Before you set foot on a construction site in Australia you need general construction induction training, the White Card. This free practice test goes over the key points of the course, with the section of the WHS laws behind every answer.
What the White Card is and who needs it
The White Card is the general construction induction training card. It shows that you have completed the nationally recognised unit CPCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry with a registered training organisation (RTO). Under the model WHS Regulations a business must not direct or allow anyone to carry out construction work until they have done this training; while the card is on its way, a training certification issued in the previous 60 days can be relied on.
Anyone who does construction work needs it: labourers, tradespeople, apprentices, supervisors and many site visitors who go beyond the office. A card issued in one state or territory is recognised in the others. The card itself has no expiry date, but if you have not done any construction work for more than two years you need to do the training again.
What the course and the assessment cover
The RTO sets and marks the assessment, usually with written or multiple-choice questions plus practical tasks such as identifying hazards and filling in a form. The content follows the WHS laws:
- duties of the PCBU, of workers and of other people on site, and how consultation works;
- identifying hazards and controlling risks with the hierarchy of control, from elimination down to PPE;
- high risk construction work, such as a risk of falling more than 2 metres or trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, and the safe work method statement (SWMS) it needs;
- common hazards: falls, electricity, asbestos, hazardous chemicals, noise, manual tasks, plant and traffic;
- safety signs, incident reporting and emergency procedures.
Practice, not the real assessment
These questions were written by Quizhat from the model WHS Act and Regulations. They are not your RTO's assessment questions, and Quizhat is not linked to any RTO, to Safe Work Australia or to a state regulator. Victoria has its own Occupational Health and Safety Act, but construction induction is required there too. Use the quiz to check your understanding before or after the course, and ask your trainer about anything you get wrong.