Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

MSL946001A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Implement and monitor OHS and environmental management systems

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency MSL946001A - Implement and monitor OHS and environmental management systems
Description This unit of competency covers the ability to implement and monitor the occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management systems for a work group or laboratory, within the scope of a 'head officer's' responsibilities as defined in AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories. Where the OHS management system is already established then this unit of competency may apply to the review of the system.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application The unit of competency is applicable to personnel in a senior technician or laboratory supervisor role. Personnel work in accordance with work instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) which incorporate all relevant aspects of OHS legislation and the codes, guidelines, regulations and Australian standards applying to environmental hazards and dangerous goods. This unit assumes that expert OHS and environmental advice is available, as required, either internal or external to the enterprise.Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities 		Slides
PPT 		Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Implement requirements for the OHS and environmental management systems
  • Ensure OHS and environmental responsibilities and duties are documented and accountability processes are in place
  • Ensure OHS and environmental policies and procedures are documented and that documents are accessible to all relevant personnel
  • Ensure implications of any proposed changes to the OHS and environmental management systems are identified and addressed
  • Recognise limits of own professional expertise and consult specialists as necessary
       
Element: Implement and maintain participative arrangements for the management of OHS and the environment
  • Implement and maintain appropriate participative processes with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant OHS legislation and industry standards
  • Provide information to employees in a format that is readily accessible and understandable
  • Promptly and effectively deal with and resolve issues raised through participation and consultation
  • Provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to employees
       
Element: Implement and maintain OHS and environmental risk management processes
  • Ensure hazard, incident and injury reporting and investigation processes are in place to meet prevention and legislative requirements
  • Implement a process of hazard identification and risk assessment
  • Ensure risk controls and hazard specific procedures for risk control comply with legislation and the hierarchy of control
       
Element: Implement and maintain an OHS and environmental training program
  • Conduct a training needs assessment for the workgroup that takes account of legislative requirements, internal policies and procedures, skills of workgroup and risk control requirements
  • Develop and implement training programs to identify and fulfil employees' OHS and environmental training needs
  • Coordinate with relevant OHS and environment specialists
       
Element: Implement and maintain a system for records
  • Identify and address the legal requirements for record keeping
  • Identify and access sources of OHS and environmental information
  • Ensure that records are accurately completed, collected and stored
       
Element: Identify areas for systems improvement
  • Collect data and information to evaluate management systems
  • Analyse data and information to identify areas for improvement
  • Consult with stakeholders, key personnel and expert advisors
  • Document and communicate outcomes of analysis to key personnel and stakeholders in an easily understood format
  • Recognise limits of own expertise and seek appropriate advice
       
Element: Initiate and maintain systems improvements
  • Determine priorities in consultation with stakeholders
  • Develop an OHS and environmental plan in consultation with stakeholders
  • Identify and source resources required for implementation of plan
  • Monitor achievement against plan
  • Monitor effectiveness of modifications to the management systems on an ongoing basis in consultation with stakeholders
       


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.

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

Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

access and interpret relevant sections of OHS and environmental legislation, regulations, codes of practice and updates

analyse the work environment and judge OHS and/or environmental interventions

consult employees and other stakeholders on safety and environmental issues, hazard identification, risk assessment, selection and implementation of control measures and their review

raise issues related to concerns with safety of work systems and work environment through consultation with management and employees

promptly address OHS and environmental management issues within their area of control

develop and implement improvements in work practices and procedures to reduce the risk of illness and injury and meet OHS legislative requirements

provide appropriate supervision, support and information in accordance with workplace procedures

keep OHS and environmental records complete, current and secure

communicate effectively with personnel at all levels of the organisation and OHS specialists

prepares summary reports for a range of target groups, including OHS committee, OHS representatives, managers and supervisors.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

This unit of competency may be assessed with units dealing with communication, supervision and training, for example:

MSL915001A Provide information to customers

MSL916003A Supervise laboratory operations in work/functional area

MAL916004A Maintain registration and statutory or legal compliance in work/functional area.

Resources may include:

relevant OHS and environmental legislation and regulations

codes of practice

workplace procedures.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of information developed by the candidate and provided to the work group

review of records and reports generated by the candidate

feedback from team members and managers regarding provision of information and the candidate's ability to implement and monitor established management systems

written and/or oral questioning to assess underpinning knowledge and likely reactions to simulated incidents.

In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.

Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.

