Topic 2.3 Workplace Health and Safety Education, Training and Competency Development

Education and training are fundamental components of an effective workplace health and safety system.

While policies, procedures and risk controls provide the framework for safe practice, these measures are only effective if people understand how to apply them consistently in their everyday work.

Occupational Therapists working with assistance animals frequently provide education to a wide range of stakeholders, including:

• clients;
• families;
• support workers;
• educators;
• employers;
• healthcare professionals;
• assistance animal organisations; and
• community members.

In many situations, the Occupational Therapist may identify gaps in workplace knowledge, skills or competency and recommend additional education or support.

Education should not be viewed as a one-off event completed during orientation.

Instead, competency should be developed progressively through:

• ongoing learning;
• practical experience;
• supervision;
• reflection;
• feedback; and
• regular review.

Effective education supports safer practice by ensuring that people understand not only what they are required to do, but why those practices are important.

Identifying WHS Training Needs

The first step in developing workplace competence is identifying the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the role or activity and comparing these requirements with the person’s existing knowledge, skills, experience and demonstrated competence.

A WHS training-needs assessment is therefore more than identifying that someone has not completed a particular course.

It involves considering:

• what the person needs to know;
• what the person needs to be able to do;
• what they already know or can demonstrate;
• where gaps exist;
• the significance of those gaps;
• what education, support or development is required; and
• how competency will be confirmed where practical competence is necessary.

Training needs should be proportionate to:

• the person’s role;
• responsibilities;
• tasks undertaken;
• workplace hazards;
• level of risk;
• complexity of the work;
• previous experience;
• existing competence;
• required supervision; and
• the foreseeable consequences if the activity is undertaken incorrectly.

Training needs may arise when:

• new workers commence;
• contractors, students or volunteers enter the workplace;
• a new assistance animal partnership is established;
• workplace procedures change;
• legislation, regulation or professional standards are updated;
• Codes of Practice or regulator guidance change;
• new equipment or technology is introduced;
• services expand into a new environment;
• a practitioner begins working with a different assistance animal species;
• incidents or near misses occur;
• hazards are identified;
• audits or inspections identify deficiencies;
• complaints or stakeholder feedback reveal knowledge gaps;
• a person’s role or responsibilities change;
• competency concerns are identified;
• procedural deviations are observed;
• an existing risk control is not being implemented effectively; or
• emerging evidence indicates that practice should change.

Occupational Therapists should avoid assuming that previous experience automatically equates to competence.

Even experienced professionals may require additional education when:

• entering a new field of practice;
• working with assistance animals for the first time;
• undertaking unfamiliar tasks;
• using new equipment;
• working in unfamiliar environments; or
• supporting clients or animals with complex needs.

Similarly, completion of previous education does not necessarily establish that the person remains competent to undertake a particular task.

Competency should therefore be reviewed throughout professional practice.

Sources of Information About Training Needs

Training needs can be identified from a range of information sources.

These may include:

• workplace risk assessments;
• hazard reports;
• incident reports;
• near-miss reports;
• incident investigations;
• observation of work practices;
• consultation with workers;
• worker self-assessment;
• supervision;
• competency assessments;
• client feedback;
• stakeholder feedback;
• complaints;
• workplace inspections;
• audit findings;
• training records;
• changes in organisational procedures;
• new or revised equipment;
• changes to assistance animal services;
• changes in workplace conditions;
• changes in legal or professional requirements; and
• evidence that existing work practices are not achieving the intended safety outcome.

Using multiple information sources can provide a more accurate picture than relying on a single training record or self-reported learning need.

For example, a worker may believe they understand an emergency procedure, but a drill may identify uncertainty about:

• who contacts emergency services;
• who manages the assistance animal;
• where emergency equipment is located; or
• what happens if the handler becomes unable to care for the animal.

The identified training need should therefore reflect actual practice requirements, not simply whether training has previously been completed.

