Unit of competency details

HLT07 Version 4

HLT07 Version 5

Comments

HLTOHS456B Identify, assess and control OHS risk in own work

HLTWHS456A Identify, assess and control WHS risk in own work

Updated in V5 - Changes to address new national Work Health and Safety (WHS) Bill and updated legislation

Descriptor

This unit specifies the workplace performance required by a technician or specialist in addressing work health and safety (WHS) risk to ensure their own safety, as well as that of others who may be affected by their work

Application 

Application of this unit should be contextualised to reflect any specific workplace risks, hazards and associated safety practices

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

• Identify hazards and assess risk associated with a product or system of work

1.1 Map the life cycle of the product or system of work

1.2 Identify hazards at each stage of the life cycle

1.3 Systematically analyse the hazards to identify risk of injury, illness or damage arising from the hazard

1.4 Identify factors contributing to the risk

1.5 Assess and evaluate the product or system of work against provisions of relevant WHS legislation, standards, codes of practice/compliance codes or guidance material and sustainability issues

1.6 Consult potential users of the product or system of work

• Control the risk of a product or system of work

2.1 Develop risk controls based on the hierarchy of control

2.2 Where there is a high consequence WHS risk, design fail-to-safe action into the product or system of work to minimise the impact of possible failure or defect

2.3 Monitor product or work system development as it evolves to identify new hazards and to manage any developing risk

2.4 Use a risk register to document residual risk and recommended actions to minimise risk

2.5 Recognise personal professional limitations and seek expert advice as required

2.6 Communicate the risk management process and resultant risk register to those who may use or interact with the product or system of work

2.7 Document hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control processes and make available to those who may affected

• Identify hazards and assess risks in own work

3.1 Identify and access sources of WHS information

3.2 Identify and eliminate hazards, reporting residual risk according to organisation procedures

3.3 Use a risk register to document residual risk and actions to minimise risk based on the hierarchy of control

• Control risk in own work

4.1 Ensure work practices follow documented work procedures

4.2 Ensure work planning and conduct takes account of residual risk register

4.3 Identify and address and/or report deficiencies in risk controls according to organisation procedures

4.4 Maintain WHS records as required

4.5 Recognise personal professional limitations and seek expert advice as required

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

• Examples of safety benchmarks
• Hierarchy of control and its application
• Legislative requirements for record keeping and reporting
• Nature of common workplace hazards relevant to the workplace
• Organisation procedures related to WHS including:

• consultation and participation
• hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• hazard, incident and injury reporting
• incident investigation
• record keeping

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements including selection, use, storage and maintenance
• Principles of ‘safe design’ processes
• Principles of risk assessment particularly risk analysis
• Regulatory requirements relevant to the particular industry/type of work site
• Relationship between specific WHS issues and sustainability in the workplace, including environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability
• Requirements for hazard identification and hazard identification processes
• Roles and responsibilities of Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Health and Safety committees (HSCs)
• Roles and responsibilities of workers, officers and Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs)
• Sources of WHS information both internal and external to the organisation, including Safe Work Australia and relevant state/territory regulators
• The difference between hazard and risk
• The hierarchy of control and its application
• Workplace specific information including:

• hazard identification procedures relevant to the hazards in their work place
• in depth knowledge of hazards of the particular work environment and how they cause harm
• work procedures

Essential skills and attributes:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to

• Address the WHS risks specific to their technical or specialist work role, both in relation to their own health and safety, and to the health and safety of others who may be affected by their work

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

• Assimilate information from a range of sources
• Communicate with potential users of the product or system of work, other technicians/ specialists, managers and experts advisers
• Postulate scenarios and analyse the scenarios to identify hazards and analyse risk
• Relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethic backgrounds and physical and mental abilities
• Take into account and use opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues
• Use language and literacy skills to comprehend and interpret WHS legislation, guidance material and benchmarks
• Use technical skills to access WHS information

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects of assessment:

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Evidence gathered by an assessor to determine competence will include:

• written or verbal responses to scenarios and case studies
• provision of workplace examples
• evidence from workplace supervisor reports
• portfolio of workplace documentation

• Evidence of workplace performance over time must be obtained to inform a judgement of competence

Products that could be used as evidence include:

• Responses to case studies, scenarios
• Completed reports, plans, risk registers, products
• Written directions, emails, memos and other information
• Reports from team leaders, senior managers, users, specialist advisors

Processes that could be used as evidence include:

• How risk was assessed
• How risk was controlled

Access and equity considerations:

• All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Related unit:

Assessment of this unit should address and build on the content of related unit:

• HLTWHS300A Contribute to WHS processes

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any 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.

