Assessor Resource

RIIWHS301D
Conduct safety and health investigations

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


This unit describes a participant’s skills and knowledge required to conduct safety and health investigations in the Resources and Infrastructure Industries.

This unit is appropriate for those working in technical specialist roles.

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.

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



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.

1 Determine the objectives

1.1 Access, interpret and apply safety and health investigation procedures and documentation and ensure the work activity is compliant

1.2 Determine the scope of the investigation. Ensure pre- and post-incident timeframe is consistent with all requirements

1.3 Determine the proposed investigation objectives from an analysis of the available information and factors

1.4 Test the proposed objectives and clarify the scope of the investigation

1.5 Ensure the final objectives and scope of the investigation will be achievable within available resources and authority constraints

2 Gather information

2.1 Maintain site security and integrity of evidence in accordance with all requirements

2.2 Plan and prepare for the systematic collection of information

2.3 Schedule information collection and completion to ensure minimum backtracking or repeat actions

2.4 Ensure methods used to collect and examine information, including interviewing and recording, meet all requirements

2.5 Collect, test and organise all appropriate information

3 Evaluate information

3.1 Assess and evaluate information for validity and reliability and organise as evidence to aid decision making

3.2 Undertake further research where information is unclear or inadequate, and rectify

3.3 Analyse the evidence to determine the cause(s) of the incident

3.4 Draw conclusion(s) based on agreed standard

3.5 Ensure the findings address the established factual objectives

4 Identify courses of action

4.1 Frame options for the courses of action

4.2 Ensure options are provided in a form which meets the audience requirements, can be easily understood and enables the selection of the most appropriate course of action

4.3 Ensure the course of action selected will resolve the issues and reduce the probability of recurrence

4.4 Ensure the selected course of action can be implemented in accordance with all requirements

5 Prepare and present investigation reports

5.1 Prepare investigation reports

5.2 Present written and graphical reports clearly and concisely in a format which can be readily understood

5.3 Present the reports to the required audience

5.4 Review the investigation process and pass recommendations for process changes and improvements to the appropriate authority

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 legislation, documentation, policies and procedures

demonstrates completion of conducting safety and health investigations that safely, effectively and efficiently meets all of the required outcomes on more than one (1) occasion including:

determining objective and authority of the investigation

planning and organising activity to gather evidence

undertaking research to gather evidence

engaging others in the investigation process

questioning and actively listening to those involved in the investigation

correctly collecting and maintaining the integrity of evidence

identifying and/or confirming the linkages between factors and outcomes, causes and effects and direct/indirect causal relationships

drawing conclusions and identifying appropriate course of action to resolve issue

writing clearly, concisely and effectively report investigation outcomes and presenting the outcomes to others

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of conducting safety and health investigations:

topic or subject area which is the target for the investigation

theory of safety and health investigative research and analysis

symptoms and possible immediate effects of post-traumatic stress in an investigation situation

appropriate Industry context

site procedures and conventions related to safety and health investigations

site risk management processes and their applications

conventions and requirements for written communications, including report writing

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 in compliance with relevant legislation/regulation and using policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals directly related to the industry sector for which it is being assessed; and,

assessment may be conducted in conjunction with the assessment of other Units of Competency; and,

assessment must confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances; and,

assessors must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and through the minimum years of current* work experience specified below in an Industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or,

where the assessor does not meet experience requirements a co-assessment or partnership arrangement must exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry subject matter expert. The Industry subject matter expert should hold the unit being assessed (or an equivalent unit) and/or demonstrate equivalence of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An Industry technical expert must also demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience specified below in the Industry sector, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed; and,

assessor and Industry subject matter expert requirements differ depending on the Australian Qualifications Framework Level (AQF) of the qualification being assessed and/or Industry Sector as follows:

Industry sector

AQF** Level

Required assessor or Industry subject matter expert experience

Drilling, Metalliferous Mining, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying) and Civil Construction

1

1 Year

2

2 Years

Drilling, Coal Mining and Extractive (Quarrying)

3-6

3 Years

Metalliferous Mining and Civil Construction

3-6

5 Years

Other sectors

Where this Unit is being assessed outside of the Resources and Infrastructure Sectors assessor and/or Industry subject matter expert experience should be in-line with industry standards for the sector in which it is being assessed and where no Industry standard is specified should comply with any relevant regulation.

*Assessors can demonstrate current work experience through employment within Industry in a role relevant to the outcomes of the Unit; or, for external assessors this can be demonstrated through exposure to Industry by conducting frequent site assessments across various locations.

**Where a unit is being delivered outside of a Qualification the first numeric character in the Unit code should be considered to indicate the AQF level


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.

1 Determine the objectives

1.1 Access, interpret and apply safety and health investigation procedures and documentation and ensure the work activity is compliant

1.2 Determine the scope of the investigation. Ensure pre- and post-incident timeframe is consistent with all requirements

1.3 Determine the proposed investigation objectives from an analysis of the available information and factors

1.4 Test the proposed objectives and clarify the scope of the investigation

1.5 Ensure the final objectives and scope of the investigation will be achievable within available resources and authority constraints

2 Gather information

2.1 Maintain site security and integrity of evidence in accordance with all requirements

2.2 Plan and prepare for the systematic collection of information

2.3 Schedule information collection and completion to ensure minimum backtracking or repeat actions

2.4 Ensure methods used to collect and examine information, including interviewing and recording, meet all requirements

2.5 Collect, test and organise all appropriate information

3 Evaluate information

3.1 Assess and evaluate information for validity and reliability and organise as evidence to aid decision making

3.2 Undertake further research where information is unclear or inadequate, and rectify

3.3 Analyse the evidence to determine the cause(s) of the incident

3.4 Draw conclusion(s) based on agreed standard

3.5 Ensure the findings address the established factual objectives

4 Identify courses of action

4.1 Frame options for the courses of action

4.2 Ensure options are provided in a form which meets the audience requirements, can be easily understood and enables the selection of the most appropriate course of action

4.3 Ensure the course of action selected will resolve the issues and reduce the probability of recurrence

4.4 Ensure the selected course of action can be implemented in accordance with all requirements

5 Prepare and present investigation reports

5.1 Prepare investigation reports

5.2 Present written and graphical reports clearly and concisely in a format which can be readily understood

5.3 Present the reports to the required audience

5.4 Review the investigation process and pass recommendations for process changes and improvements to the appropriate authority

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 legislation, documentation, policies and procedures

demonstrates completion of conducting safety and health investigations that safely, effectively and efficiently meets all of the required outcomes on more than one (1) occasion including:

determining objective and authority of the investigation

planning and organising activity to gather evidence

undertaking research to gather evidence

engaging others in the investigation process

questioning and actively listening to those involved in the investigation

correctly collecting and maintaining the integrity of evidence

identifying and/or confirming the linkages between factors and outcomes, causes and effects and direct/indirect causal relationships

drawing conclusions and identifying appropriate course of action to resolve issue

writing clearly, concisely and effectively report investigation outcomes and presenting the outcomes to others

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of conducting safety and health investigations:

topic or subject area which is the target for the investigation

theory of safety and health investigative research and analysis

symptoms and possible immediate effects of post-traumatic stress in an investigation situation

appropriate Industry context

site procedures and conventions related to safety and health investigations

site risk management processes and their applications

conventions and requirements for written communications, including report writing

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 in compliance with relevant legislation/regulation and using policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals directly related to the industry sector for which it is being assessed; and,

assessment may be conducted in conjunction with the assessment of other Units of Competency; and,

assessment must confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances; and,

assessors must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and through the minimum years of current* work experience specified below in an Industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or,

where the assessor does not meet experience requirements a co-assessment or partnership arrangement must exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry subject matter expert. The Industry subject matter expert should hold the unit being assessed (or an equivalent unit) and/or demonstrate equivalence of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An Industry technical expert must also demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience specified below in the Industry sector, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed; and,

assessor and Industry subject matter expert requirements differ depending on the Australian Qualifications Framework Level (AQF) of the qualification being assessed and/or Industry Sector as follows:

Industry sector

AQF** Level

Required assessor or Industry subject matter expert experience

Drilling, Metalliferous Mining, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying) and Civil Construction

1

1 Year

2

2 Years

Drilling, Coal Mining and Extractive (Quarrying)

3-6

3 Years

Metalliferous Mining and Civil Construction

3-6

5 Years

Other sectors

Where this Unit is being assessed outside of the Resources and Infrastructure Sectors assessor and/or Industry subject matter expert experience should be in-line with industry standards for the sector in which it is being assessed and where no Industry standard is specified should comply with any relevant regulation.

*Assessors can demonstrate current work experience through employment within Industry in a role relevant to the outcomes of the Unit; or, for external assessors this can be demonstrated through exposure to Industry by conducting frequent site assessments across various locations.

**Where a unit is being delivered outside of a Qualification the first numeric character in the Unit code should be considered to indicate the AQF level

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
Access, interpret and apply safety and health investigation procedures and documentation and ensure the work activity is compliant 
Determine the scope of the investigation. Ensure pre- and post-incident timeframe is consistent with all requirements 
Determine the proposed investigation objectives from an analysis of the available information and factors 
Test the proposed objectives and clarify the scope of the investigation 
Ensure the final objectives and scope of the investigation will be achievable within available resources and authority constraints 
Maintain site security and integrity of evidence in accordance with all requirements 
Plan and prepare for the systematic collection of information 
Schedule information collection and completion to ensure minimum backtracking or repeat actions 
Ensure methods used to collect and examine information, including interviewing and recording, meet all requirements 
Collect, test and organise all appropriate information 
Assess and evaluate information for validity and reliability and organise as evidence to aid decision making 
Undertake further research where information is unclear or inadequate, and rectify 
Analyse the evidence to determine the cause(s) of the incident 
Draw conclusion(s) based on agreed standard 
Ensure the findings address the established factual objectives 
Frame options for the courses of action 
Ensure options are provided in a form which meets the audience requirements, can be easily understood and enables the selection of the most appropriate course of action 
Ensure the course of action selected will resolve the issues and reduce the probability of recurrence 
Ensure the selected course of action can be implemented in accordance with all requirements 
Prepare investigation reports 
Present written and graphical reports clearly and concisely in a format which can be readily understood 
Present the reports to the required audience 
Review the investigation process and pass recommendations for process changes and improvements to the appropriate authority 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

RIIWHS301D - Conduct safety and health investigations
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

RIIWHS301D - Conduct safety and health investigations

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: