Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes a participant’s skills and knowledge required to enter and work in confined spaces in the Resources and Infrastructure Industries.

This unit is appropriate for those working in operational roles undertaking work in confined spaces.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory and certification requirements that apply to this unit can vary between states, territories, and Industry sectors. Relevant information must be sourced prior to application of the unit.

Note: 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 the National Model WHS Legislation has not been implemented RTOs are advised to contextualise the unit of competency by referring to the existing State/Territory OHS legislative requirements.

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit. Further information is available in the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package Companion Volume.

Unit Mapping Information

RIIOHS202A Entering and working in confined spaces

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ca051b1b-5101-4ec2-ac1c-49699303188d

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

Evidence is required to be collected that demonstrates a candidate’s competency in this unit. Evidence must be relevant to the roles within this sector’s work operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria of this unit and include evidence that the candidate:

• locates and applies relevant documentation, policies and procedures
• demonstrates consistent timely completion of entering and working in confined spaces that safely, effectively and efficiently meets the required outcomes on three (3) separate occasions including:
• obtain appropriate entry permit and instructions for performing work in confined space
• interpreting and applying safe work method statements
• apply tagging and lock out
• selecting, wearing and caring for personal protective equipment applicable to all tasks and environment identified
• entering the confined space
• using atmospheric monitoring devices prior to entering the confined space
• working in the confined space
• using atmospheric monitoring devices during confined space activity
• applying safe materials handling methods
• exiting the confined space
• remove tagging and lock out

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of enter and work in confined spaces through:

• identifying areas that constitute confined spaces
• complying with site and equipment safety requirements
• complying with the entry and exit procedures, risks and regulations
• types of air contaminants and toxic gases
• identifying the limitations of breathing apparatus
• identifying equipment types, characteristics, technical capabilities and limitations
• complying with site isolation and site control responsibilities and authorities
• locations of safety data sheets (SDS) information and application
• using confined space and Industry terminology

Assessment Conditions

• An assessor of this unit must satisfy the requirements of the NVR/AQTF or their successors; and Industry regulations for certification and licensing; and,
• this unit is best assessed in the context of this sector’s work environment;
• where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment may occur in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of this sector’s workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills; and,
• this unit must be assessed using Resources and Infrastructure Industry sector specific policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals; and,
• assessor requirements differ between sectors as follows:

• when assessing this unit in the context of the Drilling  sector:

• an assessor must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and through five (5) years of work in the Industry sector; or,
• where a co-assessment or partnership arrangement exists between a qualified assessor and an Industry technical expert, the Industry technical expert can hold the unit being assessed, and/or demonstrate equivalency of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An Industry technical expert must also demonstrate a minimum of three (3) years of continuous work in the Industry sector, with the preceding one (1) year in the unit they are co-assessing; or,

• when assessing this unit in the context of the Metalliferous Mining  sector:

• an assessor must demonstrate the skills and knowledge of this unit through five (5) years of current and continuous work with the Industry sector and must hold the TAE Assessor Skill Set or equivalent; or,

• when assessing this unit in the context of the Coal Mining  sector:

• an assessor must demonstrate the skills and knowledge of this unit through twelve (12) month work experience in an Industry relevant to the skills being assessed within the last three (3) years; and,
• where the assessor does not have current experience a co-assessment or partnership arrangement needs to exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry technical expert/ subject matter expert. The Industry technical expert/subject matter expert must demonstrate competency in the unit being assessed, and be currently working in the sector with a minimum of twelve (12) months’ work experience within the last three (3) years; or,

• when assessing this unit in the context of the Extractive  sector

• an assessor must demonstrate the skills and knowledge of this unit through five (5) years’ work experience in the Industry sector; and,
• where the assessor does not have current experience a co-assessment or partnership arrangement needs to exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry technical expert/ subject matter expert. The Industry technical expert/subject matter expert must hold the unit being assessed and be currently working in the sector with a minimum of two (2) years’ of current work experience; or,

• when assessing this unit in the context of the Civil Construction  sector

• an assessor must demonstrate the skills and knowledge of this unit through five (5) years’ work experience in the Industry sector; and,
• where the assessor does not have current experience a co-assessment or partnership arrangement needs to exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry technical expert/ subject matter expert. The Industry technical expert/subject matter expert must hold the unit being assessed and be currently working in the sector with a minimum of two (2) years’ of current work experience.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=ca051b1b-5101-4ec2-ac1c-49699303188d