Does mandatory training work? Investigating compulsory pre-site training certification in the WA construction industry

Reducing the high level of deaths and injuries in the construction industry is a continual challenge. It is a specific challenge in WA where the industry is adapting to the additional pressures of the development boom. In 2006, Worksafe WA responded by introducing mandatory certification in basic safety training for all employees, before they could set foot on a work site. This paper reviews the impact of this training on the commercial sector of the industry, the training organisations, and the employees. The mixed methods study collects both the perceptions of the stakeholders and analyses the accident statistics. These interim findings indicate that this initiative has made a difference, with almost all respondents reporting that they believe their workplaces are safer having completed the training.