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 evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit

Competence may be demonstrated working individually, under the guidance of, or as a member of, a team with specialist OHS staff, managers or consultants.

Assessment must confirm ability to:

establish and/or maintain the organisation's OHS management system

identify when expert advice is needed, obtain that advice and act on it appropriately.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

how the characteristics of the workforce impact on the design and maintenance of OHS management systems, and an ability to apply that understanding

relevant OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice and how they will be implemented within the area of managerial responsibility

the principles and practice of effective OHS, including the significance of organisational management systems and procedures for OHS, and an ability to establish and maintain appropriate arrangements for OHS within those systems and procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit should be assessed by a combination of workplace (or a realistic simulation) and off-the-job assessment. The context of assessment should ensure that evidence relating to the contingency management component (ability to deal with irregularities and breakdowns) of competency can be collected. Evidence must include observation in the workplace as well as off-the-job techniques, such as interviews and simulations. Conditions for simulations should:

accurately simulate the range of operations and circumstances that managers or owners could be expected to manage in the workplace

allow for discussion

ensure the relevant information and documents are available.

Resources may include:

relevant OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice

information relevant to the management of the enterprise (e.g. planning, operations, maintenance, purchasing and budgeting)

enterprise OHS management information, including policies and procedures

work areas in the area of managerial responsibility.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

case studies

demonstration of skills in workplace or simulated work environment

interviews

portfolio of workplace OHS documents, such as policy, procedures, minutes of meetings, checklists, risk control plans, incident reports and OHS records

projects (work or scenario based)

written tests.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.

Required skills

analysing relevant workplace data for the purpose of incident and environmental monitoring, to identify hazards, assess risks and evaluate the effectiveness of the OHS management system

analysing the entire working environment in order to identify hazards, assess risks and design and implement appropriate OHS management systems

assessing the resources needed to establish and maintain OHS management systems, including a range of risk control measures

communicating to:

consult with and convey information to staff

gain commitment for:

OHS system

financial and human resources

facilitating change, implementing continuous improvement and promoting compliance

delegating roles and responsibilities, and implementing and monitoring the OHS system

developing a systematic approach to OHS management

problem solving skills to determine solutions to control risks.

Literacy skills used for:

designing and documenting policies and procedures

interpreting OHS legislation, regulations and codes of practice

presenting information

researching hazards and risk controls.

Numeracy skills used for:

analysing workplace data

determining required financial resourcing.

Required knowledge

hazards and associated risks that exist in the organisation, including:

considerations for choosing between different control measures, such as possible inadequacies with particular control measures

how to identify when expert advice is needed

the range of control measures available for these risks

how the characteristics and composition of the workforce impact on OHS management, including:

communication skills

cultural background

gender

literacy

part-time, casual and contract workers

workers with disabilities

management arrangements relating to regulatory compliance, for example, arrangements for:

allocating financial, technical and human resources for OHS

assessing risks

collection and use of OHS related data

communicating to the organisation about OHS

consulting about, and participating in, OHS management

controlling risks

identifying and reporting on hazards, for example, through audits and inspections

keeping the organisation abreast of developments in OHS, for example, law, control measures and hazards

mandatory licences and certificates

mandatory notifications and reporting

monitoring risk control measures

OHS record keeping

OHS training

registers, listings and labelling of regulated materials (e.g. hazardous substances and dangerous goods)

responding to, and dealing with, hazardous events

principles and practices of effective OHS management, including:

appropriate links to other management systems (e.g. contractors, maintenance and purchasing)

elements of an effective OHS management system

incident and accident investigation

participation and consultation over OHS

risk management

the hierarchy of control measures

the role of technical information and experts in designing control measures, monitoring systems and health surveillance

the provisions of OHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace, including legal responsibilities of employers, manufacturers, suppliers, employees and other parties with legal responsibilities

the relevance to OHS management of other organisational management systems, policies and procedures, including:

business planning (especially plans relating to technological change, organisational change and workplace design)

consultation

contractors

equal employment opportunity

finance

human resource management

maintenance

materials transport and storage

purchasing

training.

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.

Framework for the OHS may include:

a system for communicating OHS information to employees, supervisors and managers within the enterprise

determining the ways in which OHS will be managed. This may include distinct OHS management activities, or inclusion of OHS functions within a range of management functions and operations, such as:

designing operations, work flow and materials handling

maintenance of plant and equipment

planning or implementing alterations to site, plant, operations or work systems

purchasing of materials and equipment

mechanisms for keeping up-to-date with relevant information and updating the management arrangements for OHS, for example, information on health effects of hazards, technical developments in risk control and environmental monitoring and changes to legislation

mechanisms for review and allocation of human, technical and financial resources needed to manage OHS, including defining and allocating OHS responsibilities for all relevant positions

mechanisms to assess and update OHS management arrangements relevant to legislative requirements

policy development and updating.

Participative arrangements for the management of OHS may cover:

employee and supervisor involvement in OHS management activities, such as OHS inspections, audits, environmental monitoring, risk assessment and risk control

OHS representatives

inclusion of OHS in consultative or other meetings and processes

OHS committees (e.g. consultative, planning and purchasing)

procedures for reporting hazards, risks and OHS safety issues by managers and employees.

Procedures for identifying hazards may include:

audits

employee reporting of OHS issues

maintaining and analysing OHS records, including environmental monitoring and health surveillance reports

maintenance of plant and equipment

reviews of materials and equipment purchases, including manufacturer and supplier information

workplace inspections, including plant and equipment.

Procedures for assessing risks may include:

analysis of relevant records and reports (e.g. injuries and incidents, hazardous substances inventories/registers, audit and environmental monitoring reports and OHS committee records)

determining the likelihood and severity of adverse consequences from hazards

maintenance of plant and equipment

OHS audits

planning or implementing alterations to site, operations or work systems

purchasing of materials and equipment

workplace inspections.

Procedures for controlling risks may include:

appropriate application of measures according to the hierarchy of control, namely:

administrative controls

elimination of the risk

engineering controls

PPE

assessing the OHS consequences of materials, plant or equipment prior to purchase

checking enterprise compliance with regulatory requirements

designing safe operations and systems of work

inclusion of new OHS information into procedures

obtaining expert advice.

Organisational procedures for hazardous events may include:

inspecting systems and operations associated with potentially hazardous events (e.g. emergency communications, links to emergency services, fire fighting, chemical spill containment, bomb alerts and first aid services)

making inventories of, and inspecting, high risk operations.

OHS training program may include:

allocation of resources for OHS training, including acquisition of training resources, development of staff training skills and purchase of training services

arrangements for ongoing assessment of training needs, for example, relating to:

emergencies and evacuations

specific hazards

specific tasks or equipment

supervisors and managers

training required under OHS legislation

induction training

training for new operations, materials or equipment.

OHS records may cover:

first aid/medical post records

identifying records required under OHS legislation, for example:

worker's compensation and rehabilitation records

hazardous substances registers

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

major accident/injury notifications

investigation reports

certificates and licences

maintenance and testing reports

manufacturer and supplier OHS information

minutes of meetings

OHS audits and inspection reports

records of instruction and training

workplace environmental monitoring and health surveillance records.

Evaluate the organisation's OHS system may include:

audits against OHS legislative requirements

regular analysis of OHS records

regular review of operating procedures

reviewing the effectiveness of the OHS management system.