Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to prepare for and sustain effective work within the plumbing and services sector of the building and construction industry. It requires the ability to accept instructions, work with others, plan activities and perform tasks, as well as participate in workplace planning and meetings. Outcomes include effective participation in a plumbing and services workplace to promote a harmonious and efficient work environment.

The unit covers the identification and clarification of the sector work context and setting, acceptance of workplace responsibility by the individual, working in a team, individual career path improvement and participation in meetings.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports understanding of the structure and employment conditions in the sector, and its regulatory and other requirements.

Prerequisite units 

CPCPCM2023A

Carry out OHS requirements

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 industry work context and setting.

1.1. Nature and scope of plumbing and services functions, activities, economic importance, employment opportunities and career paths are identified.

1.2. Plumbing and services sector employment conditions, responsibilities and obligations are identified.

1.3. Trends in technology (including IT) and processes likely to impact on the plumbing and services sector are identified.

1.4. Requirements of relevant plumbing legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice are accessed through a variety of mediums, understood and implemented.

1.5. Specific OHS requirements  of the plumbing industry are understood and implemented.

1.6. Quality assurance and workplace quality requirements are understood and implemented.

2. Organise and accept responsibility for own workload.

2.1. Priorities and deadlines are established in consultation with others and recorded.

2.2. Work activities are planned with appropriate time management and progress of work is communicated to others whose personal work plans and timelines may be affected.

2.3. Work is completed to the standard expected in the workplace and in accordance with guidelines, directions, instructions and organisational requirements .

2.4. Variations and difficulties affecting work requirements are identified through regular reviews and action is taken to report these issues to appropriate personnel.

2.5. Additional support or modification of arrangements to improve work outcomes is communicated clearly to appropriate personnel.

3. Work in a team.

3.1. Workplace goals and the contributions to be made by teams are identified.

3.2. Individual contributions to team  activities are identified, agreed and reviewed periodically with the team.

3.3. Defined roles and strengths of other team members  are identified.

3.4. Assistance and encouragement are provided to other team members wishing to enhance their role and the role of the team.

3.5. Ground rules for team operations are reviewed and changes are made through team consultative processes.

3.6. Team improvements are initiated and encouraged from team members.

3.7. Causes of disharmony and other barriers to achievement are promptly resolved or referred to the appropriate party for resolution.

4. Participate in identifying and pursuing own development needs and processes.

4.1. The competencies for the workplace are identified.

4.2. Organisational structure, career paths and own development opportunities appropriate to the workplace are identified.

4.3. Steps are taken, in consultation with appropriate personnel, to identify own learning needs  for future work requirements.

4.4. Appropriate opportunities to learn and develop required competencies are identified and pursued with the appropriate people.

5. Participate in workplace meetings.

5.1. Meeting  procedures and objectives are identified and applied.

5.2. Points of view and comments, including agreement and dissent are presented in a logical, persuasive and orderly manner.

5.3. Points of view of other members are given due consideration.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Required skills for this unit are:

• communication skills to:

• enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand in order to consult with colleagues, communicate work progress, report problems, request support, work in a team and participate in meetings
• interpret information from a variety of sources
• record work priorities and deadlines
• use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences
• use and interpret non-verbal communication, such as hand signals

• identifying and accurately reporting to appropriate personnel any faults in tools, equipment or materials
• teamwork skills to work with others to action tasks and relate to people from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• technological skills to:

• use mobile communication technology
• access and understand site-specific instructions in a variety of media.

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge for this unit is:

• basic conflict management
• basic job and skill analysis techniques
• interpersonal communication
• job safety analysis (JSA) and safe work method statements (SWMS)
• meeting procedures
• plumbing and services streams and career structure and requirements, including business opportunities and requirements
• regulatory, legislative, standards and codes of conduct pertaining to the plumbing and services sector
• relevant industrial awards and agreements
• relevant legislative provisions covering discrimination and equal employment opportunity
• site and team work structure and methods
• training and development opportunities
• work communication procedures.

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 

This unit of competency could be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate plumbing and services workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of:

• communicating and working effectively and safely with others
• complying with OHS regulations and state and territory legislation applicable to workplace operations
• complying with organisational policies and procedures, including quality assurance requirements
• explaining to others scope, employment and economic importance of the plumbing and services sector
• identifying personal development needs
• identifying standards and codes of conduct applicable to their particular streams
• identifying work employment conditions and source of these conditions
• indicating an awareness of regulatory requirements and manner of their adoption and management within the workplace
• locating, interpreting and applying relevant information, standards and specifications, which may include the ability to use computers and download relevant information
• participating in workplace meetings
• responding to personal conflict situations
• setting personal and team work goals.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

• an induction procedure and requirement
• realistic tasks or simulated tasks covering the minimum task requirements
• relevant specifications and work instructions
• tools and equipment appropriate to applying safe work practices
• support materials appropriate to activity
• workplace instructions relating to safe working practices and addressing hazards and emergencies
• material safety data sheets
• research resources, including industry related systems information.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

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.

Plumbing and services sector employment conditions  must include:

• bulletins and newsletters
• enterprise agreements
• enterprise procedures for handling industrial disputes and grievances
• industrial awards
• industry and workplace codes of practice
• workplace agreements.

Responsibilities and obligations  must include:

• codes of conduct
• job description and employment arrangements
• organisation's policy relevant to work role
• skills, training and competencies
• supervision and accountability requirements, including OHS
• team structures.

OHS requirements  are to be in accordance with state and territory legislation and regulations and may include:

• handling of materials
• hazard control
• identifying hazardous materials and substances
• personal protective clothing and equipment prescribed under legislation, regulations and workplace policies and practices
• use of firefighting equipment
• use of first aid equipment
• use of tools and equipment
• workplace environment and safety.

Organisational requirements  may be included in:

• access and equity principles and practices
• anti-discrimination and related policy
• business and performance plans
• ethical standards
• goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes
• legal and organisation policy, guidelines and requirements
• quality and continuous improvement processes
• standards and defined resource parameters.

Team :

• site work organisation
• may be known locally as crews, gangs, shifts or other industrially and historically acceptable terms.

Team members  may include:

• coach or mentor
• employee representative
• peers and work colleagues
• supervisor or manager
• team, enterprise and other members of the organisation.

Own learning needs  include:

• assessment processes
• competency achievement and maintenance processes
• formal vocational education
• on-the-job training and job rotation
• recognition of prior learning
• refresher training.

Meetings :

• involve small team, section and workplace meetings
• may be formal or informal
• involve notification and scheduling, including:

• local coordination of procedural and operational issues
• organising time, place and purpose
• task discussions.

Unit sector 

Plumbing and services

Co-requisite units 

Nil

Functional area