Australia-wide
Who oversees infection control at work in each state and territory, and where online awareness training fits in.
Infection control at work in Australia is shaped by three layers: national clinical guidance (the NHMRC guidelines), work health and safety law enforced by each state's regulator, and sector standards — aged care, NDIS, early childhood and health services. For most workers, the training you need is set by your employer within those rules, not by a state-specific licence.
Our course is online and the same in every state: about 30 minutes, free to study, with a A$39 certificate after you pass.
The Clinical Excellence Commission publishes the Infection Prevention and Control Practice Handbook used across NSW health services, and many aged care and disability providers align their procedures with it. The NSW Food Authority and local councils oversee food and skin penetration businesses.
More for Sydney workersVictoria's Occupational Health and Safety framework applies to biological hazards at work, and the Department of Health publishes infection prevention guidance for health and care settings. Local councils register and inspect beauty, hairdressing and skin penetration businesses.
More for Melbourne workersQueensland Health publishes infection control guidance for health and care settings. Higher-risk personal appearance services such as tattooing and piercing need a licence that requires an approved infection control qualification — this awareness course doesn't meet that requirement.
More for Brisbane workersWorkSafe WA administers work health and safety laws, and the Department of Health publishes infection prevention guidance. Local governments oversee food and skin penetration businesses.
SA Health publishes infection prevention and control guidance for health and care services. Local councils oversee food and personal care businesses.
The Department of Health publishes infection prevention guidance and regulates certain personal appearance services. Councils oversee food businesses.
ACT Health publishes infection control guidance and oversees public health matters, including some personal care businesses.
NT Health publishes infection prevention guidance for health and care services. Remote and community settings often have their own procedures — follow your employer's.
The course is online and available anywhere in Australia, and the certificate is the same wherever you live. Whether it meets a requirement is decided by your employer, not by your state.
For most workers, infection control training requirements come from employers and sector standards rather than state law. Some licences do require an approved qualification — for example, higher-risk personal appearance services such as tattooing in Queensland. Check your licence conditions or with your employer.
National guidance — the NHMRC Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare and the National Hand Hygiene Initiative — which state health departments build on.
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