Choosing the right training
Accredited vs non-accredited manual handling training
Accredited manual handling training is delivered by a Registered Training Organisation against a nationally recognised unit of competency (usually HLTWHS005) and issues a Statement of Attainment. Non-accredited training is general awareness education from any provider and issues, at most, a certificate of completion. "Manual handling training" gets used for both in Australia, and mixing them up matters if your job has a specific requirement.
By Warehouse Handling Academy · Published · Updated
The difference at a glance
| Accredited | Non-accredited | |
|---|---|---|
| Who delivers it | A Registered Training Organisation (RTO) listed on training.gov.au | Any provider — an employer, a safety consultant, or an online course like this one |
| What it's assessed against | A nationally recognised unit of competency, usually HLTWHS005 Conduct manual tasks safely | The provider's own content and assessment; no national unit |
| What you receive | A Statement of Attainment recorded against your training history | A Certificate of Completion or attendance from the provider |
| Nationally recognised? | Yes, under the Australian Qualifications Framework | No |
| Typical format | Face-to-face or blended, with a practical assessment observed by a trainer | Often online and self-paced; may or may not include an assessment |
| Typical cost | Paid, commonly in the range of a half-day course fee | Free or low-cost (this course: training and assessment free, certificate optional at $39 AUD) |
| When it's required | When a role, site, licence, contract or regulator specifically requires the unit | As an induction supplement, a refresher, or a first introduction where no accredited unit is mandated |
| Can one replace the other? | Accredited training satisfies a non-accredited requirement | Non-accredited training never satisfies an accredited requirement |
Accredited, nationally recognised training
Accredited training is delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) against a nationally recognised unit of competency — for manual handling, that's usually HLTWHS005 – Conduct Manual Tasks Safely, part of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Completing it results in a formal Statement of Attainment, issued by the RTO and recorded against your training history. It's usually a paid course, and it's the category some roles, sites, licences or contracts specifically require.
Non-accredited awareness training
Non-accredited training is general safety education that isn't tied to an RTO or the AQF. It doesn't produce a Statement of Attainment and isn't a substitute for an accredited unit. It's typically free or low-cost, and it exists to build genuine awareness — as an induction supplement, a refresher, or a practical first introduction before someone starts a role.
Warehouse Handling Academy's course is training in this category. It is not nationally recognised, is not delivered by an RTO, and does not replace HLTWHS005 or any other accredited unit of competency. What it offers is a free, warehouse-specific way to learn the same hazard-recognition principles the code of practice describes.
Which one do you need?
Start with your employer or site — some roles, sites, licences or client contracts specifically require the accredited unit, and no amount of non-accredited training satisfies that requirement. If there's no specific accredited requirement, general awareness training can still be genuinely useful: as a refresher between accredited courses, a fast induction supplement for new starters, or simply a practical introduction to safe technique.
If you're not sure which applies to you, the safest move is to ask your employer or supervisor directly what your site or role actually requires, rather than guess.
How to check if a course is genuinely accredited
- 1Ask whether it's delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and for the RTO number.
- 2Ask whether you'll receive a Statement of Attainment against a specific unit code (for manual handling, HLTWHS005).
- 3Look up the RTO number and the unit code on the government's training.gov.au register. If the provider isn't listed, the course is not accredited, whatever the marketing says.
Sources and further reading
- training.gov.au — the national register of RTOs and units of competency — search for a provider's RTO number or the unit code HLTWHS005
- Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) — the national regulator for RTOs
- Model Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks — Safe Work Australia — what any manual handling training, accredited or not, should be teaching
Related guides
This is non-accredited general awareness training and does not issue a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. Always confirm your employer's specific training requirements.