how the PCBU’s (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) primary duty of care translates into day-to-day management decisions — from identifying and controlling physical and psychosocial risks, to supervising workers, managing contractors, and responding to incidents and concerns. Learners will also explore what “reasonably practicable” means under HSWA, how worker engagement and participation requirements work, and how officer due diligence applies to their role.
Designed specifically for New Zealand workplaces, this course suits managers at all experience levels and across all industries. On completion, learners receive an instant digital certificate — providing documented evidence of their training for compliance and audit purposes.
This course will take approximately 87 minutes to complete.
Why is the Duty of Care for Managers Training Important?
Managers shape almost every aspect of health and safety in the workplace. The decisions they make about how work is organised, how risks are controlled, and how workers are supervised directly determine whether people are protected from harm — or exposed to it. When managers lack a clear understanding of their legal responsibilities, risks go unmanaged, incidents occur, and individuals and organisations face serious consequences.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), PCBUs have a primary duty to protect the health and safety of workers and others affected by their work. Officers within those organisations are required to exercise due diligence to ensure HSWA duties are met, which means managers cannot rely on assumptions or good intentions. WorkSafe New Zealand expects documented, proactive risk management at every level of leadership.
This course gives managers the knowledge and practical tools to meet those obligations — reducing the likelihood of harm and building the kind of leadership culture WorkSafe expects to see.
Who Should Complete This Course
- Managers, supervisors, and team leaders are responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of workers in any New Zealand industry
- New and experienced managers who need to understand their legal obligations under HSWA and what “reasonably practicable” requires of them in practice
- Managers overseeing contractors, remote workers, or mixed-role teams where supervision and risk management responsibilities may be less straightforward
- Any worker moving into a leadership role who wants a strong foundation in New Zealand health and safety law and duty of care responsibilities
Topics Covered
- Understanding health and safety duties under HSWA
- Engagement, participation, and representation
- Part Three Identifying and managing health and safety risks
- Fulfilling your duty of care as a manager
- Due diligence, compliance and WorkSafe expectation
Course Experience
Learners can expect:
- Fully online and accessible anytime
- Interactive and scenario-based learning
- Self-paced completion (pause/resume anytime)
- Assessment: 12-question quiz, 12/12 correct answers required
- Instant digital certificate on completion
- Accessible design (WCAG 2.2 AA compliant; suitable for all literacy levels)
Assessment
There is an assessment for this topic. 12-question quiz, 12/12 correct answers required.
Related Courses
- Workplace Health and Safety Fundamentals Training Course (NZ Version)
- Injury Management for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (NZ Version)
- Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Anti-Bullying and Harassment for Employees and Workers Course (NZ Version)
- Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace Training Course (NZ Version)
- Conflict of Interests Training Course (NZ Version)
Learning Outcomes
On completing this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify their legal responsibilities as a manager under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and explain what “reasonably practicable” requires in practice
- Apply a structured risk management approach to identify and control both physical and psychosocial hazards in their workplace
- Demonstrate how to engage and involve workers in health and safety matters in line with HSWA participation requirements
- Understand their due diligence obligations as an officer or manager, and respond appropriately when concerns, incidents, or near-misses are raised
- Contribute to a leadership culture where health and safety is proactively managed — not treated as a box-ticking exercise
Organisational Benefits
- Reduces compliance risk. Managers who understand their obligations under HSWA are better placed to manage risks before they become incidents — reducing the likelihood of injury, enforcement action, and legal liability.
- Strengthens audit and WorkSafe readiness. Documented training demonstrates that leaders have been equipped to meet their duty of care obligations — a clear signal of organisational commitment during audits and regulatory reviews.
- Supports due diligence at the officer level. When officers can point to structured, verifiable training for managers, it strengthens the organisation’s ability to demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken to meet HSWA obligations.
- Builds a safer, more engaged workplace culture. Managers who understand worker engagement and psychosocial risk management lead teams that feel safer raising concerns — reducing harm, improving morale, and lowering turnover.
