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Unit of competency details

SIFEWHS001 - Follow mortuary work health and safety procedures (Release 2)

Summary

Usage recommendation:
Current
Mapping:
MappingNotesDate
Supersedes and is equivalent to SIFOHS003A - Follow mortuary OHS proceduresTitle changed to reflect new WHS legislation. 20/Jun/2013

Release Status:
Current
Releases:
ReleaseRelease date
2 (this release) 02/Jul/2013
(View details for release 1) 21/Jun/2013


Classifications

SchemeCodeClassification value
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 061301 Occupational Health And Safety  

Classification history

SchemeCodeClassification valueStart dateEnd date
ASCED Module/Unit of Competency Field of Education Identifier 061301 Occupational Health And Safety  01/Nov/2013 
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Unit of competency

Modification History

Not applicable.

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to apply work health and safety/occupational health and safety legislation and codes of practice in a mortuary environment. It applies to embalming staff and other funeral home staff involved in mortuary work and body preparation and who are required to follow in accordance to work health and safety, relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures.

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

Competency Field

Work Health and Safety

Unit Sector

Embalming

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Apply workplace safety, security and emergency procedures.

1.1 Identify and apply relevant workplace policies and procedures.

1.2 Recognise and report workplace hazards and unsafe situations to appropriate personnel.

1.3 Locate and use emergency equipment.

2. Perform safe manual handling.

2.1 Identify and assess manual handling requirements.

2.2 Select and plan lifting technique according to manual handling requirements.

2.3 Prepare and clear work area of obstacles and hazards as required.

2.4 Apply correct lifting, carrying and placement techniques according to manual handling requirements.

2.5 Apply safety precautions when using mechanical aids.

2.6 Coordinate multiple person manual handling tasks as required.

3. Implement strategies to prevent infection in the workplace.

3.1 Apply personal hygiene practices and standard precautions.

3.2 Select, use and maintain personal protective equipment.

3.3 Handle and dispose of potentially infectious waste.

4. Handle and store hazardous substances safely.

4.1 Recognise hazardous substances from available workplace information.

4.2 Identify and apply storage requirements for hazardous substances according to relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures.

4.3 Comply with signage for hazardous substances.

4.4 Identify problems with signage and take corrective action when required.

4.5 Check and use personal protective equipment when handling hazardous chemicals according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.6 Use, handle and dispose of hazardous substances according to manufacturer guidelines, relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures.

4.7 Identify and comply with accident reporting procedures.

4.8 Check and use trolleys and take corrective action where required.

4.9 Examine and use emergency equipment and take corrective action where required.

5. Use strategies to prevent work overload.

5.1 Observe nominated rest times and breaks.

5.2 Identify workload and raise potential issues with appropriate staff.

5.3 Clarify and observe work roles.

5.4 Ensure debriefing opportunities as required.

6. Carry out general housekeeping.

6.1 Monitor cleanliness, safety and tidiness of workplace and remove general waste as required.

6.2 Use, maintain and store housekeeping equipment and supplies according to workplace policies and procedures and manufacturer guidelines.

6.3 Tag damaged items and notify appropriate personnel of maintenance requirements.

6.4 Report housekeeping issues to appropriate personnel according to workplace policies and procedures.

7. Comply with documentation and reporting requirements.

7.1 Complete work health and safety incident and accident reports according to relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures.

7.2 Report ongoing workplace hazards to appropriate personnel according to and relevant legislation and workplace policies and procedures.

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Unit Mapping Information

SIFOHS003A Follow mortuary OHS procedures.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c2c3131e-4418-4aa3-8ff1-a855c95f7fd6

 

Assessment requirements

Modification History

The details of this endorsed unit are in the table below. The latest information is at the top.

Release 

Comments 

Two

Grammatical errors corrected in Knowledge Evidence and Assessment Conditions.

One

Reflects the Standards for Training Packages.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

  • follow predetermined health, safety and infection control procedures
  • handle hazardous substances for a given mortuary operation and in line with regulatory requirements.

Evidence of performance of incorporating mortuary work health and safety procedures in workplace activities on five or more occasions is required to demonstrate consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge of:

  • federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to work health and safety/occupational health and safety and infection control for a mortuary environment
  • purpose of the legal requirement to work according to health, safety and security procedures and inflection control in a mortuary environment, and the implications for not following those procedures
  • employer’s and employee’s responsibilities under work health and safety/occupational health and safety legislation
  • workplace policies and procedures in relation to work health and safety/occupational health and safety and inflection control for a mortuary environment
  • mortuary workplace hazards, including:
  • manual handling
  • toxic substances
  • industrial gases
  • body fluids and human tissue
  • infections
  • fire
  • infectious waste
  • sharps
  • chemical spills
  • dust and vapours
  • noise, light and energy sources
  • electrical equipment
  • vehicles
  • personal lifestyle
  • workplace stress
  • people
  • reporting hazards procedures and responsible personnel
  • use and purpose of emergency equipment
  • manual handling procedures
  • personal hygiene practices, including:
  • maintenance of cleanliness of work clothes
  • hand washing
  • food hygiene practices
  • use of personal protective equipment
  • standard precautions, including:
  • use of personal protective equipment
  • presumption that all blood and body fluids are infectious
  • covering exposed cuts and abrasions, particularly on workers’ hands, with waterproof coverings prior to commencing work
  • immediate treatment of puncture wounds or abrasions
  • use of protective clothing when cleaning spillage of body fluids
  • infectious and contaminated waste in a mortuary, including:
  • body parts
  • human tissue
  • human blood and body fluid
  • materials and equipment containing human blood and body fluid
  • contaminated garments
  • soiled dressings, sharps, swabs, catheters and bandages
  • properties of hazardous substances
  • environmentally sound disposal methods for all types of waste and in particular for hazardous substances disposal techniques in a mortuary
  • equipment and materials used to carry out housekeeping.

Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that is as industry realistic as possible. In a simulated environment, it is essential that assessment is conducted:

  • using suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
  • a mortuary facility where deceased bodies and hazardous wastes are handled
  • housekeeping equipment, cleaning and disinfecting products and materials, infectious waste disposal equipment and personal protective equipment
  • workplace policies and procedures and template documents used for the management of work health and safety/occupational health and safety practices
  • under industry operating conditions where there is:
  • integration of tasks with possible interruptions to work typical of the job role
  • interaction with team members

Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c2c3131e-4418-4aa3-8ff1-a855c95f7fd6