Analysing the Competency Gap

A useful training-needs assessment compares:

Required competence

with:

Current competence

to identify:

Development required

For example, an Occupational Therapist commencing home and community assistance animal assessments may already have extensive clinical assessment skills but limited experience in:

• lone-worker procedures;
• dynamic environmental risk assessment;
• occupational violence and aggression;
• animal transport;
• emergency communication outside controlled clinical settings;
• assistance animal welfare assessment; or
• responding to public-access conflict.

The practitioner does not necessarily require broad introductory Occupational Therapy or WHS training.

Instead, education and professional development should target the identified gaps.

This approach avoids unnecessary duplication and ensures learning resources are directed towards areas that genuinely affect safe professional practice.

Different Learning Needs Require Different Responses

Not every identified gap requires a formal training course.

Depending on the circumstances, an appropriate response may include:

• provision of information;
• written instructions;
• accessible guidance;
• orientation;
• induction;
• demonstration;
• coaching;
• supervised practice;
• mentoring;
• professional supervision;
• practical instruction;
• scenario-based learning;
• simulation;
• formal education;
• refresher training;
• continuing professional development;
• competency assessment; or
• consultation with a specialist educator or professional.

A useful distinction is:

Information required → Education required → Supervised practice required → Demonstrated competency required

For example, a worker may only require updated information about a change to an internal reporting process.

By contrast, a person expected to undertake a complex animal-handling activity may require:

• theoretical education;
• practical demonstration;
• supervised practice; and
• confirmation of competency before undertaking the task independently.

The response should match the nature and significance of the identified gap.

Prioritising WHS Training Needs

Not every training need carries the same level of urgency.

Priority should reflect the level of risk.

Higher priority may be appropriate where:

• serious injury or illness could result from inadequate competence;
• animal welfare could be significantly compromised;
• the activity is unfamiliar;
• the person will work independently;
• complex equipment is involved;
• hazardous substances are involved;
• animal behaviour creates additional risk;
• emergency response requires rapid action;
• legal or regulatory requirements apply;
• an incident or near miss has identified a competency gap;
• repeated procedural deviations are occurring;
• the worker cannot currently implement an important risk control; or
• the person’s decisions may substantially affect the safety of others.

Lower-risk or primarily informational matters may be addressed through proportionate communication or education.

Prioritisation should not be based simply on which training is easiest to deliver.

Documenting Training Needs

Where appropriate, training-needs assessment may record:

• person or role;
• knowledge or competency required;
• current competence;
• identified gap;
• source of the identified need;
• reason development is required;
• level of priority;
• proposed learning or development activity;
• required supervision;
• person responsible;
• timeframe;
• method for confirming competency;
• date completed;
• refresher or review requirements; and
• further action required.

Documentation should be sufficient to support safe practice, monitoring and accountability without becoming unnecessarily burdensome.

Sole Practitioners

Training-needs assessment is also relevant to sole practitioners.

A sole-practitioner Occupational Therapist remains responsible for recognising and responding to their own professional development needs.

This may occur through:

• reflective practice;
• continuing professional development;
• professional supervision;
• peer consultation;
• case review;
• incident and near-miss review;
• audit findings;
• professional feedback;
• changes in the nature of practice;
• changes in legislation or professional guidance;
• emerging evidence; and
• recognition of the limits of personal expertise.

A practitioner should not assume that self-employment removes the need to maintain WHS competence.

Where the practitioner later engages:

• employees;
• contractors;
• students;
• volunteers; or
• other workers,

appropriate induction, training, supervision and competency processes should also be established.

Assistance Animal Practice Example – Identifying Training Needs

An Occupational Therapist begins providing assistance animal assessments within schools.

The practitioner already has extensive experience in paediatric Occupational Therapy but identifies limited knowledge concerning:

• assistance animal access arrangements within education settings;
• school WHS systems;
• emergency evacuation involving an assistance animal;
• interactions between students and a working animal;
• managing distraction of the animal;
• rest and welfare requirements during a school day;
• communication with teaching staff;
• incident-reporting pathways; and
• coordinating responsibilities between the school, family, OT and assistance animal provider.

The training-needs assessment therefore identifies targeted learning and consultation in these areas rather than requiring the practitioner to repeat broad introductory WHS education.

This demonstrates that training-needs assessment should be role-specific, evidence-informed and proportionate.

