Guy Mead, special projects manager of the Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention (IFAP), a not-for-profit organisation that leads industrial OH&S in WA, says the association is experiencing its own skills shortage.

“I have heard many organisations are having difficulty getting trainers and assessors with the required levels of experience and academic qualifications, but fortunately we are still able to attract high quality people.”

He said WA’s new OH&S laws, which required workers in many industrial occupations to be accredited in line with national standards, were proving to be a vital safeguard.

“Most companies are doing the right thing, but there are many occasions when we battle with employers to get workers properly accredited, not just rushed through the system,” Mead said.

“The new standards are working to keep safety levels high.”

But Barry Catanach, manager of Energy & Mining Training Solutions, which specialises in certifying operators of hydraulic and pneumatic systems, said he has recently seen some worrying trends.

“A number of training organisations are lowering their standards so they can meet their targets,” he said.

“I think an accident is inevitable. That will bring the whole accreditation process under scrutiny, but the scrutiny really needs to be happening now so that accidents are avoided in the first place.”

Catanach said the introduction six years ago of certification for high-pressure hoses was a welcome development, but it could only prevent accidents and save lives if everyone adhered to relevant standards.