Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
OHS (also known as workplace health and safety) and related safety legislation may include:
dangerous goods Acts
general duty of care under OHS legislation and common law provisions relating to OHS issue resolution
provisions relating to roles and responsibilities of health and safety representatives and/or OHS committees
regulations and codes of practice, including those relating to hazards present in the workplace or industry
requirements for:
maintenance and confidentiality of records of occupational injury and disease
provision of OHS information and training
state, territory and commonwealth OHS Acts and regulations.
Workplace procedures may include specific OHS procedures and company policies or procedures relating to:
accident and incident investigation
assessing and controlling risks
consultation and participation arrangements for employees and third parties
emergency planning and response
housekeeping and work environment
identifying hazards
OHS procedures, including:
developing and communicating company OHS policy
providing OHS information, instruction, supervision and training
OHS record keeping
reporting OHS issues
resolving issues
training and assessment
safe operating procedures or instructions that cover but are not limited to:
awareness of electrical hazards
chemical storage, handling and disposal
confined space procedures
dust
first aid and injury management
manual handling
noise
requirements for maintaining safety when working alone
security
toxic, infectious and sharps waste
safe use of tools and equipment
vehicles and mobile equipment
working safely around electrical hazards, including wiring, cables and overhead powerlines
specific hazards
storage of dangerous goods
use of MSDS
use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
workplace safety inspections and audits.
Work group members may include:
contractors authorised by the company to perform specified work or functions
employees under direct supervision
entry-level trainees
full-time, part-time and casual employees
trainee supervisors and trainee team leaders.
Company requirements may include:
contracting of services
counselling and disciplinary processes
maintaining plant and equipment
purchasing supplies and equipment
work procedures and work instructions, including those relating to disposing of, re-using or recycling resources.
Information may be:
about hazards and risk management procedures
about the nature of work, tasks and procedures
as part of providing direct supervision, such as to inexperienced workers
contained in industry association journals or workers’ compensation literature
for consultation with health and safety representatives and OHS committees
for induction of new workers, or refresher training for existing employees
to assist in work tasks
to communicate legislation and codes of practice, such as relating to hazards in the work area.
Readily accessible refers to information that:
caters for individual language and literacy levels
conforms to the principles of plain English
is openly available.
Identifying hazards and assessing risks may include activities, such as:
accessing manufacturer guidance information and manuals
applying job safety analysis procedures
assessing job and work system
assessing severity of identified hazards and ranking according to severity
briefing workplace safety inspectors or contracted OHS advisers
checking work area and equipment before and during work
conducting pre- and post-operational equipment checks
conducting workplace inspections
consulting with employees, OHS representatives and OHS committee
housekeeping
performing routine job hazard analysis
purchasing supplies and equipment, such as:
review of MSDS
manufacturer or supplier information
referencing government or industry hazard or safety alerts, including via industry association contacts and networks
regularly maintaining plant and equipment
reviewing OHS records, including:
registers of hazardous substances
dangerous goods
undertaking safety audits.
Risk assessment and risk control procedures should reflect the order of the process:
hazard identification
risk assessment
hazard control
evaluation.
Participative arrangements may include:
employee performance feedback
formal and informal meetings of:
health and safety representatives
OHS committees
other special purpose committees, such as consultative, planning and purchasing
company information, staff bulletins and notices
suggestions, requests, reports and concerns put forward by employees to management.
Contributions may include:
behaviour that contributes to a safe workplace
listening to ideas and opinions of others in work group
sharing opinions, views, skills and knowledge
visible OHS culture that includes:
actively encouraging OHS contributions, suggestions and input
effecting and responding to OHS input and suggestions
assigning responsibility for raised OHS concerns.
Appropriate personnel may include:
health and safety representatives
managers
OHS personnel
other persons, including emergency service personnel, authorised or nominated by the company or industry to:
approve specified work
direct specified work or functions
inspect specified work
perform specified work or functions.
Hazards may include:
biological hazards
chemical hazards, including unlabelled chemicals and substances
environmental hazards, such as:
noise
radiation
untidy work areas
vibration
ergonomic or mechanical hazards, such as:
those associated with electrical and mechanical faults of plant and equipment, including mobile plants
physical hazards, such as:
electrical
obstructions or blocked exits
slippery or uneven floors
psychological hazards.
