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About WHS
You'll become
Average Salaries
WHS workers may earn between $49,000 and $96,000 per year
Build in-demand professional skills for a vital industry and promote great health at work by studying a WHS course.
Build a rewarding new career protecting and promoting the health, safety and wellbeing of your colleagues by studying a WHS course.
Workplace health and safety concerns the management of risks and hazards in the workplace to best promote the health and safety of all employees, and is a vital and growing role in a significant proportion of Australian workplaces.
In an increasingly regulated and volatile world, businesses are urgently seeking qualified professionals who can help guide workplace success and ensure all employees thrive at work. By studying a WHS course, you’ll build the essential knowledge, skills and personal abilities required to succeed in a rewarding occupational health and safety role.
In a WHS course, you’ll learn how to apply risk management models to the workplace, understanding and cataloguing the risks, hazards and context in the workplace and formulating strategies and solutions. You’ll also develop a comprehensive understanding of the relevant workplace legislation and regulations, and will ensure your organisation continues to comply with complex rules and law.
Your learning will be grounded in a deep understanding of the context and global concepts of health, safety and work, and the implications and priorities of promoting safety in the workplace. If you’re seeking a rewarding, autonomous role where you have the potential to make a real difference, studying a WHS course will get you into a position to succeed at work.
You may study a WHS course at a range of different levels, including as a certificate or diploma course, as a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or as a graduate certificate or post-graduate diploma.
Job opportunities after completing a WHS course may include working as an occupational health and safety manager, an environmental officer or a safety consultant, working in virtually any industry. The Department of Employment notes that the majority of health and safety professionals work in the public administration, professional services and health care sectors.
If you enjoy working with people, enjoy analysis and planning, and are committed to promoting the health of all people at work, consider joining the exciting workplace health and safety sector.
What do whs graduates do?
Graduates of WHS courses usually work as occupational health and safety officers, and may work independently, in a safety team, or with the management team of a business or organisation. As a workplace health and safety professional, you may perform tasks like:
- Developing, communicating, implementing and reviewing workplace health and safety policies;
- Conducting workplace risk assessments, detailing hazards and preparing risk management and hazard control plans;
- Developing plans and strategies for the safe and effective disposal of waste;
- Implementing prevention programs and strategies for communicable diseases, food safety, waste water treatment and disposal systems, recreation and domestic waste water quality, contaminated and hazardous substances, and minimising air, water and noise pollution to improve employee health outcomes;
- Reviewing and researching relevant safety legislation and regulations;
- Advising colleagues on and implementing relevant legislation and regulations;
- Training colleagues in safe working procedures, including safe sitting and standing positions, personal protective wear, hand washing and hygiene, and best-practise safety behaviours;
- Recording and reporting injuries in the workplace, and adjusting risk management plans; and
- Inspecting and auditing the workplace regularly for risks, hazards and policy compliance.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook notes that the majority of health and safety professionals in Australia are employed in the industries:
- Public administration and safety
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
After completing a WHS course, you may seek employment in a wide range of health and safety assistance, management and leadership roles across a wide range of industries. Roles you may choose to take on include working as a:
- Safety Officer
- Work Health & Safety Officer
- Work Health & Safety Systems Officer
- Work Health & Safety (WHS) Systems Officer
- Work Health & Safety Assistant
- Occupational Health Professional
- Health Safety & Environment Coordinator
- Health and Safety Officer
- Safety Manager
- Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Officer
- Workplace Health Assessor
- Occupational Safety and Health Management Officer
- Environmental Health Professional
- Hygiene Technician
- Occupational Hygienist
- view all
Is whs right for you?
You’ll enjoy working in health and safety if you:
- Can think critically
- Can make decisions
- Enjoy working with people
- Thrive under pressure
- Have excellent time management and organisational skills
- Enjoy detailed work
- Are a natural leader
- Enjoy problem-solving
- Are highly motivated
- Have strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Are proactive and efficient
- Can think strategically and exercise sound judgment
- Can speak confidently in public
Job opportunities
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook describes the health and safety industry as a medium-sized and growing sector in Australia. Currently employing approximately 24,000 people, the sector has been growing in size for the past decade and is likely to continue growing at the same rate to employ approximately 27,400 people by 2020.
Similarly, approximately 6,000 people are employed in Australia as safety inspectors, and Job Outlook predicts opportunities in the profession to expand at a similar rate, to employ approximately 6,600 safety inspectors by 2020.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, a safety office may expect to earn an annual salary between $49,000 and $96,000, with an annual average salary of approximately $66,000.
A health and safety manger can expect to earn between $59,000 and $126,000 per year, with an annual average salary of approximately $85,000, according to PayScale. PayScale notes that a strong, positive relationship exists between earning capacity and experience, with managers with 20 years of professional experience or more earning on average $122,000 per year, while entry-level managers earn on average approximately $73,000 per year.