White Card in Queensland: what you need to know
How to get a general construction induction card (White Card) in Queensland, the course code, the 2-year rule, replacing a lost card, and whether interstate cards count.
If you're going to do construction work in Queensland, you need general construction induction training first. Most people still call the card a White Card. WorkSafe Queensland now calls it the general construction induction training card, and before the White Card it was the blue card. They're all evidence of the same thing: you've done the basic safety induction for the construction industry.
Who needs one
WorkSafe Queensland says anyone working in the construction industry needs to complete general construction induction training with a registered training organisation (RTO). The duty also sits with the business. Under the Queensland Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (section 317), a business must not direct or allow a worker to carry out construction work unless the worker has completed the training. If the worker hasn't been issued the card yet, the business must make sure they hold the training certification, issued within the previous 60 days.
"Construction work" is defined broadly in the regulation. It covers building, altering, renovating, repairing, maintaining, demolishing and dismantling structures. So it isn't only for builders on big sites. A fabricator installing steel on site, a plumber doing a renovation, or a labourer on a house job all need it.
How to get one in Queensland
- Find an approved RTO. WorkSafe Queensland publishes a list of RTOs approved to deliver the training (linked from the source page below).
- Complete the unit CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry. WorkSafe says you need to do the training face-to-face with the RTO.
- When you pass, the RTO issues your card. Keep it with you whenever you're on site.
- Keep a note of the RTO's details and a copy of the card. You'll need them if you ever have to replace it.
Course fees are set by each RTO, so compare a few providers. WorkSafe doesn't set a single price.
Does a White Card expire?
The card itself doesn't have an expiry date printed on it, but there's a 2-year rule that catches people out. Under sections 316 and 317 of the Queensland regulation, if you completed the training more than 2 years ago and haven't done any construction work in the last 2 years, the business engaging you must make sure you do the training again before you start.
WorkSafe gives the same rule for old blue cards. You don't need to swap a blue card for the current card unless you've lost it, you haven't done construction work in the past two years, or you're enrolling in a course that needs CPCCWHS1001 as a prerequisite (such as the asbestos removal units). A lost blue card can't be replaced. You have to do the current course again.
Lost or damaged card
- Contact the RTO that issued it.
- If that RTO has closed, contact another Queensland RTO that delivers the training and ask about a replacement and the fee.
- You'll need your statement of attainment for CPCCWHS1001 (or the older CPCCOHS1001A) and a declaration of how the card was lost, stolen or destroyed.
- If your card came from another state or territory, contact that state's WHS regulator about a replacement.
Interstate cards
WorkSafe Queensland says you can work in Queensland on a general construction induction card issued by another state or territory, and Queensland cards (including White Cards and the old blue cards) are accepted throughout Australia. The exception is the old-style NSW green card (the one that's actually green). It's no longer valid in NSW or recognised anywhere else, so holders need to do CPCCWHS1001 again.
A White Card isn't a site induction
The White Card is a general, industry-wide induction. It doesn't replace the site-specific induction that covers the hazards, rules and emergency arrangements of a particular site. In Queensland, WorkSafe says a person must have a site-specific induction before starting construction work (other than housing construction work). See our site induction checklist.
For small businesses: keep a record
If you engage workers or subbies, keep a register of who holds a card, the card number, the issuing RTO or state, and when they last did construction work. Sight the card before they start, and check the 2-year rule for anyone who's been out of the industry.
Sources
- WorkSafe Queensland – General construction induction
- Queensland legislation – Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (current)
- WorkSafe Queensland – Site specific induction
Related guides
- Site induction checklist for construction sites
- SWMS for high risk construction work, explained
- Toolbox talk topics for trades and fabrication
General information only, summarised from the official sources above as at the review date. It isn't legal, tax, WHS or engineering advice. Rules change and your situation may differ, so check the source or ask a professional.