Did you know that the average salary of a Work Health and Safety (WHS) Officer is $100,352 (before tax) per annum? (Source: Seek) That buys you 27,645 cups of coffee in Melbourne, 33,450 cans of Red Bulls in Sydney, and 29,602 bottles of XXXX Gold in Queensland! It can also be a pretty nice deposit for your future home!

Growth forecast

It has been projected by Job Outlook that between 10,000 to 25,000 more Work Health and Safety professionals are needed in 2020 compared to 2015. This shows a growth in demand and how crucial the functions of a Work Health and Safety Officers are to our nation! The top three regions requiring WHS Officers are:

• Queensland – 27.4%
• NSW – 19.2%
• Victoria – 17.3%

Currently, there are nearly 30,000 people employed as occupational and environmental health professionals in Australia.

What does a WHS Officer do?

A WHS Officer is mainly responsible to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related illnesses in the workplace. They are responsible for creating and implementing health and safety policies and procedures in accordance with the latest legislation and to ensure that these policies are implemented within the workplace. WHS Officers are also commonly tasked with assisting injured staff through the compensation and rehabilitation process if they are injured during the course of their work.

The tasks include, but are not limited to:

• identifying hazards
• assessing, controlling, and where possible eliminating risks in the workplace
• analysing, developing, and implementing work health and safety plans
• reviewing, designing and effecting return-to-work programs
• training employees and contracts in the correct use of equipment (where required)
• recording, reporting and investigating workplace accidents and injuries
• recording and reporting on safety performance
• inspecting, auditing and making recommendations on workplace conditions and hazards
• forming policies and processes to ensure the workplace is compliant with the appropriate legislation
• stay updated with the current legislation, news and technology concerning the WHS industry
• collaborating and liaising with employees, contractors, and other external parties at various levels

What do employers look for in a WHS Officer?

Employers are looking for WHS Officers who are tactful and diplomatic, able to work independently or as part of a team, good communication skills, good interpersonal skills, as well as someone who can exercise great discretion and respect for confidentiality and privacy. They also look for personnel who are computer literate, have strong analytical skills and excellent listening and research skills. Most importantly, employers are looking for employees who have integrity and are honest.

What qualifications are needed to become a WHS professional?

There are no mandatory qualifications to work in the work health and safety field, however, employers commonly look for a minimum formal training requirement such as a Certificate IV in WHS.

If you want to pursue a career in work health and safety, come check out our Work Health and Safety certificate course or our Work Health and Safety diploma course. Both courses are Australian accredited, nationally recognised courses that can help equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to work effectively in the work health and safety sector.

After completing your Cert IV or Diploma, you are also able to continue your training with more advanced vocational qualifications, and even pursue undergraduate and postgraduate study at university! Larger organisations value formal, nationally recognised training to assure them that they are hiring someone who is competent and able to carry out their role professionally as a WHS professional

Do you think you have what it takes to make it in the work health and safety industry? Come speak to one of our team members today!

Always remember that you have to put in the effort to be able to reap its rewards! Don’t be fearful of hard work and keep focusing on your end goal!