Formational Training Program for Resources Safety

Recent independent reviews and inquiries have highlighted a range of issues in the delivery of safety regulatory services that are expected by industry and community alike. Consequently, the Western Australian Government has committed to overhauling safety and health regulation in the resources industry.

The key factors driving the need for a fundamental change in the regulatory regime are:
• unprecedented growth across the resources sector;
• increased responsibilities resulting from the introduction of new legislation;
• loss of staff, and consequently corporate knowledge and experience, to industry and other regulators; and
• increased community expectations for safety, both in the workplace and the community.

In response, the Department of Mines and Petroleum is coordinating the safety reform strategy (also known as Reform and Development at Resources Safety or RADARS) and has developed a range of competency-based training and development programs known as the Formational Training Program, to improve and enhance the competencies of all staff.

The Formational Training Program is a critical part of a performance based remuneration system. The first iteration of formational training, delivered in the first half of the 2011 calendar year, is now complete.
These courses will support the development of staff recruited to Petroleum Safety and Dangerous Goods Safety as well as Mines Safety.