Manufacturing

The smoke alarms have sounded and a general evacuation of the building has commenced. The fire brigade has been summoned in accordance with enterprise procedures. All personnel, except the designated floor wardens, have moved to the assembly area. The supervising staff report to the brigade officers that there is smoke and fumes on the first floor. The brigade officers don respirators and enter the building. A search establishes that a small fire has started in the drying oven when technicians used it to evaporate off a flammable solvent. The incident is the result of a careless mistake. With the cause of the smoke fumes identified, the brigade officers organise for the air conditioning system to exhaust the fumes. Once the building can be accessed, the laboratory supervisor prepares an incident report, organises follow-up counselling for the laboratory staff and implements measures to prevent a recurrence of the hazardous situation.

Food processing

A supervisor in the laboratory of a food processing company was concerned that an audit of the risks associated with the company's activities had never been performed. When individual risk situations were identified they were usually addressed on a case by case basis. The supervisor realised that this approach did not have the rigour to identify less obvious hazards. A risk audit was conducted in cooperation with the laboratory team to overcome this deficiency. The audit progressed well and was performed without unduly disrupting the primary functions of the laboratory. Several previously unrecognised hazards were identified. One of the more esoteric hazards concerned the use of proteases and lipases to selectively digest specific food components. Before the audit, these enzymes were thought harmless. However, it was discovered that these bacterial proteins could provoke a potentially fatal allergic reaction in sensitised individuals especially after inhalation. Furthermore, repeated exposure could induce sensitivity. After this hazard was identified, a SOP was developed for handling these enzymes. Individuals likely to come into close contact with the enzymes were required to regularly undergo an allergen sensitivity test.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, 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.

Required skills

Required skills include:

accessing and interpreting OHS and environmental legislation, regulations, codes of practice and updates

analysing the work environment and judging OHS and/or environmental interventions

consulting stakeholders on safety and environmental issues, hazard identification, risk assessment, selection and implementation of control measures and their review

raising issues related to concerns with safety of work systems and work environment through consultation with management and employees

addressing OHS and environmental management issues

developing and implementing improvements in work practices and procedures

providing appropriate supervision, support and information in accordance with workplace procedures

keeping complete, current and secure OHS and environmental records

communicating effectively with personnel at all levels of the organisation and OHS specialists

preparing summary reports for a range of target groups

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

roles and responsibilities under OHS and environmental legislation of employers and employees, including supervisors and contractors

legislative requirements for OHS information and consultation

requirements for record keeping that address OHS, environmental management, privacy and other relevant legislation

relevant national and Australian standards, including those related to OHS and environmental management systems

guidelines for OHS and environmental management systems produced by the relevant state regulators

principles and practices of effective OHS management, including hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control

the hierarchy of control

definition of risk as the chance of something happening that will result in injury or damage measured in terms of consequences and likelihood

definition of risk management as the whole systematic process that is directed towards identifying hazards, assessing the risk, developing controls to minimise the risk, monitoring the effectiveness of the controls and taking action as required

participative consultation processes, general and specific to OHS and environmental management systems

hazard policies and procedures (including housekeeping and inspections)

OHS, environmental and waste status record keeping

enterprise purchasing policy and procedures for safety related supplies and equipment

counselling/disciplinary/issue resolution processes

waste minimisation, recycling of chemicals and water, by-product collection, equipment maintenance and microbiological waste disposal

how the characteristics and composition of the workforce impact on OHS and environmental management

sources of OHS and environmental management information, including specialist advisors

nature of hazards relevant to the particular workplace

key personnel within enterprise management structure and the OHS and environmental management systems

organisational OHS and environmental management policies and procedures

Specific industry

Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example:

Biomedical sector:

procedures and control measures for spillage of infected material in the public or non-laboratory domain

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.

Codes of practice

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.

Standards. codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Standards. codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:

Australian and international standards, such as:

AS 1678 Emergency procedure guide - Transport

AS 1940-2004 Storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids

AS 2252 Biological safety cabinets

AS 3780-2008 The storage and handling of corrosive substances

AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

AS/NZS 1269 Set:2005 Occupational noise management set

AS/NZS 1337 Eye protection

AS/NZS 2161 Set:2008 Occupational protective gloves set

AS/NZS 2210:1994 Occupational protective footwear

AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set

AS/NZS 2865 Set:2005 Safe working in a confined space set

AS/NZS 2982.1:1997 Laboratory design and construction - General requirements

AS/NZS 4187:2003 Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities

AS/NZS 4452:1997 The storage and handling of toxic substances

AS/NZS 4501 Set:2008 Occupational clothing set

AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set

HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection

Australian Dangerous Goods Code

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Export Control (Orders) Regulations 1982