- Lowers incident-related costs. Proactive, well-trained leadership reduces the financial and reputational impact of workplace incidents, ACC claims, and lost productivity.
| Platforms | Desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile (widescreen) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari are supported (typically versions from 2019 onwards). IE11 is not supported |
| Hosting | Enrol in Tribal Habits portal |
| Accessible | Yes, meets WCAG 2.2 guidelines at a Level AA standard – More info on WCAG 2.2 here |
Description
Why is the Duty of Care for Managers Training Important?
Managers shape almost every aspect of health and safety in the workplace. The decisions they make about how work is organised, how risks are controlled, and how workers are supervised directly determine whether people are protected from harm — or exposed to it. When managers lack a clear understanding of their legal responsibilities, risks go unmanaged, incidents occur, and individuals and organisations face serious consequences.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), PCBUs have a primary duty to protect the health and safety of workers and others affected by their work. Officers within those organisations are required to exercise due diligence to ensure HSWA duties are met, which means managers cannot rely on assumptions or good intentions. WorkSafe New Zealand expects documented, proactive risk management at every level of leadership.
This course gives managers the knowledge and practical tools to meet those obligations — reducing the likelihood of harm and building the kind of leadership culture WorkSafe expects to see.
Who Should Complete This Course
- Managers, supervisors, and team leaders are responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of workers in any New Zealand industry
- New and experienced managers who need to understand their legal obligations under HSWA and what “reasonably practicable” requires of them in practice
- Managers overseeing contractors, remote workers, or mixed-role teams where supervision and risk management responsibilities may be less straightforward
- Any worker moving into a leadership role who wants a strong foundation in New Zealand health and safety law and duty of care responsibilities
Topics Covered
Topics Covered
- Understanding health and safety duties under HSWA
- Engagement, participation, and representation
- Part Three Identifying and managing health and safety risks
- Fulfilling your duty of care as a manager
- Due diligence, compliance and WorkSafe expectation
Experience
Course Experience
Learners can expect:
- Fully online and accessible anytime
- Interactive and scenario-based learning
- Self-paced completion (pause/resume anytime)
- Assessment: 12-question quiz, 12/12 correct answers required
- Instant digital certificate on completion
- Accessible design (WCAG 2.2 AA compliant; suitable for all literacy levels)
Assessment
There is an assessment for this topic. 12-question quiz, 12/12 correct answers required.
Related Courses
- Workplace Health and Safety Fundamentals Training Course (NZ Version)
- Injury Management for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (NZ Version)
- Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Anti-Bullying and Harassment for Employees and Workers Course (NZ Version)
- Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace Training Course (NZ Version)
- Conflict of Interests Training Course (NZ Version)
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
On completing this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify their legal responsibilities as a manager under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and explain what “reasonably practicable” requires in practice
- Apply a structured risk management approach to identify and control both physical and psychosocial hazards in their workplace
- Demonstrate how to engage and involve workers in health and safety matters in line with HSWA participation requirements
- Understand their due diligence obligations as an officer or manager, and respond appropriately when concerns, incidents, or near-misses are raised
- Contribute to a leadership culture where health and safety is proactively managed — not treated as a box-ticking exercise
Organisational Benefits
- Reduces compliance risk. Managers who understand their obligations under HSWA are better placed to manage risks before they become incidents — reducing the likelihood of injury, enforcement action, and legal liability.
- Strengthens audit and WorkSafe readiness. Documented training demonstrates that leaders have been equipped to meet their duty of care obligations — a clear signal of organisational commitment during audits and regulatory reviews.
- Supports due diligence at the officer level. When officers can point to structured, verifiable training for managers, it strengthens the organisation’s ability to demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken to meet HSWA obligations.
- Builds a safer, more engaged workplace culture. Managers who understand worker engagement and psychosocial risk management lead teams that feel safer raising concerns — reducing harm, improving morale, and lowering turnover.
- Lowers incident-related costs. Proactive, well-trained leadership reduces the financial and reputational impact of workplace incidents, ACC claims, and lost productivity.
Accessibility
| Platforms | Desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile (widescreen) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari are supported (typically versions from 2019 onwards). IE11 is not supported |
| Hosting | Enrol in Tribal Habits portal |
| Accessible | Yes, meets WCAG 2.2 guidelines at a Level AA standard – More info on WCAG 2.2 here |