Training providers
If you are a training provider, you can apply to the Seacare Authority to be accredited to offer occupational health and safety training for health and safety representatives (HSRs), under the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Seafarers Act).
We provide course guidance and tools to help you apply.
Accreditation of courses
Accreditation means official recognition by the Seacare Authority that a training course satisfies its accreditation framework.
Employees selected to be a HSR in the Seacare scheme must attend a training course accredited by the Seacare Authority.
Apply to accredit or re-accredit a course
An application to accredit a training course in the Seacare scheme must be submitted to the Seacare Authority in writing.
You can submit your application by email to seacare@comcare.gov.au.
An application to re-accredit an existing course should be lodged with the Seacare Authority at least four months before the accreditation expiry date. This allows sufficient time for the course to be assessed.
Courses submitted for accreditation or re-accreditation must demonstrate they meet the Accreditation of Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training Courses guidelines (PDF, 745.5 KB). This includes to:
- meet all training objective components
- have the capacity to deliver the expected learning outcomes
- include the practical and mandatory skill development activities.
Guidance to assist training providers to apply
Guidelines to accredit HSR training courses
We have designed guidelines for training providers wanting to apply to accredit an occupational HSR training course.
The guidelines specify the responsibilities of all parties in the training of HSRs and include learning outcomes for each learning objective.
Download Accreditation of Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training Courses guidelines (PDF, 745.5 KB).
Assessment tool for HSR training courses
We have developed an assessment report to assist training providers to:
- comply with our guidelines
- meet the measures required to obtain accreditation.
The assessment report includes an extensive list of questions based upon the training requirements set out in the guidelines. This includes for both newly developed courses and for current courses being re-accredited.
See Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) Training Course Assessment tool (PDF, 410.9 KB).
The accreditation process
The Seacare Authority accreditation panel assists the Seacare Authority in considering applications.
The panel has an advisory role to the Seacare Authority and comprises one employer representative, one employee representative, and one Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) representative.
Panel members are appointed by the Seacare Authority and serve for up to three years.
The panel assesses courses submitted for accreditation to determine whether a course satisfies the requirements outlined in the guidelines.
Upon receiving the advice of the panel, the Seacare Authority decides to accredit or not accredit the course.
To monitor the quality of a course, its delivery and compliance with requirements, we may arrange an agent to undertake an assessment of a course to help us determine if a course is suitable to accredit.
Conditions
Core conditions apply to all courses accredited by the Seacare Authority. These conditions include:
Provider of training
- All training of HSRs under section 47 of the OHS(MI) Act must be conducted by, or on behalf of, the training provider who submitted the course for accreditation.
- Trainers must meet competency requirements for trainers. This is a minimum of Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and two years of experience working in workplace health and safety.
Training material
- Training material, including supporting materials such as handouts and video clips, used when conducting training for HSRs under section 47 of the OHS(MI) Act, must be submitted to the Seacare Authority for accreditation. This includes material developed after a provider is accredited.
Updates or amendments
While being accredited, training providers must:
- make any necessary amendments to the course to ensure that it remains current with the OHS (MI) Act
- submit all updates and amendments to the Seacare Authority
- advise the Seacare Authority in writing of any proposed significant changes to the course, including supporting material, during the accreditation period
- if requested by the Seacare Authority, provide a hard copy of the amended course for reassessment.
Reporting requirements
Training providers must submit the following information to the Seacare Authority in writing by 31 July each year:
- the number and type of courses run per year
- participant numbers per course
- participant details—name and organisation.
In addition to the core conditions that apply to all providers, the Seacare Authority may impose additional conditions of accreditation on a particular course or training provider if they consider it appropriate.
Period of accreditation and re-accreditation
Accreditation of a new HSR training course may be granted for up to two years.
A HSR training course which has already been accredited may be re-accredited for a period of up to three years.
The date when accreditation or re-accreditation begins is determined by the Seacare Authority.
Withdrawal of accreditation
We reserve the right to withdraw or suspend accreditation of a HSR training course.
We can withdraw or suspend accreditation if:
- there is a breach of the conditions of accreditation, or
- the accredited training course does not adequately address the Seacare Authority’s HSR course training objectives.
Where we consider there is a case to withdraw or suspend a training provider’s accreditation, we inform the provider in writing, including reasons. We also offer the provider an opportunity to respond or address the issues raised within a specified time.
The Seacare Authority will then make a decision on whether to withdraw or suspend accreditation.
Post-accreditation monitoring
To monitor the quality of courses, their delivery and compliance with requirements, we may arrange for an agent to undertake an initial assessment or reassessment of the course.
If we receive a complaint by a stakeholder or participant, or an issue is reported to us, we may:
- attend a training session to ensure that the course is continuing to meet the requirements of the guidelines (free of charge)
- discuss training activities with trainers and participants
- review completed evaluation forms
- undertake an evaluation.
When the monitoring and evaluation activities are complete, the Seacare Authority or its agent will provide a copy of the evaluation or assessment report to the training provider. This report may be accompanied by an improvement action plan listing any deficiencies that require attention.
Failure by a training provider to attend to the issues identified in the improvement action plan may result in course accreditation being suspended or revoked, until the Seacare Authority is satisfied that the deficiencies have been appropriately addressed.
If you are looking for current training providers, see Health and safety representatives (HSRs) for a list of approved training providers.
Responsibilities of training providers
Providers have responsibilities to:
- ensure that training courses submitted for accreditation under section 47 of the OHS(MI) Act to the Seacare Authority meet the requirements of the Accreditation of Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training Courses guidelines (PDF, 745.5 KB).
- comply with the requirements of the guidelines and the conditions of accreditation, when undertaking training activities.
- ensure that the marketing of their training services is accurate, reflects the accreditation conditions of the courses they are marketing, and maintains the integrity of the guidelines.
- ensure all people they employ are fit for purpose and are appropriately qualified and competent to conduct the training in compliance with the guidelines and in a manner that allows participants to achieve the Seacare Authority’s training goals.
- ensure that all services delivered by training providers under the Seacare scheme are conducted in locations which provide safe, accessible and appropriate learning environments.
- confirm at the start of training that all participants are attending the correct course, identify any participants attending the wrong course and inform them, providing them with an opportunity to consult with their operator, and notify them of the consequences of either continuing or leaving the training.
- complete the improvement action plan within the stipulated timeframe, as a condition of their accreditation.
- comply with the Seacare Authority reporting requirements for HSR training.
- make all documentation available to the Seacare Authority on request, to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the requirements of the guidelines.