Unit of competency details

Modification History

Not Applicable

Unit Descriptor

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency covers implementing and monitoring the organisation's occupational health and safety (OHS) policies, procedures and programs to achieve and maintain OHS standards and ensure workplace safety arrangements. This unit is relevant for employees with supervisory responsibilities. It includes managing the provision of information and the implementation, supervision and review of OHS policies and programs that contribute to maintaining a safe work environment.

The unit is based on Generic Competency B in the National Guidelines for Integrating Occupational Health and Safety Competencies into National Industry Competency Standards (NOHSC:7025 [1998] 2nd edition).

Application of the Unit

Not Applicable

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Not Applicable

Pre-Requisites

Not Applicable

Employability Skills Information

Not Applicable

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Not Applicable

Elements and Performance Criteria

Required Skills and Knowledge

Refer to Evidence Guide

Evidence Guide

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

Critical aspects of competency 

• Demonstrate knowledge of applicable OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice.
• Understanding of, ability to apply, and commitment to, organisational management systems and procedures for health and safety.
• Ability to apply risk management procedures (that is, undertake hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control in accordance with the hierarchy of control).
• Identify OHS compliance requirements for a system of work.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of obligation holder's duty of care
• Ensure the integration of OHS into organisational management systems.
• Provide clear information and instruction to a work group on workplace procedures pertaining to health and safety in a readily accessible manner.
• Application of a consistent leadership role to the identification of hazards within the work group to ensure unresolved issues are referred to designated personnel and followed up appropriately.
• Identify and facilitate the OHS training needs and reporting requirements of the work group.
• Identify characteristics of the workforce that impact on the management of OHS.

Knowledge needed to achieve the performance criteria 

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below.

• Provisions of OHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice and standards relevant to the workplace including legal responsibilities of employers, employees and other parties with legal responsibilities.
• Principles and practices of effective OHS management systems including risk management.
• Procedures for identifying hazards, assessing risks and controlling risks in the work environment.
• Organisational OHS management systems, policies and procedures necessary to support organisational compliance with legal requirements.
• Characteristics and composition of the workforce and how it impacts on OHS management.
• The interrelationship of OHS systems to other organisation systems.
• Procedures and policies related to hazard management.
• Access and equity principles in order to accept and respect individual differences within the composition of the work group.

Specific skills needed to achieve the performance criteria 

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These relate to the ability to:

• apply literacy and language skills to:

• articulate OHS legal obligations to duty of care obligation holders
• understand and comply with work procedures
• identify and report hazards
• interpret site safety plans
• read and comprehend product instructions and MSDS
• identify and recommend training needs of work group
• assist in emergency procedures

• analyse hazards, assess risks and evaluate risk control measures
• analyse and monitor workplace OHS data
• assess and advise on the validity and sufficiency of resources required to control risks
• lead, coach and mentor in order to provide support to work group
• demonstrate cultural sensitivity
• identify and explain levels of responsibility for OHS within the organisation.

Other units of competency that could be assessed with this unit 

Competency in this unit will underpin competency in other aspects of the candidate's role in managing their work tasks.

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Resources required to assess this unit 

The candidate and the assessor should have access to the appropriate documentation and resources normally utilised in the workplace. This includes access to the following:

• OHS and Dangerous Goods Acts, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace
• manuals and relevant documentation outlining occupational health and safety policies and procedures
• current OHS data
• a suitable work area, or a simulated workplace environment, that allows for identification of hazards, risk assessment and risk control measures and implementation and monitoring of OHS policies, procedures and programs
• assessment documentation forms and record books.

Gaining evidence to assess this unit 

For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, the competency should be demonstrated over a period of time and be observed by the assessor (or assessment team working together to conduct the assessment). The competency is to be demonstrated in a range of situations, which may include customer/workplace interruptions and involvement in related activities normally experienced in the workplace.

When assessing candidates, assessment techniques that allow a collection of evidence from relevant workplace experience should be used. Assessment against this unit may involve the following:

• continuous assessment in the workplace (observation), or a setting that simulates the conditions of a workplace (simulation), taking into account the range of variables affecting performance
• self-assessment of performance on the same terms as those described above
• interviews and/or provision of learning activities to check underpinning knowledge requirements
• supplementary evidence that may be obtained from relevant authenticated correspondence or reports from line managers.