Assessing Competency

Competency involves more than theoretical knowledge.

It requires individuals to consistently demonstrate safe, ethical and effective practice.

Competency may be assessed through:

• direct observation;
• practical demonstrations;
• case discussions;
• simulation exercises;
• reflective practice;
• workplace assessment;
• review of documentation; and
• feedback from supervisors or colleagues.

Assessment should focus on an individual’s ability to apply knowledge safely within real or appropriately simulated practice settings.

In assistance animal practice, competency may include the ability to:

• identify hazards;
• assess risk;
• implement appropriate controls;
• recognise animal welfare concerns;
• recognise behavioural signs of stress or fatigue;
• communicate effectively with people using assistance animals;
• work respectfully with other stakeholders;
• apply workplace procedures;
• respond appropriately to incidents;
• respond appropriately to emergencies;
• use relevant equipment safely;
• recognise the limits of professional competence; and
• understand professional boundaries.

Attendance at training does not automatically establish competency.

Where a task carries material risk, organisations should consider whether practical competence needs to be demonstrated before the person undertakes the task independently.

Adult Learning Principles

Most education provided by Occupational Therapists involves adult learners.

Adults bring existing knowledge, skills, beliefs and professional or lived experience to learning.

Effective adult learning is generally:

• relevant to the learner’s role;
• practical and problem-focused;
• collaborative;
• respectful of previous experience;
• immediately applicable to practice; and
• supported by opportunities for discussion and reflection.

Learning is often enhanced when participants can relate new information to situations they encounter in their own workplaces or daily activities.

Education should therefore avoid treating adult learners as passive recipients of information.

Where appropriate, learners should have opportunities to:

• ask questions;
• discuss concerns;
• analyse scenarios;
• reflect on previous experiences;
• practise skills;
• apply information; and
• contribute to problem-solving.

Tailoring Education to the Learner

Occupational Therapists should adapt education to meet the individual needs of learners.

Factors to consider may include:

• professional background;
• previous experience;
• literacy;
• health literacy;
• language;
• cultural background;
• communication preferences;
• disability-related communication requirements;
• cognitive accessibility;
• sensory requirements;
• physical access requirements;
• confidence with animals;
• familiarity with the workplace; and
• the learner’s role and responsibilities.

Education should be delivered using language that is:

• clear;
• accurate;
• accessible; and
• appropriate for the intended audience.

A person’s ability to access or understand safety information may be affected by:

• inaccessible language;
• communication barriers;
• disability;
• inadequate formatting;
• language differences;
• unfamiliar terminology;
• sensory barriers; or
• previous experiences.

The appropriate response is to improve accessibility rather than assume that the learner lacks ability.

Accessible education is therefore part of effective WHS practice.

Methods of Education

There are many ways to deliver workplace health and safety education.

Methods may include:

• face-to-face education sessions;
• practical demonstrations;
• supervised practice;
• workplace coaching;
• online learning modules;
• written resources;
• visual resources;
• Easy Read information;
• instructional videos;
• case studies;
• simulation activities;
• toolbox talks;
• mentoring;
• peer learning; and
• professional supervision.

A combination of methods is often more effective than relying on a single educational approach.

For example, learning about assistance animal safety may involve:

1. theoretical education about animal behaviour;
2. observation of safe interactions;
3. practical demonstration;
4. supervised workplace application; and
5. feedback on performance.

Education should provide opportunities for people to apply knowledge rather than simply receive information.

Client Education

Clients should have access to education relevant to safely and effectively participating with their assistance animal in everyday environments.

Education may include:

• recognising signs of fatigue or stress in the animal;
• maintaining appropriate hygiene;
• safe handling of equipment;
• responding to emergencies;
• understanding contingency arrangements;
• maintaining relevant public-access standards;
• balancing task performance with animal welfare;
• understanding when work should be modified or stopped;
• reporting concerns; and
• knowing when to seek professional assistance.

Education should be individualised and reviewed as circumstances change.

The need for assistance, accessible information or repeated education should not be interpreted as evidence that the person is unsuitable to work with an assistance animal.

