Assessor Resource

DEFOH017
Conduct a work health and safety audit

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


This unit was developed for Defence workers involved in the audit of work health and safety requirements as a workplace responsibility, but is applicable to all individuals who work in this field.

Typically, these individuals must demonstrate the ability to work independently or as part of a team under indirect supervision. They must be able to use discretion and judgement and take responsibility for the quality of their outputs.

All activities are carried out in accordance with relevant legislation, organisational policies and procedures, including:

Written and verbal orders

Standing orders

Standing operating procedures

Routine orders

Defence instructions

Procedure manuals

Doctrine pamphlets

Job guides

This unit covers the competency required to conduct an audit of occupational work health and safety requirements in the Australian Defence organisation.

The unit requires the individual to research applicable legislation and codes of practice, select audit tools, conduct the audit, and follow up on the audit to monitor the implementation of recommendations.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication. In a Defence context, this means that there is no civilian need to hold this unit in order to meet licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

plan and prepare for the audit

examine the materials being audited

draw conclusions and recommendations from the material

demonstrate knowledge of relevant work health and safety legislative frameworks

demonstrate the application of the principles and practices of auditing

identify intervention points for expert audit advice to assist in work and to guide problem solving

Consistency in performance

Evidence for competency in this unit must be gathered over time and across a range of workplace or simulated situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Competency should be assessed in the workplace or under conditions that accurately simulate a realistic workplace in accordance with all relevant legislation and organisation requirements.

Evidence should be gathered while observing the individual conducting an actual or simulated safety audit. Documented evidence of all relevant research and a transcript of the audit and follow up should also be submitted as evidence for assessment.

Specific resources for assessment

Access to facilities and resources used to conduct an work health and safety audit of a site/unit or component of the organisation.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required Skills

interpret work health and safety legislation, codes of practice and standards and management systems

identify hazards, assess risks and control risks

analyse workplace data

evaluate work health and safety system

solve problems

work effectively with teams/groups

encourage other team members

use a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication techniques including body, language style, active listening

read to a level required to interpret and analyse job instructions, workplace documentation and inspection reports

read and interpret work health and safety legislation, codes of practice and standards

Required Knowledge

relevant work health and safety legislation

work health and safety codes of practice and standards

work health and safety management systems

hierarchy of risk control

incident investigation and process improvement

written communication to a level required to complete workplace documentation and WHS audit reports

interpersonal communication

communication techniques including, language style, active listening

techniques for giving and receiving feedback

negotiation techniques

research techniques

analysis techniques

team dynamics

techniques for supporting others

composition of teams and roles and responsibilities of team members

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.

Audit tools may include:

assessment and inspection schedule(s)

examination/tests schedules

audit plans

national/state/territory or other relevant assessment instruments

outcomes from internal and/or external monitoring

workplace procedural documentation/guidelines

electronic databases

training/learning programs

checklists

Work health and safety legislation, codes of practice and standards may include:

Defence Work Health and Safety guidelines

Legislation from all levels of government, including:

work health and safety

environmental issues

equal opportunity

industrial relations

antidiscrimination

Relevant industry codes of practice

Certification criteria for auditors

Auditing methods and techniques may include:

Assessment

Examination/tests

Structured inspections of workplaces

National/state/territory or other relevant assessment instruments

Outcomes from internal and/or external monitoring

Personnel involved may include:

Auditors (manager, team leader, team members)

Key members/representatives of the organisation being audited

COMCARE personnel

Organisation’s work health and safety advisers

Members of work health and safety committee(s)

Audit and work health and safety records may include:

audit and inspection reports

workplace environmental monitoring records

consultation, including:

meetings of health and safety committees

work group meeting agendas including work health and safety items and actions

induction, instruction and training

manufacturer’s and supplier’s information, including:

dangerous goods storage lists

hazardous substances registers

plant and equipment maintenance and testing reports

employee’s compensation and rehabilitation records

first aid/medical post records

Work health and safety practices, control strategies and management systems may include:

relevant organisation’s policy and procedural statements

relevant work health and safety legislation

operational manuals and/or standard operating procedures

technical reports

codes of practice

relevant standards

benchmark material/guidelines

evaluation/review mechanisms

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Areas to be audited are identified and recorded. 
Appropriate audit tools are identified and prepared. 
Applicable work health and safety legislation, codes of practice and standards are identified and researched. 
Appropriate auditing methods and techniques are selected. 
All personnel involved in the audit are briefed. 
Relevant audit and work health and safety records are inspected. 
Work health and safety practices, control strategies and management systems are assessed. 
Auditing methods and techniques appropriate to the area are employed. 
Audit is conducted and concluded within time and budget constraints. 
Relevant industry practices, processes and technologies are factored into the safety audit in accordance with standard procedures 
Audit report is prepared and formatted in accordance with standard procedures 
Audit report is presented in accordance with standard procedures 
Audit records are updated in accordance with standard procedures 
Recommendations are followed through in accordance with standard procedures 
Work health and safety system documentation is amended in accordance with standard procedures 
Implementation of recommendations is monitored in accordance with standard procedures 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

DEFOH017 - Conduct a work health and safety audit
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

DEFOH017 - Conduct a work health and safety audit

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: