Application
This unit applies to workers who have a key role in maintaining workplace safety in an organisation. In their role they closely monitor aspects of work associated with the safe delivery of products and services, and they have an important responsibility in influencing ongoing safety in the workplace.
At this level, work will normally be carried out within known routines, methods and procedures but may also involve a number of complex or non
NOTE: The terms Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Work Health and Safety (WHS) are equivalent and generally either can be used in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the National Model WHS Legislation has not been implemented RTOs are advised to contextualise the unit of competency by referring to the existing State/Territory OHS legislative requirements.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Assist with incorporating WHS policies and procedures into work team processes | 1.1 Use WHS legislation as the basis for meeting the health and safety requirements of a small work team 1.2 Assist in providing and clearly explaining information to the work team about the organisation’s WHS policies, procedures, programs and legislative requirements, including the legal duties, powers, rights, obligations and responsibilities of individuals and parties inside and outside the workplace 1.3 Assist in regularly providing and clearly explaining information to the work team about identifying hazards and the outcomes of risk assessment |
2. Support participative arrangements for managing WHS | 2.1 Implement and monitor organisational consultative procedures to facilitate participation of the work team in managing work area hazards 2.2 Promptly deal with issues raised through consultation according to organisational procedures for issue resolution 2.3 Encourage and assist work team members to contribute to managing WHS 2.4 Engage with individuals and work teams to identify and implement improvements in managing WHS feedback |
3. Support the organisation’s procedures for providing WHS training | 3.1 Provide advice on WHS training needs of individuals and the work team 3.2 Provide advice on strategies and opportunities for developing work team’s WHS competence 3.3 Provide coaching and mentoring assistance to work team members to support the effective development of individual and team WHS competence |
4. Participate in identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks for the work area | 4.1 Provide advice on hazards in the work area according to organisational policies and procedures, and WHS legal requirements 4.2 Support the implementation of procedures to control risks using the hierarchy of control and according to organisational procedures and WHS legal requirements 4.3 Identify and report inadequacies in existing risk control measures according to organisational procedures, the hierarchy of control and WHS legal requirements 4.4 Accurately complete and maintain WHS incident records in the work area according to organisational procedures and WHS legislative requirements |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to:
assess resources required to apply risk controls
assist with environmental monitoring
identify hazards and assess risks appropriate to own work area and job role
monitor incidents and hazards
evaluate effectiveness of risk controls
coaching and mentoring skills to provide support to colleagues
communication skills to communicate with people from a range of backgrounds and with a range of abilities
literacy skills to understand workplace procedures and work instructions for identifying and reporting hazards, and for interpreting WHS signs and symbols.
Required knowledge
characteristics and composition of the work team
hazards and associated risks in the workplace
organisational policies and procedures relating to WHS, including hazard management, fire, emergencies, evacuation, incident investigation and reporting
relevant Acts, regulations and codes of practice from all levels of government that impact on business operations, especially with regard to WHS and environmental issues, equal opportunity, industrial relations and anti
WHS aspects of other organisational systems and procedures.
Evidence Required
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 | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: implementing organisational management systems and WHS procedures in own work area understanding of and meeting WHS legal and organisational requirements as they apply to own work area and job role knowledge of procedures for identifying hazards in the work area knowledge of procedures for assessing and controlling risks to health and safety associated with those hazards according to organisational WHS procedures. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: safety processes relevant to the area of work relevant information and documentation on compliance requirements, such as: organisational policies and procedures, standard operating procedures and plans relevant Acts, regulations, codes of practice, licensing requirements and standards relevant internal and external information appropriate office equipment and resources used in the identification and rectification of WHS compliance breaches. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on review of documents on WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards, policies and procedures developed and communicated to workers analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios demonstration of applying WHS legislation oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of research and data-collection methods to obtain evidence of compliance with WHS legislation assessment of duty of care arrangements. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended. |
Range Statement
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.
WHS legislation may include: | WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice components of Acts and regulations, such as: dangerous goods environmental protection equal opportunity and anti industrial relations privacy workers’ compensation. |
WHS policies, procedures, programs and legislative requirements may include: | consultative arrangements for workers in the work area emergency plan and procedures first aid provision, and medical practitioner contact and attention hazard reporting procedures incident investigation plant and equipment maintenance and use procedures for hazard identification procedures for risk assessment, and the selection and implementation of risk control measures purchasing policy and procedures safe operating procedures and instructions site access and egress transport and storage of dangerous goods use and care of personal protective equipment use and storage of hazardous substances WHS arrangements for on-site contractors, visitors and members of the public WHS audits and safety inspections. |
Individuals and parties may include: | contractors and subcontractors customers persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBUs) or their officers workers other persons at a workplace WHS entry permit holders WHS inspectors WHS regulators. |
Methods for identifying hazards and risk assessment include: | as specified in WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice checking equipment before and during work consulting work team members housekeeping reviewing records, for example: equipment maintenance hazardous chemicals, including labels and safety data sheet (SDS) register, and dangerous goods storage list injury training plan workplace inspections in area of responsibility. |
Organisational consultative procedures may include: | attendance of health and safety representatives at management meetings counselling and disciplinary processes early response to worker suggestions, requests, reports and concerns put forward to management formal and informal meetings health and safety committees other committees, for example planning and purchasing. |
WHS training needs may include: | coaching, mentoring and/or supervision formal and informal learning programs internal and external training programs personal study. |
Coaching and mentoring assistance may include: | explaining and clarifying presenting and promoting a safe workplace problem solving providing encouragement providing feedback to another team member respecting the contribution of all participants and giving credit for achievements. |
Hazards in the work area may include: | anything that has the potential to cause harm as specified in WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice blocked exits ergonomically unsuitable workstations and task design, for example: repetitive work poor lighting or glary surfaces non internal or external threat of occupational violence or bullying lack of adequate storage reliance on low order control measure (such as personal protective equipment) to reduce worker risk exposure, instead of controlling the hazard itself slippery and uneven floors unguarded and poorly maintained machinery and equipment unlabelled chemicals and substances untidy or noisy work areas. |
Procedures to control risks may include actions, such as: | as specified in WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice application of the hierarchy of control, namely: eliminate the risk reduce or minimise the risk through: engineering controls administrative controls personal protective equipment regular consultation with workers. |
Sectors
Regulation, Licensing and Risk – Work Health and Safety
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.