Family and Carer Education

Family members, carers and other support people may provide practical assistance to an assistance animal partnership.

Where relevant and with appropriate consent, education may include:

• safe interactions with the assistance animal;
• respecting the animal’s working role;
• recognising welfare concerns;
• infection prevention;
• supporting training consistency;
• emergency procedures;
• temporary animal care;
• understanding the role of the assistance animal; and
• recognising professional and personal boundaries.

Clear information can reduce misunderstandings and support consistency across environments.

However, family members or carers should not automatically be given information or responsibility without considering:

• consent;
• privacy;
• relevance;
• the person’s preferences; and
• the actual support role being undertaken.

Educating Workplaces and Community Organisations

Occupational Therapists frequently work with:

• employers;
• schools;
• universities;
• hospitals;
• healthcare services;
• aged-care providers;
• disability services;
• community organisations; and
• other workplaces.

Education may address:

• assistance animal access;
• workplace adjustments;
• reasonable adjustments;
• emergency planning;
• appropriate interactions with working animals;
• allergy management;
• infection prevention;
• animal welfare;
• safety responsibilities;
• communication;
• incident response; and
• responsibilities under applicable disability discrimination legislation.

Effective education can reduce unnecessary barriers while promoting both inclusion and workplace safety.

Supporting Support Workers and Other Professionals

Support workers, educators and other professionals may also require education regarding safe assistance animal practice.

Topics may include:

• maintaining task consistency;
• recognising behavioural changes;
• recognising signs of animal fatigue or distress;
• reporting concerns;
• avoiding distraction of the assistance animal;
• supporting client independence;
• implementing agreed controls;
• responding to incidents;
• emergency procedures;
• equipment use; and
• understanding role boundaries.

Clear role definition helps ensure everyone understands their responsibilities within the assistance animal partnership.

Public Safety Awareness and Education in Assistance Animal Practice

The Role of Public Education

Workplace health and safety education may extend beyond employees and internal workplace training.

Within assistance animal practice, professionals may contribute to broader community education and public safety awareness programs.

These programs may support understanding of:

• assistance animal roles;
• safe interactions;
• disability inclusion;
• public-access responsibilities;
• animal welfare considerations; and
• respectful interactions with people using assistance animals.

Public safety education can contribute to environments in which community members are better able to make safe and informed decisions.

Purpose of Public Safety Awareness Programs

Public safety awareness programs aim to provide people with relevant knowledge and practical guidance.

Effective awareness programs may:

• increase understanding of risks;
• reduce preventable incidents;
• improve communication;
• promote appropriate behaviours;
• support inclusion; and
• strengthen community confidence.

Within assistance animal practice, public education may help address misunderstandings that create safety risks or unnecessary barriers.

Examples include helping people understand:

• why working animals should not be distracted;
• why assistance animals require appropriate space;
• why people should speak to the person rather than the animal;
• why disability may not be visible;
• why invasive questioning is inappropriate;
• how to interact respectfully with assistance animal users; and
• how organisations can support lawful and safe access.

Developing Effective Public Awareness Programs

Effective awareness programs should be planned rather than developed only after incidents occur.

Development should consider:

• the intended audience;
• purpose of the education;
• identified need;
• risks being addressed;
• desired learning outcomes;
• appropriate communication methods;
• accessibility requirements;
• cultural considerations;
• evidence base; and
• evaluation strategies.

Different audiences require different information.

For example:

Workplace employing a person who uses an assistance animal

Education may address:

• reasonable adjustments;
• workplace inclusion;
• assistance animal etiquette;
• WHS responsibilities;
• emergency planning; and
• appropriate responses to concerns.

School community

Education may address:

• respectful interactions;
• disability awareness;
• appropriate boundaries;
• avoiding distraction;
• animal welfare; and
• safety.

Business

Education may address:

• assistance animal access responsibilities;
• customer service;
• appropriate questions;
• safe interaction;
• responding to complaints; and
• managing concerns appropriately.

Assistance Animal Etiquette Education

A key component of public safety education is helping people understand appropriate assistance animal etiquette.

