Finding the Right Fit: Accredited vs Non-Accredited Training for Workplace Safety and Compliance

My Journey to Understanding Training's Role in ' Real World ' Safety Culture

As the Owner and CEO of a small Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in Western Australia, and having been involved in many large (and small) television, theatre, and large-venue music, stage and performance productions, I've learned—sometimes the hard way—how training fits into WHS compliance and safety culture.

On site, doing what I teach...

Over the years, working under the Work Health and Safety Act and WA WHS Regulations, I've realised that both accredited and non-accredited training have their place. The key is to blend them to meet legal obligations while driving real behavioural change on-site.

In this post, I'll share how I've approached this balance as an RTO owner, manager, and ' that safety guy ' on productions you may have heard of - or even attended such as ' Iron Maiden, Metallica, Rufus Du Sol, Adele, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, James Blunt, Diljit Dosanjh, WWE, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran ' ( and probably quite a few more I cant remember )

To a HSE professional not familiar with stage and theatre, there appears to be an out-of-control situation. However, when you've been working in the business for years, the 'chaos' is controlled, known and managed. This is why 'mining safety' is at odds with the rigours of timed stage production.

Why Accredited Training is Essential for Compliance

Accredited training is non-negotiable for compliance in certain areas. Under the WHS Act and WA WHS Regulations, PCBUs (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must ensure workers receive proper training, information, and supervision. For high-risk and specialised work—such as working at heights, in confined spaces, with high-risk work licenses, and in emergency response—nationally recognised (accredited) training is critical.

Key Benefits of Accredited Training

1. Meeting Legal Obligations: Accredited training provides evidence that workers are trained to a nationally endorsed standard. This is invaluable when dealing with regulators, auditors, or insurers.

2. Standardised Core Knowledge: It ensures everyone has a consistent understanding of WHS duties, risk management, permits, isolation, and emergency response—critical in high-risk environments.

3. Audit-Ready Documentation: Accurate records of accredited training simplify audits, incident investigations, and due diligence reviews. I can easily show the unit, person, date, and assessment records.

4. Confidence in Content Quality: As the CEO of an RTO, I work within the VET Quality Framework and national standards, ensuring our training is accurate, up-to-date, and aligned with WHS legislation.
   

The Role of Non-Accredited Training in Building Safety Culture

While accredited training is essential, it alone doesn't create a strong safety culture. The gaps I've observed on-site often stem from workers not connecting the training to their specific jobs, equipment, and methods. This is where non-accredited training becomes powerful.

How Non-Accredited Training Adds Value

1. Tailored Content for Real Risks: Non-accredited training allows me to focus on specific site risks, such as tanks, access systems, shutdown procedures, working on stage under lift motors, staff using EWP's with or without harnesses and rescue plans.

2. Encouraging Worker Involvement: I ask workers questions such as " Tell me about your job " or " What have you seen that makes you feel uncomfortable? " If you were training someone to do this job, what's the most important thing that they need to know to not balls this up? " Quite simply, this direct input shapes the training content.

3. Reducing Training Fatigue: Instead of relying on PowerPoint presentations, I use practical demonstrations, walk-arounds, and scenario-based discussions to keep sessions engaging.

4. Fostering a No-Nonsense Safety Culture: I connect WHS duties and regulations to workers' daily tasks, using plain language to encourage open communication and challenge unsafe practices.

5. Understanding why people do unsafe things: People will, for the most part - do the right thing, most of the time - but ( and I mean this with the greatest sincerity ) people will cut corners for several reasons - this could be a poor safety culture that's accepted, a fear of getting into trouble ( hiding a problem, or trying to make a deadline ) and sometimes - if not most times, these come from management issues ( usually poor management - being that there's not enough people, the management is lacking or non existent, or the staff percieve persecution for a failure or a lack of support systems. Management's adoption of ' safety ' is usually slow, due to it being seen as a ' cost centre ' that slows business, impacting revenue with ' no noticeable outcome ' until someone is hurt, usually quite seriously. The pendulum swings back to an extreme level of safety.
   

   

   If you know what you teach, it inspires confidence in the knowledge you're passing on

How I Blend Both Approaches in Practice

To achieve the best results, I intentionally mix accredited and non-accredited. Here's how I do it:

1. Start with Compliance: Identify where accredited training is mandatory (e.g., high-risk work, confined-space entry, work at heights, emergency response). Workers complete accredited courses to meet minimum standards.

2. Listen to Workers: During and after accredited training, and on-site, I gather feedback through toolbox talks, informal conversations, and short surveys to identify confusing procedures or areas of risk.

3. Design Contextual Non-Accredited Sessions: I create short, targeted sessions focused on specific tasks, known pinch points, or recent incidents. These sessions are grounded in WHS duties and regulations.

4. Refine Continuously :I make small adjustments based on new risks or worker feedback, incorporating them into the next non-accredited session or toolbox talk.

5. Track the Impact. Every time, I've observed fewer permit breaches, more proactive hazard reporting, and better worker engagement with WHS obligations.

The Benefits of a Blended Approach -

From my experience, combining accredited and non-accredited training delivers several practical benefits:

• Stronger WHS Compliance: Accredited training ensures regulatory obligations are met, while non-accredited training keeps learning relevant and practical.

• Better Worker Buy-In: When training reflects real jobs and workers feel heard, they engage more. I've seen sceptical crews become advocates for safer methods.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Not every topic requires a full accredited course. Targeted non-accredited refreshers reduce costs while improving impact.

• Real Risk Reduction: Non-accredited training bridges the "ap between "what t" e boo" says" and "what rea "ly happens," addressing real-world risks.

• Clarity and Simplicity: Clear, concise messaging aligned with WHS regulations ensures that workers understand and retain what they've learned.

Key Takeaways for WHS Professionals If you're responsible for WHS, HR, or operations in WA, here's how to adopt a similar approach:

1. Map Legal Requirements: Identify where accredited training is mandatory under the WHS Act and WA WHS Regulations.

2. Conduct a Training Needs Analysis :Compare current training records against roles, tasks, and the plant to identify gaps and overlaps.

3. Create Feedback Channels: Use toolbox talks, surveys, or debriefs to gather workers' experiences and insights.

4. Develop Targeted Non-Accredited Modules: Build sessions around specific tasks, hazards, and procedures aligned with your SWMS, JHAs, and rescue plans.

5. Support Internal Trainers: Equip trainers with clear materials and coaching to deliver engaging, practical sessions.

6. Monitor and Adjust: Use incident trends and worker feedback to refine both accredited and non-accredited training.
   

By blending accredited training to meet compliance requirements with non-accredited training to make it practical, you can create a safety culture that's not just about ticking boxes but is truly embedded in everyday work.