Performance and assessment of this unit must be carried out within the relevant requirements of the legislative and industry framework and as set out in organisational OHS policies and procedures.

Key competency levels 

There are a number of processes learnt throughout work and daily life that are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work environments. Some of these work processes are covered by the key competencies listed below. Information provided to each question highlights how these processes are applied in this unit of competency.

The number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency should be demonstrated.

Range Statement

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement links the required knowledge and organisational and technical requirements to the workplace context. It describes any contextual variables that will be used or encountered when applying the competency in work situations. It allows for different work practices and work and knowledge requirements as well as for differences between organisations and workplaces. The following variables may be present for this particular unit.

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• health and safety representatives
• managers
• OHS personnel
• other persons including emergency service personnel, authorised or nominated by the enterprise or industry to:

• approve specified work
• direct specified work/functions
• inspect specified work
• perform specified work/functions.

Company requirements  may include:

• contracting of services
• counselling/disciplinary processes
• maintenance of plant and equipment
• purchasing of supplies and equipment
• work procedures and work instructions.

Contributions  may include:

• a visible OHS culture that includes:

• actively encouraging OHS contributions, suggestions and input
• actioning and responding to OHS input and suggestions
• assigning responsibility for raised OHS concerns

• behaviour that contributes to a safe workplace
• listening to ideas and opinions of others in the work group
• sharing opinions, views, knowledge and skills.

Control risks  may include actions such as:

• application of the hierarchy of control, namely:

• elimination of the risk
• substitution controls
• engineering controls
• administrative controls including training
• personal protective equipment

• consultation with manufacturers, suppliers, employers and their representatives
• consultation with workers and their representatives
• development of a reliable systematic approach to risk control
• ensuring adequate training of staff
• measurement of risk likelihood and consequence
• measures to remove the cause of a risk at its source
• monitoring and regular review of work systems and procedures
• rewarding good health and safety practice.

Hazardous event control procedures  may include:

• following instructions from authorised or appropriate personnel during hazardous events
• chemical containment and clean-up
• evacuations
• provision of First Aid
• accident/incident reporting
• an emergency management plan
• injury and dangerous occurrence reporting.

Hazardous events  may include:

• accidents (including motor vehicle accidents)
• bomb threats
• chemical spills
• electrocution
• fires and explosions
• inhalation of dangerous substances
• manual handling
• natural disasters
• slips, trips and falls
• violent incidents e.g. armed robberies, workplace bullying.

Hazards  may include:

• biological hazards
• chemical hazards including unlabelled chemicals and substances
• ergonomic/mechanical hazards

• associated with electrical or mechanical faults of plant and/or equipment including mobile plants

• environmental hazards

• noise
• radiation
• untidy work areas
• vibration

• physical hazards

• electrical
• obstructions or blocked exits
• slippery or uneven floors

• psychological hazards.

Hierarchy of control  includes:

• hazard elimination treatment/controls
• hazard substitution treatment/controls
• hazard engineering treatment/controls
• administrative treatment/controls including OHS and environmental training
• personal protective equipment.

Identifying hazards and assessing risks  may include activities such as:

• accessing manufacturer guidance information and manuals
• application of job safety analysis procedures
• assessing the severity of identified hazards and ranking according to severity
• briefing workplace safety inspectors or contracted OHS advisors
• checking work area and/or equipment before and during work
• consultation with employees, OHS representative, OHS committee
• housekeeping
• job and work system assessment
• performing routine job hazard analysis
• pre- and post-operational equipment checks
• purchasing of supplies and equipment e.g. review of material safety data sheets (MSDS) and manufacturer/supplier information
• referencing government or industry hazard or safety alerts including via industry association contacts and networks
• regular maintenance of plant and equipment
• reviews of OHS records including registers of hazardous substances, dangerous goods, etc
• safety audits
• workplace inspections.

