Is it only for healthcare workers?

No. The register applies it to individuals in a range of industry and work setting contexts. Aged care, disability, cleaning, facilities, childcare and personal services all use it.

The unit does not expire. Health services, aged care providers and employers commonly set their own refresher expectations - ask them.

Is there licensing attached?

No. The register records no occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements for this unit.

Skills must be demonstrated in the work setting, with simulation only where a context cannot be provided or occurs rarely. Assessment requires real hand hygiene and PPE facilities.

What are transmission-based precautions?

Precautions above the standard baseline, applied when a specific transmission route is known or suspected. Implementing both standard and transmission-based precautions is element 2.

HLTINF006 Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control

About this qualification

HLTINF006 covers applying basic infection prevention and control principles — standard and transmission-based precautions, and responding to risks. The register applies it to “individuals working in a range of industry and work setting contexts”, not just clinical ones.

40,701 enrolments in Queensland in 2025 across 876 providers. It became a mainstream workplace unit rather than a health-sector one, and the numbers show it.

Assessment requires the real thing: national standards and guidelines for infection prevention and hand hygiene, hand hygiene facilities and equipment, personal protective equipment, waste disposal equipment, and cleaning areas and supplies.

The register records no occupational licensing or certification requirements for the unit. Individual employers, health services and aged care providers set their own currency expectations on top.

Roles it maps to

Who the register says this applies to.

Health and Care Workers Aged Care Disability Support Cleaning and Facilities

Commonly held together

Infection control is one of the units that travels with care work. These are the ones most often held alongside it.

Single unit · you are hereHLTINF006 Infection prevention and control
Single unit · the WHS pairHLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety
Single unit · in 106 qualsCHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
Single unit · most roles want oneHLTAID011 Provide First Aid
Certificate III · where it leadsCHC33021 Individual Support
Certificate III · where it leadsHLT33115 Health Services Assistance

What it covers

4Core Elements

0Elective Electives

A single unit of competency with no prerequisites and no AQF level. Skills must be demonstrated in the work setting, with simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts cannot be provided or occurs only rarely. Assessment requires national standards and guidelines for infection prevention and control and hand hygiene, relevant legislation and industry frameworks, hand hygiene facilities and equipment, personal protective equipment, waste and waste disposal equipment, cleaning areas and supplies, and organisational policies and procedures.

The four elements of the unit.

Element 1 Identify the role of infection prevention and control in the work setting
Element 2 Implement standard and transmission-based precautions
Element 3 Respond to infection risks
Element 4 Review own infection prevention and control practices

For a full list of elective units, visit training.gov.au →

Frequently asked questions

Is it only for healthcare workers?: No. The register applies it to individuals in a range of industry and work setting contexts. Aged care, disability, cleaning, facilities, childcare and personal services all use it.
Does it expire?: The unit does not expire. Health services, aged care providers and employers commonly set their own refresher expectations — ask them.
Is there licensing attached?: No. The register records no occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements for this unit.
Can I do it online?: Skills must be demonstrated in the work setting, with simulation only where a context cannot be provided or occurs rarely. Assessment requires real hand hygiene and PPE facilities.
What are transmission-based precautions?: Precautions above the standard baseline, applied when a specific transmission route is known or suspected. Implementing both standard and transmission-based precautions is element 2.

Other registered providers

Filtered by where each provider is based, not where they can deliver.

QLD

EXELL TRAINING PTY. LTD.RTO 45040

Deliver and assess · QLD
NSW

TAFE NSWRTO 90003

Deliver and assess · NSW
QLD

TAFE QueenslandRTO 0275

Deliver and assess · QLD
WA

North Metropolitan TAFERTO 52786

Deliver and assess · WA
QLD

Halo Nation TrainingRTO 32485

Deliver and assess · QLD
QLD

Brighton PacificRTO 41138

Deliver and assess · QLD
WA

Skills Strategies InternationalRTO 2401

Deliver and assess · WA
VIC

The Management EdgeRTO 3927

Deliver and assess · VIC
QLD

AshtrailRTO 6139

Deliver and assess · QLD
NSW

Joblink PlusRTO 91434

Deliver and assess · NSW
NSW

Open CollegesRTO 90796

Deliver and assess · NSW
TAS

Reach Community CollegeRTO 40747

Deliver and assess · TAS
Find more providers

12 of 876 providers shown — search the register for the rest
training.gov.au →

Qualifications that require this unit

This unit is core in each of these, so completing it counts toward them.

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Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control

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