Unit of competency details

Modification History

Not Applicable

Unit Descriptor

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency covers contributing to occupational health and safety (OHS) policies and procedures in order to assist in ensuring own safety and that of others in the workplace. It is relevant for employees with some supervisory or team leading responsibilities.

This unit includes provisions for providing information to work groups and actively contributing to maintaining a safe work environment. Performance would usually be carried out under routine managerial supervision, within organisational guidelines.

The unit is based on Generic Competency B in the National Guidelines for Integrating Occupational Health and Safety Competencies into National Industry Competency Standards (NOHSC:7025 [1998] 2nd edition).

Application of the Unit

Not Applicable

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Not Applicable

Pre-Requisites

Not Applicable

Employability Skills Information

Not Applicable

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Not Applicable

Elements and Performance Criteria

Required Skills and Knowledge

Refer to Evidence Guide

Evidence Guide

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

Critical aspects of competency 

• Identify and encourage compliance with OHS legal requirements within a work group.
• Apply organisational requirements and work procedures to OHS within a work group.
• Share information to a work group on workplace procedures pertaining to health and safety in a readily accessible manner.
• Apply a consultative and open approach to the identification of hazards within the work group and ensure unresolved issues are referred to designated personnel.
• Identify and assist with meeting the OHS training needs of the work group.

Knowledge needed to achieve the performance criteria 

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below.

• Provisions of OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace including legal responsibilities of employers, employees and other parties with legal responsibilities.
• Principles and practices of effective OHS management including risk management.
• Organisational OHS management systems, policies and procedures.
• Procedures for identifying hazards, assessing risks and controlling risks in the work environment.
• Procedures and policies related to hazard management.
• Access and equity principles in order to accept and respect individual differences within the composition of the work group.

Specific skills needed to achieve the performance criteria 

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These relate to the ability to:

• apply literacy and language skills to:

• understand and comply with work procedures
• identify and report hazards
• interpret site safety plan
• read and comprehend product instructions
• identify training needs of work group

• analyse hazards, assess risks and evaluate risk control measures
• coach and mentor in order to provide support to work group
• be culturally sensitive.

Other units of competency that could be assessed with this unit 

Competency in this unit will underpin competency in other aspects of the candidate's role in managing their work tasks.

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Resources required to assess this unit 

The candidate and the assessor should have access to the appropriate documentation and resources normally utilised in the workplace. This includes access to the following:

• OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace
• manuals and relevant documentation outlining occupational health and safety policies and procedures
• a suitable work area, or a simulated workplace environment, that allows for identification of hazards, risk assessment and risk control measures
• assessment documentation forms and record books.

Gaining evidence to assess this unit 

For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, the competency should be demonstrated over a period of time and be observed by the assessor (or assessment team working together to conduct the assessment). The competency is to be demonstrated in a range of situations, which may include customer/workplace interruptions and involvement in related activities normally experienced in the workplace.

When assessing candidates, assessment techniques that allow a collection of evidence from relevant workplace experience should be used. Assessment against this unit may involve the following:

• continuous assessment in the workplace (observation), or a setting that simulates the conditions of a workplace (simulation), taking into account the range of variables affecting performance
• self-assessment of performance on the same terms as those described above
• interviews and/or provision of learning activities to check underpinning knowledge requirements
• supplementary evidence that may be obtained from relevant authenticated correspondence or reports from immediate supervisors or line managers.

Performance and assessment of this unit must be carried out within the relevant requirements of the legislative and industry framework and as set out in organisational OHS policies and procedures.

Key competency levels 

There are a number of processes learnt throughout work and daily life that are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work environments. Some of these work processes are covered by the key competencies listed below. Information provided to each question highlights how these processes are applied in this unit of competency.

The number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency should be demonstrated.

Range Statement

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement links the required knowledge and organisational and technical requirements to the workplace context. It describes any contextual variables that will be used or encountered when applying the competency in work situations. It allows for different work practices and work and knowledge requirements as well as for differences between organisations and workplaces. The following variables are listed alphabetically and may be present for this particular unit.

