Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to undertake Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) induction training within the construction industry.

It requires the ability to demonstrate personal awareness of OHS legislative requirements, and the basic principles of risk management and prevention of injury and illness in the construction industry.

Licensing requirements will apply to this unit of competency depending on the regulatory requirements of each jurisdiction.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the attainment of the basic OHS knowledge required prior to undertaking designated work tasks within any of the sectors within the construction industry. The unit relates directly to the general induction training program specified by the National Code of Practice for Induction for Construction Work  (ASCC 2007).

Prerequisite units 

Nil

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 

1. Identify OHS legislative requirements.

1.1. Applicable OHS legislative requirements  relevant to own work, role and responsibilities are identified and explained.

1.2. Duty of care requirements are identified.

1.3. Own responsibilities to comply with safe work practices  are identified and explained.

2. Identify construction hazards and control measures.

2.1. Basic principles of risk management are identified.

2.2. Common construction hazards  are identified and discussed.

2.3. Measures for controlling  hazards and risks are identified.

3. Identify OHS communication and reporting processes.

3.1. OHS communication processes, information and documentation are identified and discussed.

3.2. Role of designated OHS personnel  is identified and explained.

3.3. Safety signs and symbols  are identified and explained.

3.4. Procedures and relevant authorities  for reporting hazards, incidents  and injuries are identified.

4. Identify OHS incident response procedures.

4.1. General procedures  for responding to incidents and emergencies  are identified and explained.

4.2. Procedures for accessing first aid are identified.

4.3. Requirements for the selection and use of relevant personal protective equipment  are identified and demonstrated.

4.4. Fire safety equipment  is identified and discussed.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Required skills for this unit are:

• communication skills to:

• clarify OHS legislative requirements
• verbally report construction hazards and risks
• ask effective questions
• relay information to others
• discuss OHS issues and information

• comprehension skills to:

• explain the basic OHS legislative requirements which will be applicable to own work
• explain the meaning of safety signs and symbols
• identify common construction hazards
• discuss the basic principles of risk management.

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge for this unit is:

• applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory OHS legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and industry standards/guidance notes relevant to own work, role and responsibilities
• basic principles of risk management and assessment for construction work
• common construction hazards
• common construction safety signage and its meanings
• general construction emergency response and evacuation procedures
• general construction work activities that require licenses, tickets or certificates of competency
• general first aid response requirements
• general procedures for raising OHS issues
• general procedures for reporting OHS hazards, accidents, incidents, emergencies, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences
• general procedures for responding to hazards, incidents and injuries
• general workers' compensation and injury management requirements
• OHS hierarchy of controls
• OHS responsibilities and rights of duty holders, including:

• persons in control of construction work/projects
• employers and self-employed persons
• supervisors
• employees
• designers
• inspectors
• manufacturers and suppliers

• own responsibilities to comply with safe work practices relating to:

• housekeeping
• identification of hazards
• preventing bullying or harassment
• smoking
• use of amenities
• use of drugs and alcohol

• role of OHS committees and representatives
• types of common personal protective equipment and fire safety equipment
• types of OHS information and documentation.

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.

Overview of assessment 

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

Evidence must confirm personal awareness of the following:

• applicable OHS legislative and safety requirements for construction work including duty of care
• the range of common construction hazards and procedures for the assessment of risk and application of the hierarchy of control
• OHS communication processes, information and documentation including the role of OHS committees and representatives, the meaning of common safety signs and symbols, and procedures for reporting hazards, incidents and injuries
• general procedures for responding to incidents and emergencies including evacuation, first aid, fire safety equipment and PPE.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Resources must be available to support the program including participant materials and other information or equipment related to the skills and knowledge covered by the program.
• It is recommended that the assessment tool designed specifically to support this unit of competency will provide consistency in assessment outcomes.
• Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities
• Access must be provided to appropriate assessment support when required.
• Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed
• In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in such a manner as is appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy levels of the operator, any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and reflecting the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods may include more than one of the following:

• practical assessment
• oral questioning
• written test
• work-based activities
• simulated project based activity

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, 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.

OHS legislative requirements  relate to:

• Australian standards
• construction industry OHS standards and guidelines
• duty of care
• health and safety representatives, committees and supervisors
• licences, tickets or certificates of competency
• National Code of Practice for Induction Training for Construction Work
• national safety standards
• OHS and welfare Acts and regulations
• safety codes of practice.

