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. |
Workplace health and safety legislation | Workplace health and safety legislation varies in different states and will include: National Work Health and Safety Model current relevant State/Territory workplace health and safety legislation relevant state/territory Manual Handling Code of Conduct. |
Standards | Standards include documents produced by national bodies, workplace health and safety regulators or industry bodies, that prescribe preventative action to avert occupational deaths, injuries and diseases. Standards are of an advisory nature only, except where a law adopts the standard and thus makes it mandatory. They may be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action. |
Codes of practice/compliance codes | Codes of practice/compliance codes are documents generally prepared to provide advice to employers and workers, of an acceptable way of achieving standards. They may: be incorporated into regulations not relate to a standard be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action. |
Guidance material | Guidance material is an advisory technical document, providing detailed information for use by unions, employers, management, health and safety committee members and representatives, safety officers and others requiring guidance. It advises on 'what to do' and 'how to do it'. has no legal standing. |
Other sources of workplace health and safety information | Other sources of workplace health and safety information include persons, organisations and references where knowledge about workplace health and safety may be obtained. These sources may be: internal including: hazard, incident and investigation reports workplace inspections incident investigations minutes of meetings job safety analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments organisation data such as insurance records, enforcement notices and actions, workers compensation data, workplace health and safety performance data reports and audits material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers employees handbooks employees including questionnaire results health and safety representatives workplace health and safety committees manufacturers' manuals and specifications external, including: employee assistance program providers and workplace counselling services relevant state workplace health and safety Acts, regulations, codes and guidance materials other relevant legislation Safe Work Australia State/territory regulatory bodies databases, such as national and state injury data workplace health and safety specialists and consultants newspapers and journals, trade/industry publications internet sites industry networks and associations, including unions and employer groups workplace health and safety professional bodies specialist advisors research information. |
Workplace health and safety information | Workplace health and safety information includes: collated information on hazard incidents and injuries information on hazards, including MSDSs investigation and audit reports outcomes of hazard identifications and workplace inspections requirements under workplace health and safety legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice/compliance codes and guidelines rights and responsibilities risk assessments risk controls training records workplace health and safety policies and procedures work procedures. |
Risk controls | Risk controls include the devices and methods to, where practicable, eliminate the hazard or, where this is not practicable, minimise the risk associated with the hazard. |
Legal requirements | Legal requirements for record keeping include that specified under workplace health and safety legislation and regulations for: serious incident and injury reporting registered plant hazardous substances and dangerous goods environmental monitoring health surveillance privacy legislation. |
Workplace health and safety records | Workplace health and safety records may include: employees handbooks environmental monitoring records first aid records hazard, incident and investigation reports health surveillance records job safety analyses (JSAs), safe work method statements and risk assessments maintenance and testing reports material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers minutes of meetings plant and equipment operation records, including those relevant to registered plant training records workplace inspection reports. |
Participative processes | Participative processes include processes that: inform employees and other stakeholders of workplace health and safety matters seek their input offer opportunity for stakeholders to participate in decisions that may impact on their health and safety Participative processes may also be referred to as 'consultative processes', however 'participation' implies a higher level of involvement. |
Organisation policies and procedures | Organisation policies and procedures include: policies and procedures underpinning the management of workplace health and safety, including: hazard, incident and injury reporting hazard identification, risk assessment and control human resources policies and procedures such as harassment and grievance procedures, induction programs, team meetings, alcohol and drug policies consultation and participation incident investigation quality system documentation. |
Consultation | Consultation includes processes for seeking information or the opinions from one or more people prior to decision making. Consultation should particularly include those who may affect the outcomes or be affected by the decisions made but may also include specialist sources. |
Hazard | A hazard is a source or situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, the environment, or a combination of these. Common workplace hazards (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) include: Manual tasks - overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain Gravity - falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death Electricity - potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution Machinery and equipment - being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death Hazardous chemicals - chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis Extreme temperatures - heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue. Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite Noise - exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage Radiation - ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers can cause burns, cancer or blindness Biological - micro-organisms can cause hepatitis, legionnaires’ disease, Q fever, HIV/AIDS or allergies Psychosocial hazards - effects of work-related stress, bullying, violence and work-related fatigue. Examples of hazards in an animal care environment may include: animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches or crush injuries biological hazardous waste bodily fluids chemicals and medicines sharps zoonotic and exotic disease possibilities. |
Incident | Incident includes any event that has caused or has the potential for injury, ill-health or damage. |
Hazard identification | Hazards identification is the process of identifying sources of harm, and may be required: before new forms of work and organisation of work are implemented before changes are made to workplace, equipment, work processes or work arrangements as part of planning major tasks or activities, such as equipment shutdowns following an incident report when new knowledge becomes available at regular intervals during normal operations prior to disposal of equipment, or materials. |
Risk | Risk in relation to any hazard means the probability and consequences of injury, illness or damage resulting from exposure to a hazard. |
Risk assessments | Risk assessments involve analysing a hazard to: identify factors influencing the risk and the range of potential consequences: effectiveness of existing controls likelihood of each consequence considering exposure and hazard level and combining these in some way to obtain a level of risk. |
Hierarchy of risk control | Hierarchy of risk control (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) includes: Level 1 controls eliminate hazards Level 2 controls substitute the hazard with something safer isolate the hazard from people use engineering controls Level 3 controls use administrative controls use personal protective equipment (PPE). |
Expert advisors | Expert advisors include persons either internal or external to the organisation including: audiologists ergonomists employee assistance and workplace counselling services occupational health professionals occupational hygienists health and safety representatives workplace health and safety committees safety engineers safety professionals toxicologists Expert advisors may also include other persons providing specific technical knowledge or expertise in areas related to workplace health and safety including: engineers (e.g. design, acoustic, mechanical, civil) health professionals injury management advisors legal practitioners with experience in workplace health and safety maintenance and trade persons regulatory bodies risk managers security and emergency response personnel workplace trainers and assessors. |
Workplace health and safety induction | Workplace health and safety induction includes the processes by which new employees are introduced to, and acquainted with their job and the new workplace, including familiarisation with: hazards and risks associated with the work, risk control measures, welfare facilities and emergency response procedures. |
Stakeholders | Stakeholders are those people or organisations who may be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by an activity or decision including: officers Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) health and safety representatives workplace health and safety committees workers and contractors the community. |
Workplace health and safety action plans | Workplace health and safety action plans include documented plans developed within the workplace to implement a systematic approach to workplace health and safety management and contain: actions that support an integrated strategy to address deficiencies, meet obligations or provide for improved outcomes allocated responsibilities timeframes. |