Duty of Care for Workers Training Course (NZ Version)

Why is the Duty of Care for Workers Training Important?

In any workplace, individual workers are the first line of awareness. When people follow procedures, use controls correctly, and speak up about hazards early, they prevent incidents before they happen. When they don’t, harm follows — and both individuals and organisations bear the consequences.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), all workers have a legal duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to avoid actions that could harm others. This applies regardless of role, seniority, or employment type. Organisations also have clear obligations under HSWA to engage workers in health and safety matters — and workers have a right, and a responsibility, to participate.

This course gives workers the knowledge to fulfil those duties — understanding what the law expects, how to identify and report hazards, and how to contribute to a safer working environment for everyone.

Who Should Complete This Course

• Employees in any role who need to understand their obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Part-time, temporary, or volunteer workers who require compliance training before commencing work
• Supervisors or managers who want their teams to understand worker-level safety responsibilities
• Any worker seeking to understand how to raise concerns, report hazards, and participate in workplace safety processes

Topics Covered

• Understanding health and safety duties under HSWA
• Engagement, participation, and representation
• Identifying and managing health and safety risks

Course Experience

Learners can expect:

• Fully online and accessible anytime
• Interactive and scenario-based learning
• Self-paced completion (pause/resume anytime)
• Assessment: 8-question quiz, 8/8 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. 8-question quiz, 8/8 correct answers required.

Related Courses

• WHS Fundamentals for Employees – AU Model Laws Training Course (AUS Version)
• Injury Management for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
• Workplace Health and Safety Fundamentals Training Course (NZ Version)
• Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (AUS Version)
• Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (NZ Version)
• Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harassment for Employees Training Course (AUS Version)
• Anti-Bullying and Harassment for Employees and Workers Course (NZ Version)
• Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace Training Course (NZ Version)

Learning Outcomes

By completing this course, learners will be able to:

• Identify their legal responsibilities as a worker under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Apply safe work practices by correctly following procedures and using control measures as instructed
• Recognise hazards and understand when and how to report them through appropriate workplace channels
• Respond appropriately to health and safety concerns, incidents, and near misses
• Contribute to a culture of safety through active participation, clear communication, and engagement with Health and Safety Representatives

Organisational Benefits

• Documented worker compliance — Provides verifiable evidence that workers have been trained in their HSWA obligations, supporting audit readiness and due diligence
• Reduced incident risk — Workers who understand hazard identification and early reporting help prevent incidents before they escalate
• Strengthened worker participation — Teams who understand engagement and representation rights participate more constructively in safety processes
• Lower legal and operational exposure — Demonstrating that workers have received duty of care training reduces liability risk and supports a defensible safety record
• Scalable across your workforce — Suitable for all roles, employment types, and industries, making it straightforward to deploy organisation-wide