Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to facilitate the application of principles of occupational health and implement strategies to control occupational health and safety (OHS) risk.

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

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to individuals with managerial responsibility for managing OHS in the workplace to consider the impact of agents in the workplace on the health of workers, and the physical and psychosocial impact on workers' health arising from work organisation and work processes.

It covers knowledge of occupational health and strategies to deal with occupational health issues. The unit enables candidates to facilitate the application of principles of occupational health to control OHS risk in the workplace.

OHS practitioners will identify occupational health hazards, and seek solutions and interventions to bring about change in the workplace. These practitioners will facilitate risk assessment and controls to reduce exposure to the effects of hazardous materials and hazardous conditions in the workplace.

BSBOHS505C Manage hazards in the work environment, addresses hazards of both short term and long term latency, including those hazards that impact on health.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify the potential for adverse effects on health from agents in the workplace

1.1. Access external sources of information and data  to assist in identifying agents  in the workplace with a potential to adversely affect health

1.2. Review workplace sources of information and data  to access information to assist in identifying agents in the workplace with a potential to adversely affect health

1.3. Consider the role of individual difference in susceptibility to occupational disease or injury in identifying adverse effects on health

1.4. Identify situations where health professionals  may be required

2. Identify the potential for adverse effects on health related to the interaction of the work environment, work systems and people

2.1. Apply knowledge of sources of occupational disease and injury to analyse job characteristics , nature of work  and the context of work  to help identify situations with potential for physical or psychological harm to employees

2.2. Access workplace and internal sources of information and data , taking account of privacy requirements, to assist in identifying situations with a potential for physical or psychological harm to employees

3. Facilitate the control of risks to health in the workplace

3.1. Apply the hierarchy of control  to control risks to occupational health

3.2. Examine workplace policies, procedures and schedules to minimise situations with a potential to cause physical or psychological harm to employees

3.3. Examine organisational communication processes  to maximise clarity of roles and employee involvement in these processes

4. Participate in the development of strategies to communicate occupational health information and data

4.1. Research and identify characteristics of target groups 

4.2. Interpret and discuss health effects with stakeholders  that may result from work and the working environment

4.3. Implement communication strategies in accordance with legal  and ethical requirements 

4.4. Evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of health communication processes

5. Monitor and facilitate occupational health education and training

5.1. Identify the need for health information and data, and training in consultation with workplace stakeholders

5.2. Identify personnel including health professionals and resources  to deliver occupational health training

5.3. Identify and allocate roles and responsibilities for the delivery of training

5.4. Provide health information and data, and education to managers and workers in a manner that facilitates understanding and uptake

5.5. Apply training, evaluation and monitoring processes

6. Review and evaluate the occupational health program

6.1. Evaluate outcomes and document the overall impact of occupational health education programs through an evaluation plan 

6.2. Evaluate and document the overall impact of the occupational health program

6.3. Make recommendations for future programs as a result of the evaluation

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• analytical skills to:

• identify areas for improvement where OHS risk is involved
• analyse relevant workplace information and data, and to make observations of workplace tasks and interactions between people, their activities, equipment, environment and systems
• contribute to the assessment of resources needed to systematically manage OHS and, where appropriate, access resources

• attention to detail when making observations and recording outcomes
• research skills to access relevant OHS information and data
• numeracy skills to carry out simple arithmetical calculations (e.g. % change), and to produce graphs of workplace information and data to identify trends and recognise limitations
• technological skills to use basic measuring equipment including reading scales and dials applicable to selected hazards
• communication skills to:

• conduct effective formal and informal meetings and to communicate effectively with personnel at all levels of the organisation, OHS specialists and, as required, emergency services personnel
• prepare reports for a range of target groups including OHS committee, OHS representatives, managers and supervisors
• use language and literacy skills appropriate to the workgroup and the task

• consultation and negotiation skills to develop plans, and to implement and monitor designated actions
• project management skills to achieve change in OHS matters
• organisational skills to manage own tasks within a timeframe
• information technology skills to access and enter internal and external information and data on OHS and to use a range of communication media

Required knowledge 

• basic knowledge of toxicology of hazardous materials and potential health effects in the workplace
• ethics related to professional practice
• formal and informal communication and consultation processes and key personnel related to communication
• hierarchy of control and considerations for choosing between different control measures, such as possible inadequacies of particular control measures
• how the characteristics and composition of the workforce impact on risk and the systematic approach to managing OHS, for example:

• communication skills
• cultural background/workplace diversity
• gender
• labour market changes
• language, literacy and numeracy
• structure and organisation of workforce e.g. part-time, casual and contract workers, shift rosters, geographical location
• workers with specific needs

• internal and external sources of OHS information and data
• key personnel, including identifying 'change agents', within workplace management structure
• language, literacy and cultural profile of the workgroup
• methods of providing evidence of compliance with OHS legislation
• nature of workplace processes (including work flow, planning and control) and hazards relevant to the particular workplace
• organisational behaviour and culture as it impacts on OHS and on change
• organisational culture as it impacts on the workgroup
• organisational OHS policies and procedures
• requirements under hazard specific OHS legislation and codes of practice
• sources of occupational disease and their prevention
• structure and forms of legislation including regulations, codes of practice, associated standards and guidance material

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 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• facilitation of strategies to assist with controlling OHS risks associated with occupational health issues
• knowledge of structure and forms of legislation including regulations, codes of practice, associated standards and guidance material.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to office equipment and resources
• access to relevant legislation, standards and guidelines
• access to workplace or simulated workplace.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios
• assessment of written reports on the effectiveness of OHS principles in the workplace
• demonstration of techniques used to control OHS risk
• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
• observation of performance in role plays
• observation of presentations
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of ethics related to professional practice
• evaluation of discussions with stakeholders about health effects that may result from work and the working environment
• review of evaluation plan
• assessment of identification of situations that require health professionals.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• other OHS units.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

External sources of information and data  may include:

• Australian Safety and Compensation Council
• databases with national and state injury data, such as National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)
• employer groups
• industry bodies
• journals and websites
• legislation, codes of practice, associated standards and guidance material
• manufacturers' manuals and specifications
• OHS regulatory authorities
• OHS specialists
• unions.

Agents  may include:

• biological
• chemical
• ergonomic
• nuclear
• physical
• psychosocial
• radiological.

Workplace sources of information and data  may include:

• audits
• employees
• hazard, incident and investigation reports
• material safety data sheets (MSDSs)
• minutes of meetings
• questionnaires
• reports
• written and verbal complaints.

Health professionals  may include:

• general practitioners
• health educators
• occupational health nurses
• occupational health physicians.

Job characteristics and nature of work  may include:

• adequacy of equipment or faulty equipment
• effectiveness of different control strategies
• health effects of physical hazards in the workplace such as noise, vibration, thermal extremes
• job demands such as high physical, mental or emotional demands; lack of variety; short work cycle; workload
• participation in decision making and control of workload
• relative costs of implementation of appropriate control strategies
• toxicology of hazardous materials
• workload and scheduling issues such as pace; shift work, inflexible work schedules; unpredictable, long or unsocial hours
• workplace processes and the hazards they produce.

Context of work  may include:

• career issues including promotion, job security and skills
• interpersonal relationships at work, including with supervisors and peers
• organisational factors such as communication; levels of support for problem solving and personal development; changing employment patterns; definition of organisational objectives
• role ambiguity, role conflict, role responsibilities.

Internal sources of information and data  may include:

• human resources, industrial relations, personnel management and staff
• managers
• occupational health and employee assistance staff
• OHS and employee representatives
• supervisors.

Hierarchy of control  may include:

• eliminating hazards
• and where this is not practicable, minimising risk by:
• substitution
• isolating the hazard from personnel
• using engineering controls
• using administrative controls (e.g. procedures, training)
• using personal protective equipment (PPE).

Organisational communication processes  may include:

• formal and informal communication processes
• position descriptions and performance appraisal processes
• training.

Characteristics of target groups  may include:

• characteristics influencing communication strategies, such as access to information and data and empowerment
• characteristics such as, but not limited to:

• cultural background
• language and literacy
• location
• size of workforce, group, team etc
• variability of roles, responsibilities etc.

Stakeholders  may include:

• employees
• families of employees
• health and safety, and other employee representatives
• local community
• managers
• OHS committees.

Legal requirements  may include:

• equity and workers with specific needs
• privacy legislation
• relevant OHS legislative requirements related to use of certain chemicals and processes in the workplace.

Ethical requirements  may include:

• confidentiality
• equity
• privacy
• workplace diversity.

Resources  may include:

• financial
• physical.

Evaluation plan  may include:

• appropriate communication strategies for the workplace
• identification of relevant target groups
• impact on improvements to the workplace as a result of interventions
• impact on workforce
• training availability including delivery schedule
• training content.

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Regulation, Licensing and Risk - Occupational Health and Safety

Co-requisite units