Unit of competency details

This unit of competency is part of the Aeroskills Advanced Diploma training pathways. It covers the competencies required to establish, maintain and evaluate an organisation's OHS system in order to ensure that the workplace is, so far as is practicable, safe and without risks to the health of employees.

The unit is based on the National Guidelines for integrating OHS competencies into national industry competency standards (NOHSC: 7025, 1998).

This unit requires application of OHS legislation and principles to establish, maintain and evaluate an OHS system within the maintenance organisation.

Applications include flight lines, hangars and workshops.

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.

1. Establish and maintain the framework for the OHS system

1.1. OHS policies are developed which clearly express the organisation's commitment with respect to OHS within the area of managerial responsibility and how relevant OHS legislation  will be implemented, consistent with overall organisational policies

1.2. OHS responsibilities and duties which will allow implementation and integration of the OHS system are clearly defined, allocated and included in job descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions

1.3. Financial and human resources for the operation of the OHS system are identified and sought in a timely and consistent manner

1.4. Information on the OHS system and procedures for the area of managerial responsibility is provided and explained in a form that is readily accessible to employees

2. Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of OHS

2.1. Appropriate consultative processes  are established and maintained in consultation with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant OHS legislation and consistent with the organisation's overall process for consultation

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

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

3. Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards

3.1. Existing and potential hazards  within the area of managerial responsibility are correctly identified and identification confirmed in accordance with OHS 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 the area 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 presented by identified hazards are correctly assessed in accordance with 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 this procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility

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

5. Establish and maintain procedures for controlling risks

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 that control a risk at its source are not immediately practicable, interim solutions are implemented until a control measure is developed

5.3. A procedure for ongoing control of risks, based on the hierarchy of control, is developed and integrated within general systems of work and procedures

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 within the area of managerial responsibility to ensure that adequate risk control measures are included

5.6. Inadequacies in existing risk control measures are identified in accordance with the hierarchy of control, and resources enabling implementation of new measures are sought and/or provided according to appropriate procedures

6. Establish and maintain organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous events

6.1. Potential hazardous events are correctly identified

6.2. Procedures which would 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 all employees to enable implementation of the correct procedures in all relevant circumstances

7. Establish and maintain an OHS program

7.1. An OHS training program  is developed and implemented to identify and fulfil employees' OHS training needs as part of the organisation's general training program

8. Establish and maintain a system for OHS records

8.1. A system for keeping occupational health and safety records  is established and monitored to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease within the area of managerial responsibility.

9. Evaluate the organisation's 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 the organisation's aims with respect to OHS

9.2. Improvements to the OHS system are developed and implemented to ensure more effective achievement of the organisation's aims with respect to OHS

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 

Look for evidence that confirms skills in:

• ability to analyse working environment and design appropriate OHS management systems
• ability to analyse relevant data and evaluate OHS system effectiveness
• ability to assess resources to establish and maintain OHS management systems

Required knowledge 

Look for evidence that confirms knowledge of:

• provisions of relevant OHS legislation
• principles and practice of effective OHS management
• management arrangements relating to regulatory compliance
• enterprise hazards and risks, control measures and relevant expertise required
• characteristics and composition of workforce and their impact on OHS management
• relevance of enterprise management systems to OHS management

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 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to effectively utilise OHS legislation and organisational policies and procedures to establish, maintain and evaluate an OHS system.

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

Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently perform all elements of the unit as specified by the criteria, including required knowledge, and be capable of applying the competency in new and different situations and contexts.

Assessors should gather a range of evidence that is valid, sufficient, current and authentic. Evidence can be gathered through a variety of ways, including direct observation, supervisor's reports, project work, samples and questioning. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

This unit may be assessed on the job, off the job or a combination of both on and off the job. Where assessment occurs off the job, that is, the candidate is not in productive work, then an appropriate simulation must be used where the range of conditions reflects realistic workplace situations. The candidate must have access to all equipment, materials and documentation required and must be permitted to refer to any relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications, codes, standards, manuals and reference materials. The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate.

Method of assessment 

Guidance information for assessment 

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.

