Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to work safely and participate in work health and safety processes in an animal care environment.

This unit applies to individuals who require knowledge of work, health and safety to carry out their own work under routine supervision. They work in known contexts dealing with routine tasks and a limited range of predicable problems.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, in accordance with state/territory health and safety regulations, legislation and standards that apply to the workplace.

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

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Work Health and Safety (WHS)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit. There must be evidence that the individual has:

• followed workplace instructions to carry out a minimum of three animal care tasks safely, including:

• identified hazards, including the transfer of disease from the animal to humans
• controlled risks related to own safety
• supported others to work safely
• reported risks to supervisor
• used appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)

• contributed to a minimum of two workplace health and safety activities
• identified requirements for a minimum of two types of emergency situations that may occur in an animal care environment.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• organisation policies and procedures relevant to own work
• common workplace hazards that occur in an animal care environment, including those caused by:

• animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches, crush injuries
• animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans (zoonoses)
• hazardous chemicals
• body fluids
• chemicals and medicines
• sharps
• manual tasks
• noise
• gravity
• machinery and equipment
• extreme temperatures
• spills

• controls to eliminate hazards typical in the animal care environment
• PPE, including:

• clothing and footwear
• face and eye protection
• hand protection
• head protection
• hearing protection
• respiratory protection

• typical workplace safety signs found in an animal care environment
• personal hygiene and hand washing
• signs of personal stress and fatigue and potential to affect safe work
• typical emergency situations that may occur in an animal care environment, including:

• serious injury events
• events requiring evacuation
• fires and explosions
• hazardous substance and chemical spills
• explosion and bomb alerts
• security emergencies, such as intruders and disturbed persons
• internal emergencies, such as loss of power or water supply and structural collapse
• external emergencies and natural disasters, such as flood, storm and traffic accident

• the workplace health and safety roles and responsibilities of employees, supervisors and managers in the workplace.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of skills must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• a workplace or simulated environment that accurately reflects work undertaken in a real workplace setting

• resources, equipment and materials:

• equipment and resources appropriate to work being undertaken in an animal care environment

• specifications:

• relevant organisational policies and procedures
• current workplace health and safety legislation and regulations

• relationships:

• supervisor.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103