Health and safety requirements for educational premises
RTOs and CRICOS providers are responsible for ensuring that educational premises (i.e. delivery sites) comply with health and safety requirements.
The Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 require RTOs to comply with relevant Commonwealth, state and territory legislation.
ASQA’s role
ASQA does not regulate compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC) and local legislative requirements related to health and safety.
If ASQA is concerned that an RTO’s premises presents a health and safety risk to students, ASQA may ask that RTO to provide evidence that their delivery premises meet health and safety requirements.
ASQA may also refer health and safety concerns to the appropriate local authority.
RTO responsibilities
RTOs are responsible for complying with the building, health and safety approval requirements of each site used for training delivery (i.e. educational premises), including the premises used by any third party.
State/territory differences in approach
There are some differences of approach between the jurisdictions in whether or not they issue approvals for the use of buildings as educational premises on the basis that premises meet BCA requirements.
RTOs must identify any local (state or local government) requirements and comply with them.
Where BCA approval is required, the BCA requires buildings to comply with a range of health, safety and structural requirements including requirements relating to:
- emergency lights
- air flow
- egress
- electrical load
- student capacity
- exit signage
- fire safety
- door and corridor widths
- toilet facilities, and
- disabled access and disabled toilet facilities
Occupancy approvals—CRICOS registration
Applicants for initial CRICOS registration and applicants for renewal of CRICOS registration are required to:
- identify any local approval requirements for each delivery site, and
- submit documentation to ASQA that confirms the sites meet any requirements for occupancy.
ASQA uses the information provided in calculating the approved student capacity for each delivery site.
The ASQA evidence requirements for the submission of these applications include the following:
‘Approval for occupancy has been attached for each proposed delivery site.’
More information
Information about approval requirements for educational premises is available from local government authorities.