Duty of care requirements  relate to:

• legal responsibility under duty of care to do everything reasonably practicable to protect others from harm
• own responsibilities to comply with safe work practices, including activities that require licences, tickets or certificates of competency
• relevant state OHS requirements, including employers and self-employed persons, persons in control of the work site, construction supervisors, designers, manufacturers and suppliers, construction workers, subcontractors and inspectors.

Safe work practices  include:

• access to site amenities, such as drinking water and toilets
• general requirements for safe use of plant and equipment
• general requirements for use of personal protective equipment and clothing
• housekeeping to ensure a clean, tidy and safer work area
• no drugs and alcohol at work
• preventing bullying and harassment
• smoking in designated areas
• storage and removal of debris.

Risk  relates to:

• likelihood of a hazard causing injury or harm.

Principles of risk management  include:

• assessing the risks involved
• consulting and reporting ensuring the involvement of relevant workers
• controlling the hazard
• identifying hazards
• reviewing to identify change or improvement.

Hazard  relates to:

• any thing (including an intrinsic property of a thing) or situation with the potential to cause injury or harm.

Common construction hazards  include:

• confined spaces
• electrical safety
• excavations, including trenches
• falling objects
• hazardous substances and dangerous goods
• HIV and other infectious diseases
• hot and cold working environments
• manual handling
• noise
• plant and equipment
• traffic and mobile plant
• unplanned collapse
• ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• working at heights.

Measures for controlling  risk to eliminate or minimise hazards in accordance with the hierarchy of control include:

• elimination
• substitution
• isolation
• engineering control
• administrative control
• personal protective equipment.

OHS communication processes  include:

• discussions with OHS representatives
• OHS meetings
• OHS notices, newsletters, bulletins and correspondence
• OHS participative arrangements
• processes for raising OHS issues
• toolbox talks
• workplace consultation relating to OHS issues and changes.

OHS information and documentation  includes:

• accident and incident reports
• Acts and regulations
• Australian standards
• codes of practice
• construction documentation and plans
• emergency information contact
• evacuation plans
• guidance notes
• job safety analyses
• labels
• material safety data sheets (MSDS)
• proformas for reporting hazards, incidents and injuries
• reports of near misses and dangerous occurrences
• risk assessments
• safe work method statements
• safety meeting minutes
• site safety inspection reports.

Designated OHS personnel  includes:

• first aid officers
• OHS committee members
• OHS representatives
• supervisors.

Safety signs and symbols  include:

• emergency information signs (e.g. exits, equipment and first aid)
• fire signs (e.g. location of fire alarms and firefighting equipment)
• hazard signs (e.g. danger and warning)
• regulatory signs (e.g. prohibition, mandatory and limitation or restriction)
• safety tags and lockout (e.g. danger tags, out of service tags).

Relevant authorities  include:

• emergency services (e.g. police, ambulance, fire brigade and emergency rescue)
• OHS regulatory authority
• supervisor.

Incidents  include:

• accidents resulting in personal injury or damage to property
• near misses or dangerous occurrences which do not cause injury but may pose an immediate and significant risk to persons or property, and need to be reported so that action can be taken to prevent recurrence, for example:
• breathing apparatus malfunctioning to the extent that the user's health is in danger
• collapse of the floor, wall or ceiling of a building being used as a workplace
• collapse or failure of an excavation more than 1.5 metres deep (including any shoring)
• collapse or partial collapse of a building or structure
• collapse, overturning or failure of the load bearing of any scaffolding, lift, crane, hoist or mine-winding equipment
• damage to or malfunction of any other major plant
• electric shock.
• electrical short circuit, malfunction or explosion
• uncontrolled explosion, fire or escape of gas, hazardous substance or steam
• any other unintended or uncontrolled incident or event arising from operations carried on at a workplace.

General procedures  for responding to incidents and emergencies include:

• basic emergency response (keep calm, raise alarm, obtain help)
• evacuation
• notification of designated OHS personnel and authorities
• notification of emergency services (e.g. when and how)
• referring to site emergency plans and documentation.

Emergencies  include:

• chemical spill
• fire
• injury to personnel
• structural collapse
• toxic and/or flammable vapours emission
• vehicle/mobile plant accident.

Personal protective equipment  includes:

• aprons
• arm guards
• eye protection
• gloves
• hard hat
• hearing protection
• high visibility retro reflective vests
• protective, well fitting clothing
• respiratory protection
• safety footwear
• UV protective clothing and sunscreen.

Fire safety equipment  includes:

• breathing apparatus
• fire blankets
• firefighting equipment.

Unit sector 

Construction

Co-requisite units 

Nil

Functional area