Application 

Application of this unit may relate to:

• scheduled or unscheduled maintenance performed on flight lines, in hangars and in workshops
• individual or team-related activities

This competency is to be exhibited in accordance with all relevant OHS legislation , particularly :

• state/territory/Commonwealth OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice, including regulations and organisational codes of practice relating to hazards present in the workplace
• general duty of care under OHS legislation and common law; requirements for the maintenance and confidentiality of occupational injury and disease
• requirements for provision of OHS information and training
• provisions relating to health and safety representatives and/or OHS committees
• provisions relating to OHS issue resolution
• Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs), Manuals of Standards and associated Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material

Establish and maintain the framework for OHS may include :

• policy development and updating
• determining the ways in which OHS functions will be managed. This may include distinct OHS management activities, or inclusion of OHS functions within a range of management functions and operations, such as maintenance of plant and equipment; purchasing of materials and equipment
• designing operations, work flow and materials handling; planning or implementing alterations to site, plant, operations or work systems; mechanisms for review and allocation of human, technical and financial resources needed to manage OHS, including defining and allocating OHS responsibilities for all relevant positions
• mechanisms for keeping up to date with relevant information and updating the management arrangements for OHS, for example, information on health effects of hazards, technical developments in risk control and environmental monitoring and changes to legislation
• mechanisms to assess and update OHS arrangements relevant to legislative requirements; a system for communicating OHS information to employees, supervisors and managers within the enterprise

Appropriate consultative processes for management of OHS may cover :

• OHS committees and other committees, for example, consultative, planning and purchasing
• health and safety representatives; employee and supervisor involvement in OHS management activities, for example, OHS inspections, audits, environmental monitoring, risk assessment and risk control
• procedures for reporting hazards, risks and OHS issues by managers and employees
• inclusion of OHS in consultative or other meetings and processes

Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards may include developing and updating procedures for :

• workplace inspections, including plant and equipment; audits
• maintaining and analysing OHS records, including environmental monitoring and health surveillance reports
• maintenance of plant and equipment
• reviews of materials and equipment purchases, including manufacturers and suppliers information
• employee reporting of OHS issues

Establish and maintain procedures for assessing risks may include developing and updating procedures for :

• determining the likelihood and severity of adverse consequences form hazards
• OHS audits; workplace inspections; maintenance of plant and equipment; purchasing of materials and equipment
• planning or implementing alterations to site, operations or work systems
• analysis of relevant records and reports, for example, injuries and incidents, hazardous substances inventories/registers, audit and environmental monitoring reports and OHS committee records

Establish and maintain procedures for controlling risks may include developing and updating procedures for :

• assessing the OHS consequences of materials, plant or equipment prior to purchase
• obtaining expert advice; appropriate application of measures according to the hierarchy of control, namely: elimination of the risk
• engineering controls
• administrative controls
• personal protective equipment
• designing safe operations and systems of work; inclusion of new OHS information into procedures
• checking enterprise compliance with regulatory requirements

Establish and maintain organisational procedures for hazardous events may include developing and updating procedures for :

• making inventories of, and inspecting, high risk operations
• inspecting systems and operations associated with potentially hazardous events, for example, emergency communications, links to emergency services, fire fighting, chemical spill containment, bomb alerts and first aid services

Establish and maintain an OHS training program may include :

• arrangements for ongoing assessment of training needs, for example, relating to supervisors and managers
• specific hazards; specific tasks or equipment
• emergencies and evacuations
• training required under OHS legislation
• allocation of resources for OHS training, including acquisition of training resources, development of staff training skills and purchase of training services
• induction training; training for new operations, materials or equipment

Establish and maintain a system for keeping OHS records may cover :

• identifying records required under OHS legislation, for example, worker's compensation and rehabilitation records
• hazardous substances registers; material safety data sheets (MSDS)
• major accident/injury notifications
• certificates or licences
• manufacturers and suppliers OHS information
• OHS audits and inspection reports
• maintenance and testing reports
• workplace environmental monitoring and health surveillance records
• records of instruction and training
• first aid/medical post records

Effectiveness of the OHS system and related policies , procedures and programs is assessed through :

• reviewing the effectiveness of the OHS management system
• regular review of operating procedures
• regular analysis of OHS records
• audits against OHS legislative requirements