Course Category: NZ Certificates

The New Zealand Certificate in Workplace Health and Safety Practice (Level 3) delivered by Besafe Training Ltd is a flexible, rolling-intake programme designed to equip learners with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to contribute to effective health and safety practices in New Zealand workplaces. This 24-week part-time programme is structured around a series of standalone courses already scheduled as part of Besafe’s public course calendar, allowing learners to join at multiple points throughout the year and study at a pace that suits their availability.

This programme is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and aligned with industry needs.

Programme Aim
The programme aims to produce job-ready graduates capable of applying health and safety principles under limited supervision. Graduates will be able to contribute to workplace safety culture, apply risk management procedures, issue and monitor work permits, act as safety observers, and demonstrate competency in one of four optional applied contexts: working at heights, confined space entry, elevated work platforms, or discomfort, pain, and injury (DPI) prevention and management.

Programme Structure
The programme is made up of four compulsory courses (33 credits) and one optional course (8 credits), totalling 41 credits. These courses are drawn from Besafe’s existing public course schedule, offering learners maximum flexibility in when and how they complete their study.

Compulsory Courses:

• HSP301 Health and Safety: Requirements and Practices (11 credits)
• HSP302 Risk Mitigation and Safety Risk Analysis (8 credits)
• HSP303 Safety Observer (8 credits)
• HSP304 Permit to Work (6 credits)

Optional Courses (choose one):

• HSP305 Working at Heights (8 credits)
• HSP306 Confined Space Entry (8 credits)
• HSP307 Elevated Work Platform (8 credits)
• HSP308 DPI Prevention and Management (8 credits)

Graduate Outcomes
Graduates will be able to:

• Apply health and safety requirements in accordance with legislation and industry codes
• Conduct risk assessments and implement controls
• Act as a safety observer and monitor high-risk work activities
• Issue, monitor, and audit work permits
• Apply Tikanga Māori principles to workplace health and safety practices
• Operate safely in one of four applied contexts selected by the learner (Working at Heights / Confined Space Entry / Elevated Working Platform / DPI Prevention and Management)

Delivery Mode and Methods
The programme is delivered through a combination of face-to-face workshops, practical/on-job learning, and self-directed study. Directed learning includes interactive workshops, simulations, assessments, and case studies.

Assessment Methods
Learners are assessed through written assessments and practical observations. Assessment tasks are designed to reflect real-world workplace scenarios.

This is a 16-week course, completed through our online learning platform. You will be supported with a dedicated facilitator through zoom sessions, digital content, workplace activities and discussion boards.

The purpose of this programme is to provide New Zealand workplaces with people that have the skills and knowledge to promote and monitor health and safety practices and procedures, and create a positive health and safety culture in the workplace.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Communicate job specific health and safety requirements and practices in accordance with legislative requirements, industry specific codes of practice, and standards to a team in a specific business operation.
• Lead consultative and participation processes that involve workers in the development of job specific health and safety policies and procedures for a team in a specific business operation.
• Supervise the implementation of and monitor the maintenance of organisational and job specific health and safety policies and procedures for a team in a specific business operation.
• Apply knowledge of incident causation models to investigate an incident and prepare a report that complies with organisational and legislative requirements, and make recommendations to improve workplace incident investigation methods where appropriate.
• Describe and apply health and safety requirements for the various jobs and teams in their workplace, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
• Prepare plans for drug hazard inspections in relation to drug and/or alcohol use in the workplace.
• Explain and carry out the process of on-site drug screening in the workplace.
• Identify relevant health and safety risks and apply practicable controls.
• Promote beneficial health and safety practices for a specific team, with measurable results, in accordance with organisational requirements.
• Create and apply a health and safety plan for a team to meet the organisations operational requirements.
• Identify and coordinate health and safety requirements, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and the organisational requirements.

Course overview

OHS401 Health and Safety: Requirements and Practices (30 credits)

This course develops learners’ knowledge of occupational health and safety statutory obligations, roles, and responsibilities so they can lead and implement high standards of health and safety management systems. The course will also develop learners’ ability to identify hazards and controls for the workplace environment. Learners will explore theories of incident causation and prevention and gain the knowledge and skills to communicate and apply safe work strategies.

OHS 402 Safety Management Systems Audit (20 credits)

This course develops learners’ knowledge of New Zealand occupational health and safety management standards so they are able to perform an audit to evaluate and analyse the OHS management system in an organisation and recommend an improvement process.

OHS 403 Hazard Management System: Risk Mitigation and Safety Risk (10 credits)

This course develops learners’ knowledge of hazards and controls in the workplace employing a risk management framework. Learners will learn about safety inspection skills and incident investigation process so they can develop, implement and monitor a hazard management system, for a selected business operation, and apply appropriate legislation and regulations.

Your commitment

This is a full time course over 16 weeks:

• 20 hours of direct learning each week which is made up of Zoom sessions, course modules, discussions and workplace observations/supervision
• 17.5 hours weekly of self directed learning – readings and assignments.
• You will be required to attend 6 Zoom sessions

NB: If you are working in a Health and Safety role, many of the requirements may be able to be completed as part of your daily role.

Location

Online – must have computer access to access course materials and Zoom sessions

Required resources

To be purchased in addition to the course – due to copyright restrictions we are unable to provide these resources.

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009

AS/NZS 4804:2001

Credit Recognition Transfer (CRT)

CRT is recognizing a learners currently held NZQA unit standards which may be transferred to a Besafe Training New Zealand Certificate programme.

NZQA Guidelines

Student’s current unit standards may be transferred if:

• There is an exact match of the unit standards on the learner’s New Zealand Qualification Framework.
• The unit standard must have been gained within the last 2 years – or evidence of currency must be provided.
• Examples of evidence – Letter of attestation, certificates of professional development, certificate of attendance