Application
This unit applies to individuals who assist with the identification of workplace hazards and the assessment of WHS risks as part of their WHS responsibilities, which are in addition to their main duties.
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.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Participate in workplace hazard identification | 1.1 Participate in selecting hazard identification methods suitable for the workplace, as appropriate 1.2 Use selected methods to identify, report and record hazards according to workplace procedures and WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice 1.3 Provide information and assistance to persons conducting hazard identification |
2. Participate in WHS risk assessment | 2.1 Participate in selecting suitable risk assessment methods for the workplace, as appropriate 2.2 Use selected methods to assess and record risks according to workplace procedures and WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice 2.3 Provide information and assistance to persons conducting risk assessments |
3. Promote and support worker consultation and participation in hazard identification and risk assessment | 3.1 Advise workers of, and consult them about, hazard identification and risk assessment activities according to workplace WHS consultation and participation policies, procedures and processes 3.2 Encourage workers to participate appropriately in these activities according to workplace WHS consultation and participation policies, procedures and processes 3.3 Advise workers of, and consult them about, the results and outcomes of these activities according to workplace WHS consultation and participation policies, procedures and processes |
4. Participate in developing, selecting and implementing WHS risk controls | 4.1 Obtain workplace records of the outcomes of hazard identifications and risk assessments, and use them to participate in developing risk control options 4.2 Apply knowledge of WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, other sources of information and guidelines, and workplace policies, procedures and processes to identify duty holders 4.3 Participate in selecting risk control options using appropriate criteria 4.4 Identify and report factors impeding successful implementation of selected risk controls 4.5 Participate in developing a risk control implementation and evaluation plan 4.6 Provide information about the implementation and evaluation plan to individuals and parties |
5. Support effective worker consultation and participation in the risk control process | 5.1 Advise workers of, and consult them about, developing risk control options, and selecting and implementing risk controls according to workplace WHS consultation and participation policies, procedures and processes 5.2 Encourage workers to participate appropriately in these activities according to workplace WHS consultation and participation policies, procedures and processes |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to:
contribute effectively to hazard identification and risk assessment activities
communicate with people from a range of backgrounds and with a range of abilities
literacy skills to:
participate in hazard identification and risk assessment activities, and to record the results and outcomes of these activities
communicate risk control activities to workers, health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, managers, supervisors, and persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBUs) or their officers
organisational and time-management skills to sequence tasks and meet timelines
planning skills to choose appropriate methods for hazard identification and risk assessment
research skills to:
identify sources of, and obtain information about, relevant WHS hazards
help workplace parties to obtain information about hazards.
Required knowledge
basic principles of incident causation and injury processes
concept of hazards, risks and risk factors
hazard identification and risk assessment methods
internal and external sources of WHS information and data, and how to access them
organisational design and structure
organisational WHS policies, procedures, processes and systems
range of WHS hazards that may be present in the workplace, the harm they can cause and how this harm occurs
relevant commonwealth and state or territory WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidance material, and other relevant publications
risk control options for different hazards and work situations
risk control requirements as specified in WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidance material, other relevant publications, workplace conditions and organisational WHS policies, procedures, processes and systems
types of hazard and risk registers
WHS legislative requirements about:
communication, consultation and participation
notification of incidents
recordkeeping
specific hazard identification and risk assessment methods
workplace communication processes.
Evidence Required
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 of the following is essential: collection of information about workplace hazards and participation in the identification of hazards in a workplace using hazard identification methods appropriately participating in risk assessments for hazards identified in the workplace participating in developing, selecting and implementing risk controls in a workplace knowledge of relevant commonwealth and state or territory Acts, regulations, codes of practice standards and guidance material. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: relevant information on WHS compliance requirements, such as: organisational policies, standard operating procedures and plans relevant Acts, regulations, codes of practice, licensing requirements and standards relevant internal and external data files appropriate computer resources needed to manage the identification and rectification of breaches in compliance requirements. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios demonstration of applying hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control techniques in the workplace direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of consequences and likelihood of risks associated with hazards in the workplace review of research into WHS hazards and their associated risks review of information provided to individuals and parties about selected risk controls assessment of documentation completed when identifying hazards, assessing risks and developing risk control options. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: other BSB07 WHS units. |
Range Statement
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.
Persons conducting hazard identification and risk assessments may include: | health and safety representatives internal or external consultants and WHS specialists PCBUs or their officers WHS entry permit holders WHS inspectors workers workplace assessors with experience in language or disability issues. |
Risk control options may include: | actions taken to eliminate risks entirely actions taken to minimise risks by: eliminating the hazard substituting the hazard with something safer isolating the hazard reducing the risk through engineering controls reducing the level of harm by improving administrative controls, such as changing policies, procedures and processes or providing training using personal protective equipment (PPE), such as: clothing and footwear face and eye protection hand protection head protection hearing protection respiratory protection. |
Duty holders may include: | as specified in WHS Acts: PCBUs or their officers workers other persons at a workplace. |
Appropriate criteria may include: | relevant sections of WHS Acts, regulations, and codes of practice other sources of information and guidelines workplace policies and procedures workplace conditions. |
Factors impeding may include: | access to technology or information cultural differences arising from ethnic diversity geographic dispersal of workers lack of a systematic approach to managing WHS in the workplace lack of support from key management personnel language, literacy and numeracy levels of the workforce shift work and rostering arrangements unrealistic timeframes unsupportive workplace culture workplace organisational structures. |
Implementation and evaluation plan may include: | how controls will be implemented and how factors impeding successful implementation will be addressed identifying who has the responsibility for implementing the components of the plan and evaluating risk controls timetable for implementing and evaluating risk controls. |
Individuals and parties may include: | contractors and subcontractors external people and organisations health and safety committees health and safety representatives managers and supervisors PCBUs or their officers self unions WHS entry permit holders WHS inspectors WHS regulators workers. |
Appropriate ways to participate may include: | briefings communicating with workplace parties education and training obtaining and communicating feedback on controls trialling new processes and/or equipment. |
Sectors
Regulation, Licensing and Risk – Work Health and Safety
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.