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) Import Guidelines

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice

batch sheets

contractor and employee handbooks

emergency, fire and incident procedures

environmental incident procedures

formulas

gene technology regulations

guide to physical containment levels and facility types

handling and disposal of micro-organisms and heavy metals

hazard policies and procedures

hazardous goods manifest and substance register

immunisation registers for employees at risk

maintenance schedules

manufacturers' operating manuals

monitoring and appropriate tasking of personnel with possible infections

National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances [NOHSC:2012 (1994)]

national environment protection measures

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines

OHS national standards and codes of practice

personal protective clothing and equipment procedures

safety procedures

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

work instructions

Stakeholders

Stakeholders may include:

managers

supervisors

health and safety and other employee representatives

OHS committees

laboratory and production personnel

external OHS agencies

workers' families

the community

Participative processes with employees and their representatives

Participative processes with employees and their representatives may include:

committees:

OHS

consultative

planning

employee and supervisor involvement in OHS activities such as inspections, audits and risk assessments

procedures for reporting hazards and raising and addressing OHS issues

identification of hazards

assessment of level of risk

implementation of risk control measures and review of effectiveness

injury and incident investigations

the development of policies and procedures

review of OHS records and statistics

review of registers of hazardous substances and dangerous goods

audits and workplace inspections

job safety analysis

consultation with workers

Characteristics and composition of the workforce which have an impact on OHS and environmental management

Characteristics and composition of the workforce which have an impact on OHS and environmental management may include:

language and literacy

communication skills

cultural background

gender

workers with special needs

part time, casual or contract workers

Hazard identification processes

Hazard identification processes include:

review of hazard and incident reports

workplace inspections

pre-purchase risk assessments

review of relevant internal documentation, including material safety data sheets (MSDS), manufacturer's manuals and minutes of meetings

review of legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidelines

review of publications such as:

OHS regulators

industry bodies

journals

newsletters

Risk assessment

Risk assessment is a process that involves analysing the risk to identify factors influencing the risk and the range of potential consequences and assessing:

effectiveness of existing controls

likelihood of each consequence considering exposure and hazard level

combining these in some way to obtain a level of risk

A complete risk assessment will also include comparison of the determined risk with pre-established criteria for tolerance (or as low as reasonably achievable) and the subsequent ranking of risks requiring control

Hierarchy of control

Hierarchy of control, also referred to as the 'safety decision hierarchy' describes the preferred order of risk control measures from most to least preferred, that is:

elimination, or where this is not practical

substitution with a lesser hazard

isolate personnel from hazard

engineering controls

administrative controls, such as enterprise procedures and training

personal protective equipment

Data for evaluation of the management systems

Data for evaluation of the management systems may include:

hazard, incident and injury reports

workplace inspections

audit reports

formal and informal input of employees

OHS and environmental management requirements

OHS and environmental management requirements:

all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time

all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied

where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

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
Ensure OHS and environmental responsibilities and duties are documented and accountability processes are in place 
Ensure OHS and environmental policies and procedures are documented and that documents are accessible to all relevant personnel 
Ensure implications of any proposed changes to the OHS and environmental management systems are identified and addressed 
Recognise limits of own professional expertise and consult specialists as necessary 
Implement and maintain appropriate participative processes with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant OHS legislation and industry standards 
Provide information to employees in a format that is readily accessible and understandable 
Promptly and effectively deal with and resolve issues raised through participation and consultation 
Provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to employees 
Ensure hazard, incident and injury reporting and investigation processes are in place to meet prevention and legislative requirements 
Implement a process of hazard identification and risk assessment 
Ensure risk controls and hazard specific procedures for risk control comply with legislation and the hierarchy of control 
Conduct a training needs assessment for the workgroup that takes account of legislative requirements, internal policies and procedures, skills of workgroup and risk control requirements 
Develop and implement training programs to identify and fulfil employees' OHS and environmental training needs 
Coordinate with relevant OHS and environment specialists 
Identify and address the legal requirements for record keeping 
Identify and access sources of OHS and environmental information 
Ensure that records are accurately completed, collected and stored 
Collect data and information to evaluate management systems 
Analyse data and information to identify areas for improvement 
Consult with stakeholders, key personnel and expert advisors 
Document and communicate outcomes of analysis to key personnel and stakeholders in an easily understood format 
Recognise limits of own expertise and seek appropriate advice 
Determine priorities in consultation with stakeholders 
Develop an OHS and environmental plan in consultation with stakeholders 
Identify and source resources required for implementation of plan 
Monitor achievement against plan 
Monitor effectiveness of modifications to the management systems on an ongoing basis in consultation with stakeholders 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSL946001A - Implement and monitor OHS and environmental management systems
Assessment task 1: [title]

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Assessment Record Sheet

MSL946001A - Implement and monitor OHS and environmental management systems

Student name:

Student ID:

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

(add lines for each task)

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