Construction is a high-risk industry, and in NSW all people who work on a construction site must undergo government-approved safety training. This is known as ‘White Card’ or ‘Construction Induction Training Card’.
In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at the training course behind the construction industry white card — what you’ll learn, how long it takes, where to study, and how to get your card. If you work in the NSW construction industry, (or your work regularly takes you onto construction sites eg, security guards, IT cablers) reading this blog is 3-5 minutes well spent. Let’s get started.
The mandatory NSW White Card training course generally takes around 6-7 hours and consists of the nationally recognised unit: CPCCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry. The training is delivered face-to-face with a qualified trainer, either in a classroom or via broadcast (eg, Zoom).
The focus of the course is work health and safety (WHS) and the risks and hazards you’ll encounter on any construction site. Specifically, the course covers:
Construction industry white card training in NSW is carried out by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) who are vetted and approved by Safework NSW. The RTO must have specialist knowledge of construction, and their assessors and trainers must be actively employed in the industry.
The person who delivers your training course will be a qualified trainer PLUS have a working knowledge of construction. They will have personally encountered the risks and hazards they talk about in the course and will be able to show you real ways to reduce the risk to yourself (and others) while on the job.
White Cards in NSW are issued by SafeWork NSW. After you finish the course, your training provider will give you an application form to complete and then submit this to SafeWork along with your training records. Once processed, your card will be mailed directly to you.
While you are waiting for your White Card to arrive in the mail, you can use your Statement of Training (SOT) certificate (as proof of training to an employer) for up to 60 days. Cards are usually mailed out within 30 days of training.
Got a question about the NSW construction industry induction training card? Here are the questions we get asked the most.
Does my NSW white card expire?
No. As long as you continue working in the NSW construction industry your card is valid.
I completed a different unit code (eg, CPCCOHS1001A - Work safely in the construction industry) do I need to do the training again?
No. As long as you have been continuously working in the NSW construction industry you don’t need to do the training again.
I had to stop working for a while. Is my card still valid?
Sometimes people take a break from the workforce (pregnancy, illness, vacation, etc) or move to another industry.
If it has been more than two (2) years since you were on a construction site, you’ll need to do the training again.
How old do I have to be to do the training?
You must be at least 14 years old to do your white card training.
I hold a GIT Card from another state, do I need the NSW white card too?
No. SafeWork NSW recognises all interstate General Construction Induction Training (GIT) cards.
Need your NSW construction industry white card? Here at Vigil training, we carry out courses every week at our high-tech training rooms in Parramatta. Our experienced trainers will prepare you for safe work on a construction site then submit your white card application to SafeWork NSW. Sound good? Browse our upcoming course dates and book online today.
