Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers managing OHS processes and defines the standard required to: develop OHS policies and procedures which demonstrate enterprise commitment to OHS; establish arrangements to ensure the involvement of all employees in the management of OHS; supervise procedures for identifying hazards; conduct risk assessments to cover all phases of the organisations operations involving all relevant staff; develop risk controls and ensure all relevant staff are aware of them; establish and maintain procedures for dealing with hazardous events and emergencies; established and maintain an OHS safety induction and training program; establish and maintain a system for OHS records; review the enterprise OHS system based on an analysis of OHS records, related policies, procedures and programs and make changes in response to review.

Application of the unit 

This unit requires the ability to develop management systems and procedures, and to manage the implementation process. The process is usually conducted within policy guidelines and procedures where discretion and judgement are required.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Develop OHS policies and procedures

1.1. An OHS business plan and program is developed for the enterprise in consultation with designated personnel and/or management.

1.2. OHS responsibilities and duties are clearly defined, allocated and included in job descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions.

1.3. Financial and human resources for implementation of OHS policies and procedures are identified, sought and/or provided as required.

1.4. Information on the OHS system and procedures for the area of responsibility is provided and explained in a form which is readily understood by employees.

2. Establish and maintain processes to ensure the participation of all employees in the application of OHS

2.1. Consultation processes are established and maintained with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant legislation and according to enterprise guidelines.

2.2. Issues raised though participation and consultation are dealt with and resolved promptly and effectively in accordance with enterprise procedures for issue resolution.

2.3. Information about the outcomes of participation and consultation is provided in a manner readily accessible to employees.

3. Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards

3.1. Existing and potential hazards within the area of responsibility are identified and confirmed in accordance with legislation, Codes of Practice, and trends identified from the OHS 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 areas 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 associated with identified hazards are assessed in accordance with safe work practices, with information derived from workplace OHS records and industry wide information, and with relevant OHS 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 risk assessment procedures are adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility.

4.4. Risk assessment is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that the risk from hazards is not increased.

4.5. Accident and dangerous occurrences are investigated and recorded according to enterprise and OHS procedures.

5. Interim risk control measures are implemented until a better or permanent control measure is developed

5.1. Measures to control assessed risks are developed and implemented in accordance with the hierarchy of control, relevant OHS legislation, Codes of Practice, and trends identified from the OHS records system.

5.2. When measures which control a risk at its source are not immediately practicable, interim solutions are implemented until a permanent control measure is developed.

5.3. A process of ongoing hazard identification and risk assessment, and review of effectiveness of control programs is developed and integrated into enterprise management arrangements.

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 in the workplace to ensure that adequate risk control measures are included.

5.6. Systems are designed to reduce risk and administrative arrangements to ensure safe OHS work practices are put in place where elimination of a hazard is not possible.

5.7. Effective OHS risk management measures are set in place during any modification of the buildings and structures, machinery and work activities.

5.8. Inadequacies in existing risk control measures are identified and resources enabling implementation of new measures are sought and/or provided according to appropriate workplace procedures.

6. Plan and manage enterprise procedures for dealing with hazardous events

6.1. Potential emergencies posing risk to health and safety of workers and the public are correctly identified.

6.2. Plans and procedures which 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 employees to enable implementation of correct emergency procedures.

6.4. Adequate numbers of workers are trained in First Aid to ensure that first aid is applied to preserve life and minimise injury.

7. Establish and maintain an OHS safety induction and training program

7.1. An OHS induction program is developed to meet the occupational health and safety needs of new employees.

7.2. An OHS training program is developed as part of supervisors and employee's general training.

8. Establish and maintain a system for OHS records

8.1. A system for keeping OHS records is established and monitored to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease in the enterprise.

8.2. Records are regularly updated and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the enterprise OHS program.

9. Evaluate the enterprise OHS system and related policies, procedures and programs

9.1. The effectiveness of the OHS system and related policies, procedures and programs is assessed according to enterprise aims with respect to OHS.

9.2. Improvements to the OHS system are developed and implemented to ensure more effective achievement of enterprise aims.

9.3. Compliance with OHS legislation and Codes of Practice is assessed to ensure that legal OHS standards are maintained as a minimum.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• develop OHS policies and procedures which demonstrate enterprise commitment to OHS
• establish and maintain arrangements to ensure the involvement of all employees in the management of OHS
• establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards
• establish and maintain procedures for assessing risks
• establish and maintain procedures for controlling risks
• establish and maintain enterprise procedures for dealing with hazardous events
• establish and maintain an OHS safety induction and training program
• establish and maintain a system for OHS records
• evaluate the enterprise OHS system and related policies, procedures and programs
• analyse recorded data to determine where the OHS program can better meet enterprise and employee needs
• use literacy skills to fulfil job roles as required by the organisation. The level of skill may range from reading and understanding documentation to completion of written reports
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record complex workplace measures
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• data and documentation for industry injury statistics
• significant hazards and areas of risk in the workplace
• all relevant OHS legislation and Codes of Practice consistent with the hierarchy of OHS risk control and its implementation for hazards in land-based industries
• risk control measures
• hierarchy of risk controls
• relevant management systems and procedures
• public safety issues.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• develop OHS policies and procedures which demonstrate enterprise commitment to OHS
• establish arrangements to ensure the involvement of all employees in the management of OHS
• supervise procedures for identifying hazards
• conduct risk assessments to cover all phases of the organisations operations involving all relevant staff
• develop risk controls and ensure all relevant staff are aware of them
• establish and maintain procedures for dealing with hazardous events and emergencies
• established and maintain an OHS safety induction and training program
• establish and maintain a system for OHS records including records to be kept and persons responsible
• review the enterprise OHS system based on an analysis of OHS records, related policies, procedures and programs and make changes in response to review.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

The enterprise OHS program includes:

• the full range of hazards that workers are exposed to (or are likely to be exposed to) in the workplace.

Unit sector 

Occupational health and safety

Co-requisite units 

Competency field