Education may include explaining that:

• working animals should not be distracted;
• people should communicate with the handler rather than attempting to direct the animal;
• people should ask before interacting;
• feeding an assistance animal is inappropriate unless authorised;
• the animal may need physical space;
• handlers have a right to privacy;
• disabilities may not be visible; and
• unnecessary interference may affect the person’s safety or independence.

A person approaching or distracting an assistance animal may not intend harm.

However, their actions may affect:

• animal concentration;
• handler safety;
• task performance;
• animal welfare; and
• public confidence.

Education can help prevent these situations without portraying community members as intentionally harmful.

Accessible Public Education

Public safety education should itself be accessible.

Occupational Therapists bring relevant expertise in ensuring information considers:

• disability;
• literacy;
• communication preferences;
• language;
• sensory requirements;
• cognitive accessibility;
• cultural considerations; and
• different ways people access information.

Accessible education may include:

• plain language;
• Easy Read;
• visual information;
• captions;
• alternative formats;
• interpreters;
• demonstrations;
• translated materials;
• digital resources; and
• interactive learning.

A safety message is ineffective if the intended audience cannot access or understand it.

Education of Organisations and Workplaces

Businesses, schools and organisations have an important role in creating safe and inclusive environments.

Education may assist organisations to understand:

• assistance animal access responsibilities;
• appropriate staff responses;
• workplace safety considerations;
• risk management;
• reasonable adjustments;
• emergency arrangements;
• animal welfare; and
• complaint handling.

Well-informed organisations are better able to balance:

• inclusion;
• safety;
• animal welfare;
• disability rights;
• worker responsibilities; and
• operational requirements.

Role of Occupational Therapists in Public Education

Occupational Therapists may contribute to public safety education through:

• workplace education;
• client education;
• staff training;
• professional presentations;
• community programs;
• resource development;
• consultation; and
• multidisciplinary collaboration.

OTs can help translate complex information into practical strategies that support safe participation.

Examples include educating:

• employers about workplace adjustments;
• schools about assistance animal inclusion;
• support workers about safe interactions;
• families about partnership responsibilities;
• healthcare providers about accessibility; and
• organisations about person-centred risk management.

Occupational Therapists should remain within their professional scope and seek appropriate specialist input where education extends beyond their competence.

Collaboration in Safety Education

Effective education programs may require collaboration between multiple stakeholders.

This may include:

• assistance animal organisations;
• disability organisations;
• healthcare professionals;
• Occupational Therapists;
• trainers;
• veterinarians;
• behaviour professionals;
• employers;
• education providers;
• community groups;
• WHS professionals; and
• government agencies.

Collaboration may improve:

• accuracy;
• consistency;
• relevance;
• reach; and
• community trust.

No single profession or organisation necessarily holds all expertise required for complex assistance animal practice.

Evaluating Public Safety Programs

Providing education does not necessarily result in changes in knowledge or behaviour.

Education programs should therefore be evaluated.

Evaluation may consider:

• whether knowledge improved;
• whether participants can apply the information;
• whether behaviours changed;
• whether incidents reduced;
• whether misconceptions decreased;
• whether participants found the education useful;
• whether information was accessible;
• whether the program reached the intended audience; and
• whether further education is required.

Methods may include:

• feedback surveys;
• participant reflection;
• knowledge checks;
• observation;
• incident monitoring;
• stakeholder feedback;
• follow-up discussion; and
• review of recurring questions or concerns.

Evaluation helps ensure education remains relevant and effective.

Education Topics in Assistance Animal Practice

Depending on the audience, education may include:

• WHS responsibilities;
• hazard identification;
• risk assessment;
• hierarchy of controls;
• incident and near-miss reporting;
• infection prevention and control;
• safe animal interaction;
• animal handling where relevant;
• recognising signs of stress or fatigue in assistance animals;
• emergency procedures;
• public-access expectations;
• disability awareness;
• reasonable adjustment;
• assistance animal etiquette;
• psychosocial safety; and
• animal welfare responsibilities.

Education should be evidence-informed and consistent with:

• current legislation;
• applicable regulation;
• relevant regulator guidance;
• professional standards;
• organisational policies; and
• appropriate evidence.

