Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist with managing the WHS implications of activities that facilitate an injured worker’s return to work. It involves identifying those with roles, duties, rights and responsibilities for return to-work, as well as assisting in preparing, implementing and evaluating the return to work.

The unit applies to those in an organisation who assist with the WHS implications of return-to-work activities. In many organisations, this role will be performed alongside others from within the organisation or external parties, including those working in human resources, workers’ compensation, workplace rehabilitation, other professional and administrative capacities, and other roles relating to return to work.

NOTES

1. The unit does not in any way address the process of treating workers for their injury or illness, which is the task of health and medical professionals.

2. Workers’ compensation legislation and associated duties will differ between jurisdictions. RTOs are advised to contextualise this unit of competency by referring to the requirements of existing state/territory workers’ compensation legislation.

3. The terms ‘occupational health and safety’ (OHS) and ‘work health and safety’ (WHS) are equivalent, and generally either can be used in the workplace. In jurisdictions where model WHS laws have not been implemented, registered training organisations (RTOs) are advised to contextualise this unit of competency by referring to existing WHS legislative requirements.

4. The model WHS laws include the model WHS Act, model WHS Regulations and model WHS Codes of Practice. See Safe Work Australia for further information.

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

Unit Sector

Regulation, Licensing and Risk – Work Health and Safety

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance but not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Supersedes and is equivalent to BSBWHS407 Assist with claims management, rehabilitation and return-to-work programs.

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are available from VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, and to assist with:

• managing WHS implications of planning and implementing return to work for one injured worker, and within scope of own role:

• develop return-to-work objectives for worker, in consultation with treating doctor and other medical professionals where required
• identify any required job redesign and alternative duties
• assess work environment for injured worker for potential hazards and associated risks

• monitoring and evaluating above return to work, including:

• identifying and taking action to address WHS hazards and areas of non-compliance
• identifying areas for improvement and making recommendations for system improvement as required.

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• legislative requirements relating to primary duties and risk management associated with the performance evidence, including:

• WHS laws
• laws relating to workers’ compensation and claims management

• organisational policies and procedures for:

• obtaining and verifying information from injured workers
• facilitating injured workers’ return to work
• liaising with medical professionals involved in injured workers’ return to work
• assisting with designing return-to-work programs for injured workers
• risk assessments of work environments
• monitoring return to work and responding to hazards and areas of non-compliance

• key features and components of organisation’s return to work of injured workers, including:

• roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in developing, implementing and monitoring return to work
• typical content of return-to-work activities
• approach to hazard identification and risk assessment regarding specific features of return to work

• potential WHS-related risks to team members arising from reduced capacity and absence of returning worker in relation to:

• impact on workloads
• required resources and adjustments to workspaces
• new hazards, or potential harm from existing hazards

• roles and responsibilities of medical professionals in relation to return to work management
• methods, techniques and tools to support workers involved in return to work:

• WHS implications of alternative duties
• preparing a workplace for an injured worker’s return to work.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment must comply with WHS and workers’ compensation laws, legal responsibilities and duty of care required for this unit. It must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities undertaken by individuals carrying out WHS duties in the workplace, and must include access to:

• workplace documentation and WHS data required to demonstrate the performance evidence
• legislation required to assist with managing WHS implications of return to work
• organisational policies and procedures required to demonstrate the performance evidence
• workplace equipment and resources
• case studies and, where possible, real situations
• opportunities for interaction with others.

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

Links

Companion Volume Implementation Guides are available from VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10