Cleaning & Property Services · Employer knowledge

Training & competency

Match induction, instruction, equipment and chemical training, PPE and supervision to the worker, the client site and the tasks they actually perform — then check practical capability before higher-risk work is done independently.

Regulation 9 of the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 requires a PCBU, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure workers doing risky work, using plant or dealing with substances that can create workplace risk either have adequate knowledge and experience or are adequately supervised by someone who does. Workers must also be adequately trained in the safe use of plant, objects, substances, equipment and PPE they may be required to use.

The training and supervision must be suitable and adequate for the work, the risks and the controls in place, and training must be readily understandable. For cleaning and property services, this means a generic induction or course-completion certificate should not be treated as proof that a worker can safely use every machine, chemical, access method or client-site procedure.

What should a manager have in place?

Company & client-site inductionCover the worker's role, emergency arrangements, reporting, site access and security, relevant hazards and controls, and any client-site rules that affect the work.

Equipment & task capabilityProvide instruction and training for the equipment and methods the worker actually uses — for example powered cleaning equipment, ladders or other access equipment where relevant — and check practical capability before independent higher-risk work.

Chemicals & PPEConnect training to the actual products, SDS information, dilution or dispensing methods, exposure controls and PPE used. Hazardous-substance work may trigger additional specific training and supervised-practical-experience requirements.

Supervision & refreshProvide adequate supervision where knowledge or experience is not yet sufficient. Review capability when the task, site, equipment, chemical, risk or control changes, or when an incident or observed practice identifies a gap.

Manager check

Does each worker receive induction relevant to both the employer and the client sites where they work?
Have we identified the equipment, chemicals, PPE and higher-risk tasks each role actually uses?
Does the worker have adequate knowledge and experience, or suitable supervision from someone who does?
Is training suitable for the particular work, risks and controls and readily understandable to the worker?
Where PPE is used as a control, has the worker been trained in its safe use and do we meet the applicable PPE duties?
For hazardous-substance work, have we checked the additional training, instruction and practical-experience requirements rather than relying only on generic chemical awareness?
Do we reassess capability when the site, task, equipment, chemical or control changes?

NZ training & supervision regulations →WorkSafe: PPE →Chemicals & Exposure guide →Back to Cleaning & Property Hub

NZQC provides practical educational information. It is not legal advice and does not certify that a provider is compliant. Check the official source and the requirements that apply to your service, contracts and scope.