Risk analysis includes:
analysis of likelihood, chance, frequency or probability of something happening that will affect work objectives
assessment of real or possible outcome should something happen, measured in terms of nature and extent of harm or injury to individuals and/or environment
process involving:
hazard identification
risk assessment
risk treatment and/or control
risk monitoring and evaluation.
Risk analysis protocols may be selected based on the following criteria:
Australian standards, company standards and client standards
combination of quantitative and qualitative assessment tools, as appropriate to risks being assessed
company policy, procedures, goals, objectives and the interests of stakeholders
operational, technical, financial, legal, social, humanitarian or other criteria
scope of risk management project being undertaken.
Hierarchy of control includes:
hazard elimination treatment and/or controls
hazard substitution treatment and/or controls
hazard engineering treatment and/or controls
administrative treatment and/or controls, including OHS and environmental training
PPE.
Controlling risks may include:
applying hierarchy of control, namely:
elimination of risk
substitution controls
engineering controls
administrative controls, including training
PPE
consulting with manufacturers, suppliers, employers and their representatives
consulting with workers and their representatives
developing reliable systematic approach to risk control
ensuring adequate training of staff
measuring risk likelihood and consequence
implementing measures to remove cause of risk at its source
monitoring and regularly reviewing work systems and procedures
rewarding good health and safety practice.
Hazardous event control procedures may include:
following instructions from authorised or appropriate personnel during hazardous events
chemical containment and clean-up
emergency management plan
evacuations
provision of first aid
accident and incident reporting
injury and dangerous occurrence reporting.
Hazardous events may include:
accidents, including motor vehicle accidents
bomb threats
chemical spills
electrocution
fires and explosions
inhalation of dangerous substances
manual handling
natural disasters
slips, trips and falls
violent incidents, such as:
armed robberies
workplace bullying.
OHS training needs may include:
controlling hazards
emergency and evacuation training
hazard prevention or mitigation procedures
induction training and refresher training
nature of hazards and hazard recognition
specific hazard training
specific task or equipment training
training as part of broader programs, such as equipment operation.
Training may include:
coaching and/or mentoring
off-the-job training
on-the-job training
presenting and promoting the benefits of a safe workplace
providing encouragement
providing feedback and clarifying points where necessary
training provided by a registered training organisation.
OHS records should include documented:
first aid and medical post records
hazardous substances registers
health surveillance and workplace environmental monitoring records
maintenance and testing reports
manufacturer and supplier information, including MSDS and dangerous goods storage lists
OHS audits and inspection reports
records of instruction and training
safety bulletins or notices
workers’ compensation and rehabilitation records.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
This unit of competency could be assessed by observing at least two different practical demonstrations of managing workplace safety arrangements.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the required skills and knowledge specified in this unit.
In particular the person should demonstrate the ability to:
apply and commit to company management systems and procedures for health and safety
apply consistent leadership role to identification of hazards within work group to ensure unresolved issues are referred to appropriate personnel and actioned
apply risk management procedures, that is, undertaking hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control according to hierarchy of control
identify and facilitate OHS training needs and reporting requirements of work group
identify characteristics of workforce that affect the management of OHS
identify OHS compliance requirements for a system of work
integrate OHS into company management systems
apply knowledge of OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice applicable to work area
provide clear information and instruction to work group on workplace procedures pertaining to health and safety in a readily accessible manner
apply obligations for duty of care.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge may be conducted in an off-site context. It is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards’ requirements.
Resource implications for assessment include access to:
assessment documentation forms and record books
current OHS data
manuals and relevant documentation outlining occupational health and safety policies and procedures
OHS and Dangerous Goods Acts, regulations and codes of practice relevant to work operations
suitable work area, or simulated workplace environment, that allows for identification of hazards, risk assessment and risk control measures and implementation and monitoring of OHS policies, procedures and programs.
Method of assessment
Assessment methods must:
satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Property Services Training Package
include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.
This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units relevant to the job function.
Guidance information for assessment
Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.
Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.