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

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.

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.