Ongoing Professional Development

Competency is not static.

Workplace health and safety knowledge should be continually maintained and updated throughout professional practice.

Occupational Therapists should undertake continuing professional development relevant to their own role and identified professional needs.

Relevant areas may include:

• workplace health and safety;
• infection prevention;
• manual tasks;
• assistance animal practice;
• disability legislation;
• animal behaviour and welfare;
• trauma-informed practice;
• psychosocial hazards;
• occupational violence and aggression;
• emergency management;
• assistive technology;
• environmental assessment; and
• changes in professional or legal requirements.

Professional development should respond to actual learning needs rather than simply accumulate hours or certificates.

Regular development helps practitioners maintain contemporary knowledge and respond to emerging risks.

Supporting Continuous Improvement

Education should contribute to continuous improvement rather than simply meeting compliance requirements.

Organisations should encourage:

• regular review of workplace practices;
• reflective practice;
• discussion of incidents and near misses;
• sharing of lessons learned;
• identification of emerging risks;
• review of procedural deviations;
• collaborative problem-solving;
• feedback;
• supervision; and
• identification of new training needs.

Learning from practice should inform future:

• procedures;
• controls;
• education;
• supervision;
• equipment;
• resource allocation; and
• organisational systems.

Creating opportunities for ongoing learning helps strengthen workplace safety culture and improve outcomes for both people and assistance animals.

When to Seek Additional Expertise

Occupational Therapists should recognise the limits of their own expertise and seek additional support where required.

Referral, consultation or specialist education may be appropriate where the issue requires expertise in areas such as:

• veterinary medicine;
• advanced animal behaviour;
• workplace health and safety law;
• specialist WHS risk management;
• infection prevention;
• engineering controls;
• hazardous chemicals;
• specialist disability support;
• emergency management;
• occupational violence and aggression; or
• another area outside the practitioner’s competence.

Recognising the need for additional expertise is a component of professional competence, not evidence of professional failure.

Working collaboratively with other professionals helps ensure that education remains:

• accurate;
• current;
• evidence-informed;
• within professional scope; and
• appropriate to the identified risk.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Education

Providing education does not necessarily result in safer practice.

Occupational Therapists and organisations should evaluate whether learning has translated into appropriate workplace behaviour and improved outcomes.

Evaluation may include:

• observing workplace practice;
• seeking participant feedback;
• reviewing incident reports;
• reviewing near misses;
• assessing competency following training;
• monitoring compliance with procedures;
• examining procedural deviations;
• reviewing audit findings;
• reviewing workplace outcomes over time;
• monitoring assistance animal welfare indicators; and
• determining whether identified risks have actually reduced.

Evaluation should consider whether:

• the education addressed the correct problem;
• participants understood the information;
• learning was accessible;
• the person can apply the information in practice;
• additional supervision is required;
• competency has been demonstrated where necessary;
• workplace systems support the desired behaviour; and
• further training is actually the appropriate response.

For example, repeated failure to implement a control may initially appear to indicate a training problem.

However, evaluation may determine that the real cause is:

• inadequate equipment;
• time pressure;
• unclear responsibilities;
• inaccessible documentation;
• unrealistic workload; or
• an impractical procedure.

In this situation, repeating the same training would be unlikely to resolve the underlying WHS problem.

Key Practice Principle

Education and training are essential components of workplace health and safety, but training is not an end in itself.

Effective WHS education requires organisations and practitioners to determine:

What does this person need to know or be able to do to undertake their role safely?

What do they already know or demonstrate?

What development is genuinely required?

How will we know that learning has translated into competent practice?

Competency develops through:

education + application + supervision + feedback + reflection + review

Occupational Therapists should provide and support education that is:

• evidence-informed;
• accessible;
• relevant;
• inclusive;
• proportionate to risk;
• appropriate to the learner’s role; and
• responsive to changing practice needs.

Maintaining safe assistance animal practice requires continuous learning, regular review and shared responsibility.

Through effective education, competency development and public awareness, Occupational Therapists can contribute to safer workplaces, better-informed communities and stronger assistance animal partnerships in which people and animals can participate safely, confidently and with dignity.