Construction induction training and white cards

Your building site address may become a 'workplace' under OHS law if you are erecting any structure, such as doing an addition to your home or building a pool or garage.

If you are doing all the work yourself, your site won't be considered a workplace. But if you are going to engage or oversee any contractors (e.g. a plumber or tiler) who will enter the site to do some work, it will be classed as a workplace.

Obligations if your site becomes a workplace

If your site address will become a workplace, you will need to complete construction induction training, which will make sure you have the necessary knowledge about site and worker safety.

For a list of recognised RTOs who can offer this training in Victoria, visit WorkSafe Victoria.

When you successfully complete your induction training, you will receive a construction induction card, which is also known as a white card. You need to submit a copy of both sides of your white card when you apply to the VBA for an owner-builder certificate of consent. The white card must be current. We also accept current Construction Induction cards issued by interstate WorkSafe counterparts.

We will not accept:

• any statement of attainment as evidence of having completed Construction Induction training
• a Victorian red card.

Site inductions

If your site address becomes a workplace, you will need to provide a site induction to anyone you’ve employed to perform construction work. The induction must take place before they start work.

The induction will make sure that workers are familiar with:

• OHS rules and procedures, e.g. emergency procedures
• supervision arrangements.

A checklist to help with your site induction is available from WorkSafe Victoria.