Information  may be:

• for the induction of new workers, or refresher training for existing employees
• about the nature of work, tasks and procedures
• about hazards and risk management procedures
• contained in industry association journals or workers' compensation literature
• to assist in work tasks
• as part of providing direct supervision e.g. to inexperienced workers
• to communicate legislation and codes of practice e.g. relating to hazards in the work area
• for consultation with health and safety representatives and OHS committees.

OHS legislation  may include:

• Dangerous Goods Acts
• general duty of care under OHS legislation and common law
• provisions relating to OHS issue resolution
• provisions relating to roles and responsibilities of health and safety representatives and/or OHS committees
• regulations and codes of practice including regulations and codes of practice relating to hazards present in the workplace or industry
• requirements for provision of OHS information and training
• requirements for the maintenance and confidentiality of records of occupational injury and disease
• state/territory/Commonwealth OHS Acts.

OHS records  should include documented:

• First Aid/medical-post records
• hazardous substances registers
• health surveillance and workplace environmental monitoring records
• maintenance and testing reports
• manufacturers' and suppliers' information including MSDS and dangerous goods storage lists
• OHS audits and inspection reports
• records of instruction and training
• safety bulletins or notices
• workers' compensation and rehabilitation records.

OHS training needs  may include:

• controlling hazards
• emergency and evacuation training
• hazard prevention or mitigation procedures
• induction training and refresher training
• specific hazard training
• specific task or equipment training
• the nature of hazards and hazard recognition
• training as part of broader programs e.g. equipment operation.

Participative arrangements  may include:

• employee performance feedback
• formal and informal meetings of:

• OHS committees
• other special purpose committees e.g. consultative, planning and purchasing
• health and safety representatives

• organisational information, staff bulletins and notices
• suggestions, requests, reports and concerns put forward by employees to management.

Readily accessible  refers to information that:

• conforms to the principles of plain English
• caters for individual language and literacy levels
• is openly available.

Risk analysis  includes:

• analysis of the likelihood, chance, frequency or probability of something happening that will have an impact upon work objectives
• a process involving:

• hazard identification
• risk assessment
• risk treatment/control
• risk monitoring and evaluation

• assessment of the real or possible outcome should something happen, measured in terms of the nature and extent of harm or injury to the individual(s) and/or environment.

Risk analysis protocols  may be selected on the following criteria:

• Australian Standards, company standards and client standards
• combination of quantitative or qualitative assessment tools as appropriate to the risks being assessed
• company policy, procedures, goals, objectives and the interests of stakeholders
• operational, technical, financial, legal, social, humanitarian or other criteria
• the scope of the risk management project being undertaken.

Risk assessment and risk control procedures  should reflect the order of the process:

• hazard identification
• risk assessment
• hazard control
• evaluation.

Training  may include:

• coaching/mentoring
• off-the-job training
• on-the-job training
• presenting and promoting the benefits of a safe workplace
• providing encouragement
• providing feedback and clarifying points where necessary
• training provided by a registered training organisation.

Work group  members may include:

• contractors authorised by the enterprise to perform specified work/functions
• employees under direct supervision
• entry-level trainees
• full-time, part-time or casual employees
• trainee supervisors or trainee team leaders.

Workplace procedures  may include specific OHS procedures and organisational policies or procedures relating to:

• accident/incident investigation
• assessing risks
• consultation and participation arrangements for employees and third parties
• controlling risks
• development and communication of organisational OHS policy
• emergency planning and response
• hazard identification
• housekeeping and work environment
• OHS issue resolution
• OHS record keeping
• OHS training and assessment
• provision of OHS information, instruction, supervision and training
• reporting OHS issues
• safe operating procedures or instructions that cover but are not limited to:

• awareness of electrical hazards
• chemical storage, handling and disposal
• confined space procedures
• dust
• First Aid and injury management
• isolated worker
• manual handling
• noise
• safe use of tools and equipment
• security
• toxic, infectious and sharps waste
• vehicles and mobile equipment
• working safely around electrical hazards including wiring, cables, and overhead powerlines

• specific hazards
• storage of dangerous goods
• use of MSDS
• use of personal protective equipment
• workplace safety inspections and audits.

Unit Sector(s)

Not Applicable