Life cycle covers:

All phases in the life of a product or system of work and may include:

• design and development
• manufacture, construction, assembly
• import, supply, distribution
• sale, hire or lease
• storage
• transport
• installation, erection and commissioning
• use, operation, consumption
• maintenance, servicing, cleaning, adjustment, inspection, repair, modification, refurbishment, renovation
• recycling, resale
• decommissioning, dismantling, demolition, discontinuance, disposal

Product is:

The output of the work, which may include:

• development
• production
• modification of physical objects, such as:
• plant
• equipment
• tool
• fitting
• fixture
• consumables

Products may be for use inside organisation or for sale

System of work is:

• Work process
• Work practice or procedure
• The way work is organised such as:

• team and supervision structure
• reporting lines
• roster
• geographical location

Map includes:

• People who may use or interface with the product or system of work
• The range of uses of the product or system of work, both intended and unintended

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

Analysis involves 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

• Combine these in some way to obtain a level of risk

Risk:

in relation to any hazard, means the probability and consequences of injury, illness or damage resulting from exposure to a hazard

WHS legislation varies in different states and will include:

• National Work Health and Safety Model
• Current relevant State/territory WHS legislation
• Relevant state/territory Manual Handling Code of Conduct

Standards include:

Documents produced by national bodies, WHS 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

Standards may be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action

Codes of practice/compliance codes are:

Documents generally prepared to provide advice to employers and workers, of an acceptable way of achieving standards

Codes of practice/compliance codes may:

• be incorporated into regulations
• not relate to a standard
• be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action

Guidance material:

Is an advisory technical document, providing detailed information for use by unions, workers, health and safety committee members and representatives, officers and others requiring guidance

Advises on ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do it’

Has no legal standing

Risk controls include:

The devices and methods to:

• where practicable, eliminate the hazard
• where this is not practicable, minimise the risk associated with the hazard

Hierarchy of risk control (from Safe Work Australia Work Health And Safety - Risks Code of Practice) includes:

The ranking of ways control risks ranked from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest, including:

• 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)

High consequence WHS risk includes:

High impact events that usually occur rarely such as explosions, fires and building collapses but may result in very serious injury, death or multiple death situations

Fail-to-safe includes:

Design features of equipment that ensure a failure or defect, or another factor such as loss of power, results in the equipment being left in a safe condition

Risk register is a document detailing:

• A list of hazards, their location and people exposed
• A range of possible scenarios or circumstances under which these hazards may cause injury or damage
• Nature of injury or damage caused
• The results of the risk assessment

And may also include:

• Possible control measures and dates for implementation

Residual risk is:

The risk which remains after controls have been implemented

Expert advice may be sought from:

Persons either internal or external to the organisation including:

• safety professionals
• ergonomists
• employee assistance and workplace counselling services
• occupational hygienists
• audiologists
• safety engineers
• toxicologists
• occupational health professionals
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Health and Safety Committees (HSCs)

Other persons providing specific technical knowledge or expertise in areas related to WHS including:

• risk managers
• health professionals
• injury management advisors
• legal practitioners with experience in WHS
• engineers (e.g. design, acoustic, mechanical, civil)
• security and emergency response personnel
• workplace trainers and assessors
• maintenance and trade persons

Sources of WHS information include

Persons, organisations and references where knowledge about WHS 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, WHS performance data
• reports and audits
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and registers
• employees handbooks
• employees including questionnaire results
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• manufacturers’ manuals and specifications

External, including:

• Employee Assistance Program providers and workplace counselling services
• relevant state WHS Acts, regulations, codes and guidance material
• other relevant legislation
• Safe Work Australia
• State/territory regulatory bodies
• databases such as national and state injury data
• WHS specialists and consultants
• newspapers and journals, trade/industry publications
• internet sites
• industry networks and associations including unions and employer groups
• WHS professional bodies
• specialist advisors
• research information

Organisation policies and procedures include:

Policies and procedures underpinning the management of WHS 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

Work procedures include:

• Standard operating procedures
• Batch specifications, recipes
• Operator or manufacturer manuals
• Procedures for selecting, fitting, using and maintaining personal protective equipment

WHS records may include:

• Hazard, incident and investigation reports
• Workplace inspection reports
• Incident investigation reports
• First aid records
• Minutes of meetings
• Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and registers
• Employees handbooks
• Plant and equipment operation records including those relevant to registered plant
• Maintenance and testing reports
• Training records
• Environmental monitoring records
• Health surveillance records