Application
This unit of competency requires application of work health and safety (WHS) legislation and principles to establish, maintain and evaluate a WHS system within the maintenance organisation, including on flight lines, in hangars and in workshops, during scheduled or unscheduled maintenance and may relate to individual and team activities. It is intended to ensure that the workplace is, so far as is practicable, safe and without risks to the health of employees.
The unit is part of the Aeroskills Advanced Diploma training pathways. It is used in workplaces that operate under the airworthiness regulatory systems of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1. | Establish and maintain the framework for the WHS system | 1.1 | WHS policies are developed which clearly express the organisation's commitment with respect to WHS within the area of managerial responsibility and how relevant WHS legislation will be implemented, consistent with overall organisational policies |
1.2 | WHS responsibilities and duties which will allow implementation and integration of the WHS system are clearly defined, allocated and included in job descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions | ||
1.3 | Financial and human resources for the operation of the WHS system are identified and sought in a timely and consistent manner | ||
1.4 | Information on the WHS system and procedures for the area of managerial responsibility is provided and explained in a form that is readily accessible to employees | ||
2. | Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of WHS | 2.1 | Appropriate consultative processes are established and maintained in consultation with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant WHS legislation and consistent with the organisation's overall process for consultation |
2.2 | Issues raised through participation and consultation are dealt with and resolved promptly and effectively in accordance with procedures for issue resolution | ||
2.3 | Information about the outcomes of participation and consultation is provided in a manner accessible to employees | ||
3. | Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards | 3.1 | Existing and potential hazards within the area of managerial responsibility are correctly identified and identification confirmed in accordance with WHS legislation, codes of practice and trends identified from the WHS records system |
3.2 | A procedure for ongoing identification of hazards is developed and integrated within systems of work and procedures | ||
3.3 | Activities are appropriately monitored to ensure that this procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility | ||
3.4 | Hazard identification is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created | ||
4. | Establish and maintain procedures for assessing risks | 4.1 | Risks presented by identified hazards are correctly assessed in accordance with WHS legislation and codes of practice |
4.2 | A procedure for ongoing assessment of risks is developed and integrated within systems of work and procedures | ||
4.3 | Activities are monitored to ensure that this procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility | ||
4.4 | Risk assessment is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change within the area of managerial responsibility to ensure that the risk from hazards is not increased | ||
5. | Establish and maintain procedures for controlling risks | 5.1 | Measures to control assessed risks are developed and implemented in accordance with the hierarchy of control, relevant WHS legislation, codes of practice and trends identified from the WHS records system |
5.2 | When measures that control a risk at its source are not immediately practicable, interim solutions are implemented until a control measure is developed | ||
5.3 | A procedure for ongoing control of risks, based on the hierarchy of control, is developed and integrated within general systems of work and procedures | ||
5.4 | Activities are monitored to ensure that the risk control procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility | ||
5.5 | Risk control is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change within the area of managerial responsibility to ensure that adequate risk control measures are included | ||
5.6 | Inadequacies in existing risk control measures are identified in accordance with the hierarchy of control, and resources enabling implementation of new measures are sought and/or provided according to appropriate procedures | ||
6. | Establish and maintain organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous events | 6.1 | Potential hazardous events are correctly identified |
6.2 | Procedures which would control the risks associated with hazardous events and meet any legislative requirements as a minimum are developed in consultation with appropriate emergency services | ||
6.3 | Appropriate information and training is provided to all employees to enable implementation of the correct procedures in all relevant circumstances | ||
7. | Establish and maintain a WHS training program | 7.1 | A WHS training program is developed and implemented to identify and fulfil employees' WHS training needs as part of the organisation's general training program |
8. | Establish and maintain a system for WHS records | 8.1 | A system for keeping WHS records is established and monitored to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease within the area of managerial responsibility |
9. | Evaluate the organisation's WHS system and related policies, procedures and programs | 9.1 | The effectiveness of the WHS system and related policies, procedures and programs is assessed according to the organisation's aims with respect to WHS |
9.2 | Improvements to the WHS system are developed and implemented to ensure more effective achievement of the organisation's aims with respect to WHS | ||
9.3 | Compliance with WHS legislation and codes of practice is assessed to ensure that legal WHS standards are maintained as a minimum | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria under the specified conditions of assessment on at least one occasion, and must include:
ability to analyse working environment and design appropriate WHS management systems
ability to analyse relevant data and evaluate WHS system effectiveness
ability to assess resources to establish and maintain WHS management systems.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:
provisions of relevant WHS legislation
principles and practice of effective WHS management
management arrangements relating to regulatory compliance
enterprise hazards and risks, control measures and relevant expertise required
characteristics and composition of workforce and their impact on WHS management
relevance of enterprise management systems to WHS management.
