This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to assist customers with specific needs in accordance with organisational requirements.

It includes establishing contact with customers, identifying customer needs, and providing appropriate support to customers with specific needs.

Work is performed with limited or minimum supervision. It involves providing assistance to customers with specific needs requiring assistance within station areas both on and off a train.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Prepare for customers with specific needs 

1.1

Vigilance is maintained for customers with specific needs and/or disabilities on arrival into the station platform

1.2

Hazards are identified, risks are assessed and control measures are implemented

1.3

Actions to assist customers with specific needs and/or disabilities are identified in accordance with workplace procedures and/or requirements

2 

Provide assistance to customers with specific needs 

2.1

Ancillary equipment is obtained and provided for use by customers in wheelchairs where appropriate and as required

2.2

Customers with seeing eye/hearing dogs are observed and assisted as required

2.3

Customers with other specific needs are observed and assisted as required

2.4

Customers are assisted in a courteous manner, sensitive to customer specific needs

2.5

Ongoing support and/or vigilance is provided to customers with specific needs to maximise customer travelling safety and comfort

2.6

Ancillary equipment is utilised safely in accordance with workplace procedures and safety regulations

3 

Communicate regarding customers with specific needs 

3.1

Other personnel are informed when involvement with customers with specific needs may cause delays to services and/or operations

3.2

Other personnel are informed about the presence of customers with specific needs as required

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

• adapting to differences in equipment in accordance with operating procedures
• applying relevant workplace procedures
• communicating effectively with others when transporting customers with specific needs
• identifying job hazards and taking required action to minimise, control or eliminate identified hazards
• identifying delays that may occur when assisting customers with specific needs and the correct procedures for dealing with them
• identifying different categories of specific need
• interacting positively with customers with specific needs
• interpreting and following operational instructions and prioritising work
• modifying activities depending on operational contingencies, risk situations and environments
• reading, interpreting and following relevant instructions, procedures, information and signs
• reporting and/or rectifying identified problems, in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures
• using ancillary equipment to assist customers with specific needs in accordance with workplace procedures
• working collaboratively with others when transporting customers with specific needs.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

• ancillary equipment operating procedures
• manufacturer instructions, specifications and recommended operating procedures for ancillary equipment, including pre-operational checks
• organisational policies and procedures
• regulations and codes of practice
• service timetables and network information
• workplace instructions and procedures for transporting customers with specific needs.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations or, where this is not available, in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate rail corridor workplace conditions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.