Application
This unit focuses on evaluation of the effectiveness of an organisation’s management of WHS.
Aspects of integration with other organisational management systems, and the appropriateness of participative arrangements and WHS improvements are some components of the evaluation.
The scope of this work may include WHS performance measures and outcomes, strategies, policies, programs, procedures and the organisation’s resources.
The unit applies to people who apply advanced practical knowledge to coordinate, facilitate and maintain the WHS program in an organisation.
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. Evaluate the effectiveness of the organisation’s arrangement for identifying WHS hazards | 1.1 Identify workplace hazard identification activities and compare them with organisational WHS policies and procedures 1.2 Examine products, processes and systems to determine whether hazards of long latency and low frequency/high consequence are included and minimised 1.3 Examine products, processes and systems to determine whether risks to persons other than workers are identified and minimised 1.4 Identify organisational factors that impact on WHS 1.5 Review outcomes of examinations with specialist personnel, if required |
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the organisation’s arrangements for WHS risk management | 2.1 Evaluate appropriateness of the organisation’s risk assessment tools and processes 2.2 Assess outcomes of risk-assessment processes with regard to validity, reliability and inclusion of all major WHS risks 2.3 Evaluate risk controls for suitability and effectiveness in relation to the organisation’s management of WHS |
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the organisation’s processes for monitoring WHS | 3.1 Identify organisational processes to monitor the implementation and status of its WHS management 3.2 Evaluate the quality of information and data obtained from the monitoring processes 3.3 Evaluate management’s response to issues identified by the monitoring processes |
4. Assess outcomes of the organisation’s arrangements for managing WHS | 4.1 Evaluate performance indicators, including positive performance indicators (PPIs), to determine whether they provide a true, reliable and timely measure of the effectiveness of the organisation’s WHS management 4.2 Compare reported performance with evidence gathered and document the differences 4.3 Evaluate WHS performance outcomes and document them in a clear and objective manner 4.4 Determine whether arrangements for managing WHS have produced improvement in WHS risk management |
5. Assess and advise on the organisation’s WHS compliance against agreed benchmarks | 5.1 Undertake systematic analysis to identify areas of WHS compliance and non 5.2 Provide advice on compliance with WHS legislation with regard to the organisation’s arrangements for managing WHS 5.3 Document outcomes of evaluation of compliance and report to key personnel and stakeholders |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to:
interpret information and data
identify areas for improvement
make observations of workplace tasks and interactions between people, their activities, equipment, environment and systems
use relevant workplace information and data
communication skills to:
conduct effective formal and informal meetings
employ consultation and negotiation skills to develop plans, and to implement and monitor designated actions
prepare reports for a range of target groups, including health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, managers, supervisors, and persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBUs) or their officers
relate to personnel at all levels of the organisation, WHS specialists and, as required, emergency services personnel
use language appropriate to the work team and the task
information technology skills to:
access and download internal and external information and data on WHS
analyse and evaluate a range of information and data formats, including graphs, maps, matrices and technical reports
prepare reports
use a range of communication media
use electronic information and data systems to enter workplace information and data and produce graphical representation
numeracy skills to carry out simple statistical analysis, including mean, standard deviation and regression
organisational skills to manage own tasks within a timeframe
project-management skills to:
achieve continuous improvement and change in WHS matters
contribute to strategic WHS performance of the organisation
research skills to:
access relevant WHS information and data
pay attention to detail when making observations and recording outcomes
use information and data-gathering techniques, such as brainstorming, polling and interviewing.
Required knowledge
commonwealth and state or territory WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards, guidance material and links to other relevant legislation, including industrial relations, equal employment opportunity, workers’ compensation, and rehabilitation
concept of common law duty of care
development of WHS performance assessment tools, such as PPIs
difference between common law and statutory law
ethics related to professional practice
formal and informal communication and consultation processes, and key personnel related to communication
language, literacy and cultural profile of the work team
legal liability in relation to providing advice
legislative requirements for WHS information and data, and consultation
limitations of generic hazard identification and risk assessment checklists, and risk ranking processes
methods for collecting reliable information and data, commonly encountered problems in collection, and strategies for overcoming such problems
methods for providing evidence of compliance with WHS legislation
nature and use of information and data that provide valid and reliable results on performance of WHS management processes (including PPIs) and limitations of other types of measures
nature of workplace processes (work flow, planning and control) and hazards relevant to the workplace
organisational culture as it impacts on the work team
organisational WHS policies, procedures, processes and systems
principles and practices of a systematic approach to managing WHS
principles of duty of care, including concepts of causation, foreseeability and preventability
principles of effective meetings, including agendas, action planning, chair and secretarial duties, minutes and action items
range of risk analysis and assessment techniques and tools, and their application and limitations
requirements for recordkeeping that address WHS, privacy and other relevant legislation
requirements for reporting under WHS and other relevant legislation, including obligations for notification and reporting of incidents
requirements under hazard-specific WHS legislation and codes of practice
risk management as a duty of PCBUs or their officers under WHS legislation
roles and responsibilities in relation to communication and consultation for health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, line management, workers and inspectors
sampling methodologies, application and related statistical measures
standard industry controls for a range of hazards
techniques, tools and processes for identifying and controlling health and safety hazards and risks:
hazard and risk checklists
hazard hunts
job safety analyses
manifests and registers, including for dangerous goods, hazardous chemicals and plant
safe work method statements
surveys using questionnaires, interviews and other survey techniques
workplace inspections and walk throughs.
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: making a comprehensive assessment of an organisation’s WHS performance focusing on the organisation’s strategic planning in relation to WHS knowledge of the nature and use of information and data that provide valid and reliable results on performance of WHS management processes (including PPIs) and limitations of other types of measures. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: a workplace, including personnel involved in areas to be evaluated organisational documentation, information and data. |
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: analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on demonstration of techniques used in reviewing the organisation’s WHS performance observation of performance in role plays observation of presentations oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of roles and responsibilities under WHS legislation of workers, supervisors, contractors and WHS inspectors evaluation of the organisation’s risk assessment tools and processes evaluation and documentation of performance outcomes review of report developed to document outcomes of evaluation of compliance. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: BSBWHS601A Apply legislative frameworks for WHS BSBWHS602A Facilitate WHS activities BSBWHS603A Implement WHS risk management BSBWHS606A Conduct a WHS audit. |
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.
Hazards of long latency may include: | conditions, illnesses and other health risks that result from longer-term exposure to specific triggers and do not manifest themselves in the short chemicals noise psychosocial factors radiation. |
Hazards of low frequency/high consequence may include: | high impact events that may result in very serious injury, death or multiple death situations that occur rarely, such as: building collapses explosions fires. |
Persons other than workers may include: | contractors customers/clients neighbourhood or local community members visitors. |
Organisational factors may include: | authority geographical spread of sites nature of hazards and level of risk other management systems requiring interface or integration with management of WHS participatory arrangements reporting structure roster and shift arrangements supervision structure workforce structure, such as: contractors cultural diversity labour hire part-time and casual workers workplace culture, including industrial relations and safety culture. |
Specialist personnel may include: | external consultants specialising in specific areas of WHS, such as: ergonomics occupational health occupational hygiene psychology safety engineering toxicology specialist staff within government agencies offering assistance in specialist or problem areas within WHS. |
Benchmarks may include: | industry-specific standards organisation’s business plan specific legislation WHS management system standards. |
WHS legislation may include: | Acts regulations codes of practice. |
Key personnel and stakeholders may include: | board/committee of management and shareholders customers/clients management, persons in control of the workplace, and supervisors workers and other parties across a range of levels and roles, including health and safety representatives, and health and safety committee members. |
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.