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• health and safety representatives
• managers
• OHS personnel
• other persons including emergency service personnel, authorised or nominated by the enterprise or industry to:

• approve specified work
• direct specified work/functions
• inspect specified work
• perform specified work/functions.

Company requirements  may include:

• counselling/disciplinary processes
• maintenance of plant and equipment
• purchasing of supplies and equipment
• work procedures and work instructions.

Contributions  may include:

• behaviour that contributes to a safe workplace
• listening to ideas and opinions of others in the work group
• sharing opinions, views, knowledge and skills.

Control risks  may include actions such as:

• administrative controls
• application of the hierarchy of control, namely:

• elimination of the risk
• substitution controls
• engineering controls
• administrative controls including training
• personal protective equipment.

Emergency procedures  may include:

• accident/incident reporting
• chemical containment
• evacuations
• following instructions from authorised or designated personnel during hazardous events
• provision of First Aid.

Hazardous events  may include:

• accidents (including motor vehicle accidents)
• bomb threats
• chemical spills
• fires and explosions
• inhalation of dangerous substances
• natural disasters
• violent incidents e.g. armed robberies.

Hazards  may include:

• associated with electrical or mechanical faults of plant and/or equipment
• blocked exits
• environmental
• ergonomic
• obstructive
• reliance on low-order control measures to reduce worker risk instead of controlling the hazard itself
• slippery or uneven floors
• unlabelled chemicals and substances
• untidy or noisy work areas.

Identifying hazards and assessing risks  may include activities such as:

• audits
• checking work area and/or equipment before and during work
• housekeeping
• identifying employee concerns
• job and work system assessment
• maintenance of plant and equipment
• purchasing of supplies and equipment e.g. review of material safety data sheets and manufacturer/supplier information
• reviews of OHS records including registers of hazardous substances, dangerous goods, etc
• workplace inspections.

Information  may be:

• about hazards and risk management procedures
• about the nature of work, tasks and procedures
• as part of providing direct supervision e.g. to inexperienced workers
• for the induction of new workers
• to assist in work tasks
• to communicate legislation and codes of practice e.g. relating to hazards in the work area.

OHS legislation  may include:

• general duty of care under OHS legislation and common law
• provisions relating to OHS issue resolution
• provisions relating to roles and responsibilities of health and safety representatives and/or OHS committees
• regulations and codes of practice including regulations and codes of practice relating to hazards present in the workplace or industry
• requirements for provision of OHS information and training
• requirements for the maintenance and confidentiality of records of occupational injury and disease
• state/territory/Commonwealth OHS Acts.

OHS training needs  may include:

• emergency and evacuation training
• induction training
• specific hazard training
• specific task or equipment training
• training as part of broader programs e.g. equipment operation.

Participative arrangements  may include:

• formal and informal meetings of:

• OHS committees
• other committees e.g. consultative, planning and purchasing
• health and safety representatives

• suggestions, requests, reports and concerns put forward by employees to management.

Readily accessible  refers to information that:

• conforms to the principles of plain English
• caters for individual language and literacy levels
• is openly available.

Training  may include:

• coaching/mentoring
• off-the-job training
• on-the-job training
• presenting and promoting the benefits of a safe workplace
• providing encouragement
• providing feedback and clarifying points where necessary.

Work group  members may include:

• contractors authorised by the enterprise to perform specified work/functions
• employees under direct supervision
• entry-level trainees
• full-time, part-time or casual employees
• trainee supervisors or trainee team leaders.

Workplace procedures  may include:

• assessing and controlling risks
• consultation and participation arrangements for employees
• emergency response
• housekeeping
• incident investigation
• OHS issue resolution
• OHS record keeping
• OHS training and assessment
• providing OHS information
• reporting OHS issues
• safe operating procedures or instructions that cover but are not limited to:

• awareness of electrical hazards
• confined space procedures
• First Aid
• safe use of tools and equipment
• use of personal protective equipment
• working safely around electrical wiring, cables, and overhead powerlines

• specific hazards
• workplace safety inspections.

Unit Sector(s)

Not Applicable