Assessment Conditions
This unit may be assessed on the job, off the job or a combination of both on and off the job. Where assessment occurs off the job, that is, the candidate is not in productive work, an appropriate simulation must be used where the range of conditions reflects realistic workplace situations in establishing, maintaining and evaluating a WHS system
The candidate must have access to all equipment, materials and documentation required and must be permitted to refer to any relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications, codes, standards, manuals and reference materials. The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate.
Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently perform all elements of the unit as specified by the criteria, including required knowledge, and be capable of applying the competency in new and different situations and contexts.
Assessors should gather a range of evidence that is valid, sufficient, current and authentic. The preferred method is the records in the Maintenance Management Competency Log. Where the individual does not have a Competency Log evidence can be gathered through a variety of ways, including direct observation, supervisor’s reports, project work, samples and questioning. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.
Assessors must satisfy the requirements of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Australian Skills Quality Authority, or its successors).
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | ||
This competency is to be exhibited in accordance with all relevant WHS legislation, particularly: | Commonwealth/state/territory WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice, including regulations and organisational codes of practice relating to hazards present in the workplace General duty of care under WHS legislation and common law; requirements for the maintenance and confidentiality of occupational injury and disease Requirements for provision of WHS information and training Provisions relating to health and safety representatives and/or WHS committees Provisions relating to WHS issue resolution Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs), Manuals of Standards and associated Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material | |
WHS framework includes: | Policy development and updating Determining the ways in which WHS functions will be managed. This may include distinct WHS management activities, or inclusion of WHS functions within a range of management functions and operations, such as maintenance of plant and equipment; purchasing of materials and equipment Designing operations, work flow and materials handling; planning or implementing alterations to site, plant, operations or work systems; mechanisms for review and allocation of human, technical and financial resources needed to manage WHS, including defining and allocating WHS responsibilities for all relevant positions Mechanisms for keeping up to date with relevant information and updating the management arrangements for WHS, for example, information on health effects of hazards, technical developments in risk control and environmental monitoring and changes to legislation Mechanisms to assess and update WHS arrangements relevant to legislative requirements; a system for communicating WHS information to employees, supervisors and managers within the enterprise | |
Appropriate consultative processes for management of WHS include: | WHS committees and other committees, for example, consultative, planning and purchasing Health and safety representatives; employee and supervisor involvement in WHS management activities, for example, WHS inspections, audits, environmental monitoring, risk assessment and risk control Procedures for reporting hazards, risks and WHS issues by managers and employees Inclusion of WHS in consultative or other meetings and processes | |
Procedures for identifying hazards include: | Workplace inspections, including plant and equipment; audits Maintaining and analysing WHS records, including environmental monitoring and health surveillance reports Maintenance of plant and equipment Reviews of materials and equipment purchases, including manufacturers and suppliers information Employee reporting of WHS issues | |
Procedures for assessing risks include: | Determining the likelihood and severity of adverse consequences form hazards WHS audits; workplace inspections; maintenance of plant and equipment; purchasing of materials and equipment Planning or implementing alterations to site, operations or work systems Analysis of relevant records and reports, for example, injuries and incidents, hazardous substances inventories/registers, audit and environmental monitoring reports and WHS committee records | |
Procedures for controlling risks include: | Assessing the WHS consequences of materials, plant or equipment prior to purchase Obtaining expert advice; appropriate application of measures according to the hierarchy of control, namely: elimination of the risk Engineering controls Administrative controls Personal protective equipment (PPE) Designing safe operations and systems of work; inclusion of new WHS information into procedures Checking enterprise compliance with regulatory requirements | |
Organisational procedures for hazardous events include: | Making inventories of, and inspecting, high risk operations Inspecting systems and operations associated with potentially hazardous events, for example, emergency communications, links to emergency services, firefighting, chemical spill containment, bomb alerts and first aid services | |
A WHS training program includes: | Arrangements for ongoing assessment of training needs, for example, relating to supervisors and managers Specific hazards; specific tasks or equipment Emergencies and evacuations Training required under WHS legislation Allocation of resources for WHS training, including acquisition of training resources, development of staff training skills and purchase of training services Induction training; training for new operations, materials or equipment | |
WHS records include: | Identifying records required under WHS legislation, for example, worker's compensation and rehabilitation records Hazardous substances registers; material safety data sheets (MSDS) Major accident/injury notifications Certificates or licences Manufacturers and suppliers WHS information WHS audits and inspection reports Maintenance and testing reports Workplace environmental monitoring and health surveillance records Records of instruction and training First aid/medical post records | |
Assessment of the effectiveness of the WHS system and related policies, procedures and programs includes: | Reviewing the effectiveness of the WHS management system Regular review of operating procedures Regular analysis of WHS records Audits against WHS legislative requirements | |
Sectors
Competency Field
Work health and safety