Published 15 May 2023

Free vs Paid OHS Courses: Health and Safety in the Workplace

Michael Yi

If you’re in any way responsible for your workplace’s health and safety – which, really, every worker should be – you must be trained up in OHS: occupational health and safety. If you work in an industry that can impact your safety on the job, it’s essential that you know how to appropriately manage situations that can affect your wellbeing.

In 2019, the most work-related injury fatalities occurred in machinery operation, labouring work, and trades work. Getting trained up in OHS means that you can monitor these kinds of workplaces adequately and help prevent these kinds of work-related injuries in the future.

This isn’t only essential for your safety and security but also ensures that your colleagues feel the same way: safe and secure. You want everyone to feel good in their workplace, so why wouldn’t you want to help contribute to that feeling of security? If you want to take on the responsibility of ensuring safety for workers, completing a course in OHS is your best bet.

Free OHS Courses

There are several free OHS courses available online.

These short courses include modules that touch on general workplace health and safety advice, on topics like:

Construction site safety
Food safety
Risk assessment
Manual handling

These courses offer online training programs that will familiarise you with the basic principles of workplace health and safety. Essentially, this is what a free OHS course will provide you with: the basics. Free online modules can be completed in 3 hours or less.

So, if all you’re after is the basics and you’re looking to learn fast, a free online course can be a great way to learn some quick safety measures.

However, if you’re looking for more responsibility and the qualifications that come with that responsibility, you will need to pursue more than a free online course. What you will need is adequate certification.

Paid OHS Courses

If you work in an OHS dependent field, a Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety is the minimum requirement for a majority of Australian workplaces. This is to ensure that you have the essential knowledge and safety training required to be responsible for your workplace. This knowledge is valuable, expanding beyond the skills you gather from a free online course.

While studying for your Certificate IV, you will be provided with training course materials that will teach you:

How to provide advice regarding the duties, rights, and obligations of individuals and groups working within OHS legislation
How to identify and monitor OHS risks, and how to manage and control these risks through proven risk management procedures according to legislative requirements
How to effectively communicate procedures and safety information
How to deliver safety-related training and improve participation with workers

A Certificate IV will qualify your level of responsibility in your workplace. Getting certified ensures that the do’s and don’ts you’re providing your workers with are legitimate in the grand scheme of workplace safety.

You know what’s right because you studied professionally; your certificate proves that. This doesn’t just keep your workers safe and secure, but also prevents you from getting fined, since you ensure the correct safety measures are taken in your workplace.

Since a Certificate IV is the minimum requirement for Australian OHS workers, State Government funding may be available to you, if you’re eligible and enrol with a registered training organisation like TAFE.

If you’re looking to spend a little longer and learn a little more in the field of Work Health and Safety, you also have the option to study a Diploma of Work Health and Safety. A Diploma will take you a little longer than a Certificate IV – with a Certificate IV taking 6-12 months to complete, and a Diploma taking 12 months.

The bonus is that little bit of extra time, which leads to that little bit of extra knowledge. Both course options are nationally recognised training within Australia.

At the end of the day, Work Health and Safety is an asset. People value that. Specifically, employers value that. Whether you complete a short, free course or commit more time to a nationally recognised course, it’s no doubt that your skills will be appreciated in your workplace.

Qualified OHS professionals are in high demand across Australia, so, if it’s secure work you’re looking for, it’s worth taking that one step further by getting qualified.

Browse OHS Courses