Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to manage personal health and fitness in the racing industry workplace and on a personal level.

The unit requires an understanding of common health and nutritional principles and requirements relevant to job function under a variety of conditions. It also requires an understanding of stress management strategies and ways in which to manage workplace fatigue.

Drug and alcohol misuse, and other health risks are identified, including zoonotic diseases, as well as principles of fitness and strategies to develop and maintain fitness.

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

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports employees in effectively managing their personal health and fitness in a variety of job functions at varying qualification levels in the racing industry. It is developed for licensed and non-licensed racing industry personnel.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

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 

Maintain personal health.

1. Personal nutritional requirements for job function and general health are identified and applied.

2. Impact of drug and alcohol  use is related to physical health and ability to perform job functions.

3. Impact of hydration  status is related to physical health and ability to perform job functions.

4. Strategies to avoid health risks  at work are developed and applied.

Establish and maintain personal fitness.

5. Strategies are developed and applied to minimise fatigue  .

6. Impact on self and others of poor health and fitness is identified.

7. Personal physical fitness  for job function is assessed and strategies are developed to improve fitness if required.

Manage stress in work role.

8. Factors affecting employees' ability to complete work role are identified.

9. On -the -job strategies  for managing work-related stress are practised.

10. Off -the -job  strategies for managing work-related stress are practised.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• assessing own capacity for specific physical exercise
• complying with OHS and anti-discrimination legislation and regulations
• complying with organisational policies and procedures
• demonstrating healthy methods of weight reduction and control
• employing long-term strategies for weight and fitness management
• employing strategies to manage fatigue in the workplace
• employing strategies to manage stress in work and personal life.

Required knowledge 

• causes of workplace stress
• effects of drug and alcohol misuse
• exercise routines
• improving and maintaining fitness levels
• improving and maintaining health
• nutritional requirements
• racing industry health risks.

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.

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when managing personal health and fitness
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application of long-term strategies for health and fitness management, including:

• coping with stress and uncertainty in work and personal life
• employing methods of fatigue reduction

• working with others to undertake and apply personal health and fitness strategies that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time in a range of workplace-relevant contexts and include dealings with an appropriate range of situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace or simulated environment that provides access to the required resources. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to apply personal health and fitness strategies
• relevant racing industry work sites, such as administration buildings, racing kennels, racing stables and racetracks
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to manage personal health and fitness. Workplaces include greyhound kennels, and harness and thoroughbred stables and racecourses, training tracks, administration buildings and public areas for the three codes.

Nutritional requirements for job function and general health  may include:

• energy expenditure
• food groups and nutritional factors
• maintaining hydration levels
• protein and carbohydrate requirements
• recommended vaccination requirements
• types of job functions and associated energy demands
• weight management.

Drug and alcohol health issues advisers  may include:

• counsellors
• health professionals
• nutritionists
• sports physiologists
• stipendiary stewards using rules of racing.

Hydration status  may affect:

• athletes, including:

• apprentice jockeys
• jockeys
• trackwork riders and drivers

• other racing industry employees and employers.

Health risks encountered at work  may include:

• chemical use
• diseases from animals, such as:

• morbillivirus
• other zoonotic diseases

• inappropriate self-management related to hydration and nutrition levels
• injury from animals
• other people, including employees
• machinery and equipment
• physical environment
• tetanus
• unsafe work practices.

Fatigue evidenced in the racing industry  may include:

• fatigue due to long distance vehicle driving pre and post-race meetings
• fatigue while riding or driving due to lack of fitness or inappropriate dieting and weight control
• inability to manage rest periods during split shifts
• inappropriate use of drugs and alcohol.

Physical fitness  may be assessed by:

• demonstrating strengthening exercises
• determining and applying exercise regime
• understanding basic principles of human anatomy and physiology
• understanding principles of energy intake versus energy expenditure.

Contributing factors to on -the -job stress  may include:

• being over-tired
• females feeling isolated in male dominated workplace
• inability to recognise issues that can be changed and those that cannot
• increased responsibility when in supervisory role
• taking on industry worries as personal responsibilities
• unrealistic work goals.

Strategies to manage workplace and personal stress  may include:

• adhering to OHS, equal employment opportunities and anti-discrimination legislation and regulations
• assertive communication
• conflict resolution
• controlling alcohol and drug use
• ensuring appropriate delegation of tasks
• identifying personal behaviour patterns
• practising regular exercise routines
• time management of job tasks
• working as part of team.

Managing off -the -job stress  may include:

• contributing to public welfare via volunteering
• doing some physical activity not related to work role
• having hobbies and interests outside of work
• maintaining links with family and friends
• managing sleep
• trying not to take work home.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound, harness and thoroughbred racing codes

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing common