We rebuilt our website in October and discovered something embarrassing. Every page talked about HSE video, because that's what our clients' safety teams call it. Almost nobody outside those teams searches for "HSE video". They search for health and safety video, safety training video or WHS training video. The words you use inside the business aren't the words people use to find you, and the same is true of the video itself.

What the terms mean

WHS (work health and safety) is the legal term in most Australian states and territories under the model WHS laws. It's what the regulators say.
OHS (occupational health and safety) is the older term, and still the legal one in Victoria.
HSE (health, safety and environment) is the corporate and industry term, common in energy, mining and construction, and in companies with overseas parents. It's what the department is called.
Health and safety is what everyone else says, including the crews.

Who uses which

Safety managers and corporate systems: HSE. Regulators, auditors and training providers: WHS (or OHS in Victoria). Contractors, new starters, apprentices and the person at the gate: health and safety, or just safety. The video is for that last group.

What it means for your safety video

Use the words the audience uses. An induction called "HSE Induction Module 3" tells a new contractor nothing. "Site safety induction: main gate and contractor car park" tells them exactly what it is. Inside the video, match your site's own signage and language, because that's what the crew will see every day. If the sign says "permit to work", the video says "permit to work", not "authorisation to proceed".

In your learning system, name the files for the people searching for them, not for the people who filed them. "Confined space entry procedure" will be found. "HSE-PRO-017-v4" won't.

What it means for finding a producer

If you're looking for someone to make the video, search for what the video is: safety induction video production, safety training video production, toolbox talk videos. You'll find companies that do that work. Search for "HSE video" and you'll find YouTube channels and overseas consultancies.

Whatever your site calls it, we film it on your site, in your language, by a crew that holds the tickets to be there. See the health and safety video package.