HSR Stage 1: Introduction to the HSR role

This course introduces students to the HSR role and helps them to understand the role and responsibilities as a representative and meet the minimum regulatory requirements for training.

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Duration
2 days
Topic
Health & Safety Representative
Next session
8 Oct 2026 · 118 dates
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At a glance

Course details

Duration: 2 days
Unit Standard:

Unit #   Name Level 
Credits  
29315 Describe the role and functions of the Health and Safety Representative in a New Zealand workplace  3 2
30264 Describe duties, rights, representation and the regulator in terms of New Zealand health and safety legislation  3 3

Overview

HSR Stage 1 course overview

Reading a piece of legislation won't magically make a workplace safer. True health and safety takes more than a textbook approach. This two-day HSR Stage 1 training course introduces Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs), managers, and frontline leaders to the HSR role, building a grounded, practical understanding of their responsibilities and how the role functions in practice, and the requirements set out under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA).
 
We don't do 'death by slideshow' or dry compliance lectures. Instead, our industry-experienced trainers get learners stuck in, using examples that reflect the reality of New Zealand workplaces. Through highly interactive, scenario-based group work, participants build genuine capability in communication, engagement, and effective participation in health and safety processes, including how to advocate constructively in their role. We also introduce key concepts such as risk management and unpack the regulatory requirements around Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) clearly and constructively, ensuring all parties understand their responsibilities without the guesswork or friction.
 
IMPAC’s focus is on building quiet, competent capability that supports better outcomes, rather than just ticking a compliance box. Participants leave with a high-quality, comprehensive pocket guide and practical skills ready to be applied in their workplaces. Whether you are a newly appointed HSR or an operational manager looking to support your team, this course equips you to contribute to effective worker participation and a culture where safety is a shared, collaborative outcome.

Curriculum

What you'll cover

This course is designed for:
  • Employees who have been elected or appointed as Health and Safety Representatives.
  • Managers who need to understand the HSR role and support effective worker participation in practice.
  • Health and safety personnel or frontline leaders who need a practical grounding in representation, engagement, and basic risk management processes.

Our approach

+IMPAC's HSR Stage 1 training approach

This course is delivered as practical, facilitator-led learning rather than a long theory download. Trainers use short teaching inputs, guided discussion, and workplace scenarios to help learners understand what the HSR role looks like day to day and how to use that understanding constructively.
 
Participants work through examples around worker engagement, representation, hazard identification, risk assessment, and the steps around Provisional Improvement Notices, so the content stays connected to real decisions people face at work. The focus is on helping learners leave able to ask better questions, speak up with confidence, and contribute usefully to healthier, safer work.

Format

Course format and duration

This course is delivered over two days.

Training is available in person nationwide or live online via Zoom, publicly or in-house.

Upcoming sessions

Public courses – Book now

Want to discuss running HSR Stage 1: Introduction to the HSR role at your organisation?

Enquire now

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

This course is best suited to newly elected or appointed HSRs and managers needing to understand how the representative role works in practice. It is also useful for health and safety personnel and frontline leaders supporting worker participation, engagement, and risk management in the workplace.

Yes, this course meets the minimum regulatory training requirement for Stage 1 HSR training in New Zealand. It provides elected or appointed HSRs with an introduction to their role, worker participation requirements, and how to support health and safety engagement in the workplace.

Learners need written and spoken English equivalent to NCEA Level 1 (Year 11) or an IELTS score of 5.5 or higher. If a learner may need additional support, please contact our team before enrolment to discuss available support options.

This course is available face-to-face and live online via Zoom, giving organisations flexibility when arranging HSR training for workers and representatives.

The course runs for 2 days, allowing learners to work through the legal and practical foundations of the HSR role, including worker engagement, consultation, risk management, and representation responsibilities.

Yes, this course includes one assessment for NZQA Unit Standards 29315 and 30264, covering HSR responsibilities, worker representation, and health and safety legislation requirements.

This course includes NZQA Unit Standards 29315 and 30264, which cover the role and functions of a Health and Safety Representative, including duties, rights, representation, and the regulator under New Zealand health and safety legislation.

Yes, this course can be delivered in-house either face-to-face or online. In-house delivery can help organisations train Health and Safety Representatives together while reinforcing consistent understanding of the HSR role and workplace responsibilities.

Please bring a driver’s licence or another form of photo identification to training.

For public face-to-face courses, morning tea and lunch are provided. If you have specific dietary requirements such as allergies, vegan, or gluten-free needs, please contact IMPAC at training@impac.co.nz at least two working days before training. Please note that dietary preferences cannot be accommodated.

If you are completing an online or eLearning course with IMPAC for the first time, you will receive your LMS login details within 24 hours of receiving your course instructions email.

You can reset your username and password by clicking here and entering your email address.

You can access IMPAC’s LMS by clicking here.

Pricing depends on the delivery method.

In-house: $5450 + GST for up to 12 persons, with additional persons charged at $349 + GST each (maximum of 16).

Public (face-to-face): $645 + GST per person.

Public (online): $595 + GST per person.

Continue learning

Further study options

If you’re continuing your learning journey in health and safety, this course can contribute towards IMPAC’s Certificate in Applied Workplace Health and Safety Practices (Level 3), which leads to the New Zealand Certificate in Workplace Health and Safety Practice (Level 3).

This course is a compulsory module within the programme, allowing you to build on your existing training while working towards a recognised qualification over time.  Browse all Health & Safety Representative training courses.

This programme is approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under section 439 of the Education and Training Act 2020, and Impac Services Limited is accredited to provide it under section 441 of the Education and Training Act.

What's next

Next steps

To get started, you can book now.
 
To explore more courses in this area, see the Health & Safety Representative Training category.
 
If you are building capability beyond the basics, this course also sits well alongside HSR Stage 2: Risk Assessment and Incident Investigation, Fire Warden and Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa.

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