Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to conduct safety audits of personnel and equipment involved in tree operations.
This unit applies to individuals who supervise others and provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable and sometimes unpredictable problems. Work is implemented with low risk work procedures and to comply with Safe Work Method documentation.
Works involving this unit of competency may be subject to local tree protection and preservation laws, and the relevant content of applicable Australian Standards.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Perform audit planning | 1.1 Identify safety audit objectives, scope and focus 1.2 Identify target operations and documentation 1.3 Determine safety audit process and sampling technique 1.4 Determine frequency and random timing of audit event 1.5 Prepare audit documentation 1.6 Conduct pre-audit communications with client and relevant stakeholders |
2. Undertake safety audit activities | 2.1 Undertake a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk 2.2 Conduct random audit testing of site operations for usage of personal protective equipment 2.3 Conduct regular audit testing of tools, equipment and machinery for defective components 2.4 Conduct random audit inspection of dedicated rescue equipment 2.5 Conduct regular audit testing of operational, start-up and maintenance procedures for tools, equipment and machinery and associated checklist documentation 2.6 Conduct regular audit inspection of hazard identification, risk control and toolbox meeting documentation 2.7 Conduct random audit interviews for quality checking of personal protective equipment and clothing 2.8 Confirm currency and availability of tickets and certifications required by personnel to perform specialised work functions 2.9 Implement safety audits at appropriate frequency |
3. Identify and respond to non-conformance | 3.1 Identify and record non-conformance 3.2 Identify situations requiring referral 3.3 Issue verbal and written warnings for non-conforming work practices 3.4 Issue verbal and written notices for unsafe work practices 3.5 Tag tools and equipment requiring repairs and label with repair information details 3.6 Tag unsafe tools and equipment with ‘Do Not Operate’ tags and remove from operational use areas 3.7 Provide advice for improvement and rectification of non-conformance |
4. Record, report and present audit results | 4.1 Prepare safety audit report 4.2 Make final recommendations on action required 4.3 Obtain responses and finalise audit 4.4 Record safety audit findings 4.5 Conduct post-audit communications with client |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence for and demonstrate:
identifying safety audit objectives, scope and focus
identifying target operations and documentation
determining safety audit process and sampling technique
determining frequency and random timing of audit event
preparing audit documentation
conducting pre-audit communications with client and relevant stakeholders
undertaking a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk
conducting random audit testing of site operations for usage of personal protective equipment
conducting regular audit testing of tools, equipment and machinery for defective components
conducting random audit inspection of dedicated rescue equipment
conducting regular audit testing of operational, start-up and maintenance procedures for tools, equipment and machinery and associated checklist documentation
conducting regular audit inspection of hazard identification, risk control and toolbox meeting documentation
conducting random audit interviews for quality checking of personal protective equipment and clothing
confirming currency and availability of tickets and certifications required by personnel to perform specialised work functions
implementing safety audits at appropriate frequency
identifying and record non-conformance
identifying situations requiring referral
issuing verbal and written warnings for non-conforming work practices
issuing verbal and written notices for unsafe work practices
tagging tools and equipment requiring repairs and label with repair information details
tagging unsafe tools and equipment with ‘do not operate’ tags and remove from operational use areas
providing advice for improvement and rectification of non-conformance
preparing safety audit report
making final recommendations on action required
obtaining responses and finalising audit
recording safety audit findings
conducting post-audit communications with client
use of industry standard terminology to describe safety audits.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
safety audit objectives
safety audit scope
safety audit focus
target operations
site-specific risk assessment
safety audit process
sampling technique
audit frequency
random timing of audit event
audit documentation
pre-audit communications
random audit testing of site operations for usage of personal protective equipment
regular audit testing of tools, equipment and machinery for defective components
random audit inspection of rescue equipment
regular audit testing of operational, start-up and maintenance procedures for tools, equipment and machinery and associated checklist documentation
currency and availability of tickets and certifications
non-conformance
non-conforming work practices
referral
verbal and written warnings
tagging tools and equipment requiring repairs
repair information details
tagging unsafe tools and equipment with ‘do not operate’ tags
rectification of non-conformance
advice for improvement of non-conformance
safety audit report
final recommendations on action required
safety audit findings
post-audit communications.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be demonstrated consistently over time in a suitable range of contexts and have a productivity-based outcome. No single assessment event or report is sufficient to achieve competency in this unit.
Assessment may be conducted in a simulated or real work environment, however determination of competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions.
The mandatory equipment and materials used to gather evidence for assessment include:
equipment:
computer
word processing software
internet connection
digital camera/phone camera
materials:
site-specific risk assessment form
safety audit form
safety audit report
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs in the assessment of arboriculture units of competency.
Assessment must be conducted only by persons who have:
arboriculture vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed
current arboriculture industry skills directly relevant to the unit of competency being assessed
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Arboriculture (ARB)