Elements and Performance Criteria

Operations may be conducted:
in a range of work environments and weather conditions
by day or night

Customers may be:
internal or external

Workplaces may comprise:
large, medium or small worksites

Work may be conducted in:
restricted spaces
exposed conditions
controlled or open environments

Vehicle refers to:
all applicable transportation modes

Hazards in the work area may include exposure to:
hazardous or dangerous materials
contamination of, or from, materials being handled
noise, light, energy sources
stationary and moving machinery, parts or components
service lines
spills, leakages, ruptures
dust/vapours

Hazard management is:
consistent with the principle of hierarchy of control with elimination, substitution, isolation and engineering control measures being selected before safe working practices and personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment may include:
gloves
safety headwear and footwear
safety glasses
mask or respirator
breathing apparatus
high visibility clothing

Load restraint systems are:
as detailed in the National Load Restraint Guide

Preparation of packaged dangerous goods for transport may:
require special precautions as specified by the manufacturer

Transport documentation may include:
Initial Emergency Response Guide
Emergency Procedure Guide
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
descriptions for dangerous goods (i.e. proper shipping name, class and division number, packing group, subsidiary risk(s) if any)
UN or ID number

Requirements for work may include:
site restrictions and procedures
use of safety and personal protective equipment
communications equipment
specialised lifting and/or handling equipment
incident breakdown procedures
additional gear and equipment
noise restrictions
hours of operation
authorities and permits

Consultative processes may involve:
other employees and supervisors
suppliers, potential customers and existing clients
management and union representatives
industrial relations, OH&S specialists, and other maintenance, professional or technical staff

Communication in the work area may include:
phone
electronic data interchange
fax
email
internet
radio
oral, aural or signed communications

Depending on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may include:
company procedures
enterprise procedures
organisational procedures
established procedures
site procedures

Safety equipment on vehicle may include:
fire extinguishers
portable warning devices
eye wash kit

Information/documents may include:
current Australian Dangerous Goods Code, relevant Australian Standards and International Standards
Safe Working Load (SWL) and Working Load Limit (WLL)
manifests, bar codes, goods and product identification
manufacturers specifications for equipment/tools
workplace procedures and policies for the transfer of product
goods identification numbers, codes and signs
supplier and/or client instructions
award, enterprise bargaining agreement, other industrial arrangements
relevant standards and certification requirements
quality assurance procedures
emergency procedures
manufacturers specifications, instructions and labelling advice for the packaged dangerous goods, including material safety data sheets

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:
state/territory mass and loading regulations
current Australian and international regulations and codes of practice for the handling and transport of dangerous goods and hazardous substances, including:
Australian and International Dangerous Goods Codes
Australian Marine Orders and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods by Air regulations
Australian and state/territory regulations related to the carriage of dangerous goods
workplace relations regulations
equal opportunity legislation
equal employment opportunity and affirmative action legislation
relevant Australian and International Standards
relevant state/territory environmental protection legislation
relevant state/territory OH&S legislation

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of:

assessing operational suitability of equipment and vehicles pertinent to dangerous goods transportation
estimating weight and dimensions of load and any special requirements
applying hierarchy of hazard control
maintaining workplace records and documentation including completion of dangerous goods declaration
determining (any) required permits
identifying hazards and planning work to minimise risks when transporting dangerous goods
selecting appropriate equipment and work systems to enable safe, efficient work

Context of, and specific resources for assessment
Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts

Resources for assessment include:

a range of relevant exercises, case studies and other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace

In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:

relevant and appropriate materials and/or equipment, and/or
applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment
Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests

Practical assessment must occur:

through appropriately simulated activities at the registered training organisation, and/or
in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace