WHS Basics for Security Officers (Australia) 2026
This course is for security officers who want to understand work health and safety (WHS) law in Australia. It covers the model WHS laws and Victoria's OHS Act, who has duties, hazards such as lone night work and aggression, your right to stop unsafe work and notifiable incidents. It is background knowledge only and does not replace your state security licence training or your employer's induction.
Kort svar
Den här gratiskursen har lektioner på cirka 30 minuter och ett prov med 25 frågor. Med minst 80 % kan du ladda ner ett kursintyg (privat, inte ackrediterat). Kontrollerad mot officiella källor den 13 oktober 2026.
Det här lär du dig
- Name the WHS law that applies in each state, including Victoria's OHS Act
- Explain the duties of PCBUs, officers, workers and visitors
- Use the hierarchy of controls to think about hazards on a post
- Recognise remote work, fatigue and aggression as hazards to manage
- Explain when and how a worker may stop unsafe work
- Describe notifiable incidents and how the scene is preserved
Få minst 80 % för att ladda ner ditt certifikat.
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Fråga 1 av 25
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Svar: D. Victoria
Safe Work Australia says the model WHS laws have been put in place in every jurisdiction except Victoria.
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Svar: C. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
WorkSafe Victoria describes the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 as the main workplace health and safety law in Victoria, which has not adopted the model WHS laws.
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Svar: C. 31 March 2022
WA passed its WHS Act in November 2020, and the laws began operating on 31 March 2022.
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Svar: A. It develops model laws; it is not a regulator
Safe Work Australia develops the model WHS laws and guidance. It says it is not a regulator; state, territory and Commonwealth regulators enforce the laws.
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Svar: B. SafeWork NSW
Each state and territory has its own WHS regulator that enforces the law. In NSW it is SafeWork NSW.
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Fråga 6 av 25
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Svar: A. So far as is reasonably practicable
The primary duty of care in section 19 requires the PCBU to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
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Fråga 7 av 25
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Svar: C. Both your company and the centre
Section 19 covers workers the PCBU engages and workers whose work it influences or directs, so both businesses can owe you duties.
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Fråga 8 av 25
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Svar: C. A person who makes major business decisions
An officer is generally someone who makes significant business decisions or can greatly affect its finances. Officers must exercise due diligence.
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Fråga 9 av 25
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Svar: A. That their acts or omissions do not harm others
Section 28 also requires workers to take care that what they do, or fail to do, does not harm others, and to follow reasonable instructions and policies.
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Svar: C. Yes, they must take reasonable care
Section 29 says other people at a workplace must take reasonable care and follow the PCBU's reasonable instructions so far as they can.
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Svar: C. Eliminating the hazard
The hierarchy of controls starts with elimination, then substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls and finally PPE.
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Svar: A. Last, used if risk remains after other controls
PPE is the last and least effective level. It is used if a risk remains after higher controls.
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Fråga 13 av 25
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Svar: B. Rescue, medical or emergency services
Remote or isolated work is work where, because of the location, time or nature of the work, you cannot get immediate help from rescue, medical or emergency services.
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Svar: A. A check-in at the start and sign-off at the end
SafeWork NSW lists check-ins and sign-offs, regular contact with supervisors, duress alarms and similar controls for remote or isolated work.
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Svar: A. 0.05
SafeWork NSW says 17 hours awake affects you about as much as a blood alcohol content of 0.05, and 20 hours about as much as 0.1.
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Svar: A. As a risk the PCBU must manage
Safe Work Australia says PCBUs must manage the health and safety risks of workplace violence and aggression, including from customers and clients.
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Fråga 17 av 25
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Svar: C. 1 December 2025
The Victorian regulations started on 1 December 2025. They require employers to identify and control risks from psychosocial hazards such as aggression or violence.
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Svar: B. When they reasonably fear a serious, immediate risk
Section 84 lets a worker cease or refuse work if they reasonably believe it would expose them to a serious risk from an immediate or imminent hazard.
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Svar: A. Tell the PCBU and stay available for other work
The worker must tell the PCBU as soon as practicable and remain available for suitable alternative work.
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Svar: C. It is banned as discriminatory conduct
Sections 104 and 105 protect workers from discriminatory conduct for raising safety issues or using their WHS rights.
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Svar: D. A serious burn
Section 36 lists serious injuries such as amputation, a serious burn, a serious eye injury and a spinal injury. These are notifiable.
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Svar: D. Immediately after becoming aware of it
The PCBU must notify the regulator immediately after becoming aware of the incident, by the fastest possible means.
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Svar: A. 48 hours
Section 38 says written notice must be given within 48 hours of the regulator asking for it.
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Svar: C. At least 5 years
Section 38 requires a record of each notifiable incident to be kept for at least 5 years from the day notice is given.
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Svar: C. To help an injured person
Section 39 says the site must be preserved until an inspector releases it, except to help an injured person, remove a deceased person, make the site safe, or for police or with permission.
Tangentbord: 1–4 för att svara, Enter för nästa fråga.
Bra att veta före provet
- The model WHS laws apply in every state and territory except Victoria, which uses the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004.
- A PCBU must ensure workers' health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, including workers whose work it directs or influences.
- A worker may stop work if they reasonably fear a serious risk from an immediate or imminent hazard, and must tell the PCBU as soon as practicable.
- Notifiable incidents must be reported to the regulator immediately, and the scene kept as it is until an inspector releases it.
- Victoria's Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 started on 1 December 2025.
Vanliga frågor
Does WHS law apply to security officers?
Yes. Security officers are workers, and their employer and often the client site owe them duties. Security officers also have their own duty to take reasonable care and follow reasonable instructions.
Do I still need a security licence and site induction?
Yes. Each state requires a security licence with set training, and your employer must give you information and training for your post. This course is background knowledge only and does not replace either.
Can I refuse to work alone at night?
Working alone is not banned, but your employer must manage the risk, for example with check-ins and duress alarms. You may stop work if you reasonably fear a serious, immediate risk.
Who do I report a serious injury to?
Report it to your supervisor at once. The PCBU must notify the WHS regulator in your state, such as SafeWork NSW or WorkSafe Victoria, immediately.
Är intyget ackrediterat eller officiellt erkänt?
Nej. Det är ett privat kursintyg, bara för dina kunskaper. Det är inte erkänt, ackrediterat eller godkänt av någon myndighet, tillståndsmyndighet, tillsynsmyndighet eller utbildningsinstitution, och det ersätter inte någon licens, certifiering eller utbildning som krävs enligt lag.
Källor
- Safe Work Australia: Model WHS laws
- Safe Work Australia: Model WHS Bill (5 December 2025)
- WorkSafe Victoria: OHS Act and Regulations
- SafeWork NSW: Remote and isolated work
- SafeWork NSW: Hierarchy of controls
- NT WorkSafe: Workers' right to cease or refuse unsafe work
- Premier of Victoria: New regulations start today to protect workers
- Safe Work Australia: Contact us (not a regulator)
- SafeWork NSW: About us
- Safe Work Australia: Workplace violence and aggression
- Safe Work Australia: Incident reporting