This unit applies to individuals with responsibility for identifying, reviewing, developing, implementing and evaluating processes to enable people to be consulted about, and to participate in, WHS management and decision making across their organisation. The unit also addresses influencing others from a WHS perspective and takes account of the responsibilities for managing WHS.
The unit applies to people who work in a range of WHS roles across all industries and who apply a substantial knowledge base and well-developed skills in a wide variety of WHS contexts.
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.
Not applicable.
1. Identify the requirements for WHS consultation and participation | 1.1 Review WHS legislation to identify duty holders and legal requirements for WHS consultation and participation processes 1.2 Review organisational policies, procedures, processes and systems to identify requirements and opportunities for WHS consultation and participation 1.3 Consult with individuals and parties to identify specific requirements for WHS consultation and participation |
2. Review existing WHS consultation and participation processes | 2.1 Review effectiveness of existing WHS consultation and participation processes, in consultation with individuals and parties 2.2 Compare existing processes with identified requirements for WHS consultation and participation processes 2.3 Consult with individuals and parties to identify specific areas for improvement in WHS consultation and participation processes |
3. Develop WHS consultation and participation processes | 3.1 Identify factors that may impact on the design of WHS consultation and participation processes 3.2 Design new or modify existing processes in consultation with individuals and parties to achieve required improvements 3.3 Ensure improvements integrate with existing WHS and other systems and are appropriate to the organisation 3.4 Plan how improvements will be implemented and identify resourcing requirements, roles and responsibilities, and training needs required for implementation 3.5 Develop action plans with allocated responsibilities and timelines 3.6 Determine priorities for implementation in consultation with individuals and parties |
4. Implement WHS consultation and participation arrangements | 4.1 Provide advice and support to individuals and parties during implementation 4.2 Monitor and support implementation, in consultation with individuals and parties 4.3 Recommend and support changes to the plan as required |
5. Monitor and evaluate WHS consultation and participation processes | 5.1 Develop an evaluation protocol in consultation with individuals and parties 5.2 Develop a plan for collecting information 5.3 Analyse and evaluate information 5.4 Make recommendations for improvement based on the evaluation 5.5 Consult with individuals and parties on the outcomes of the evaluation and recommend an action plan for ongoing improvements |
Required skills
analytical skills to:
assess resourcing requirements
gather and analyse relevant workplace information and data
identify areas for WHS improvement
communication skills to:
conduct effective formal and informal meetings and communicate effectively with personnel at all levels of the organisation
prepare reports for a range of target groups, including health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, managers, supervisors, and persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBUs) or their officers
use language and literacy skills appropriate to the work team and the task
consultation and negotiation skills to:
develop plans
implement and monitor designated actions
information technology skills to use a range of software and communication media
numeracy skills to analyse workplace information and data
organisational skills to manage own tasks within a timeframe
planning skills to:
apply continuous improvement
action planning processes
project-management skills to achieve change in WHS matters.
Required knowledge
appropriate communication networks, processes and formats
commonwealth and state or territory WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidance material in general, and in particular the parts relating to:
duties of PCBUs or their officers, workers and inspectors
consultation, participation and representation
discriminatory, coercive and misleading conduct
workplace entry by WHS permit holders
formal and informal communication and consultation processes, and key personnel related to communication
how the characteristics and composition of the workforce impact on WHS risk and the management of WHS, including:
communication skills
cultural background and diversity
gender
labour market changes
language, literacy and numeracy levels of the workforce
structure and organisation of the workforce, including part time, casual and contract workers; shift rosters; and geographical location
workers with specific needs and limitations
workplace culture towards alcohol and other drug use
internal and external sources of WHS information and data, and how to access them
key personnel, including change agents, within workplace management structure
organisational culture as it impacts on the work team
organisational WHS policies, procedures, processes and systems
principles of effective meetings, including agendas, action planning, chair and secretarial duties, minutes and action items
roles and responsibilities of individuals and parties under WHS legislation
training needs of health and safety committees, and health and safety representatives.
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: ensuring that continuous improvement is part of the ongoing review process preparing an action plan to implement WHS participation and consultation processes preparing positive performance indicators for evaluation. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: workplace documentation and personnel reports from other parties consulted about design, implementation, management and review processes relevant Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidelines. |
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 assessment of written reports on the effectiveness of WHS participation and consultation processes demonstration of the provision of advice and support to individuals and parties to enable their effective involvement in consultation and participation processes direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on observation of performance in role plays observation of presentations evaluation of action plans for developing consultation and participation processes written examples of reports on assisting with the implementation of consultation and participation processes. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: BSBWHS506A Contribute to developing, implementing and maintaining WHS management systems BSBWHS507A Contribute to managing WHS information systems. |
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.
WHS legislation may include: | WHS Acts, regulations and codes of practice |
Duty holders may include: | as specified in WHS Acts: PCBUs or their officers workers other persons at a workplace |
WHS consultation and participation processes may involve: | workplace policies, procedures, processes, systems, activities, actions and arrangements that support and enable effective consultation on, and participation in, WHS management |
Individuals and parties may include: | persons and groups directly or indirectly involved with participation and consultation processes and their outcomes, such as: contractors and suppliers customers health and safety committees health and safety representatives managers and supervisors PCBUs or their officers unions WHS inspectors WHS regulators workers workers' compensation bodies and insurers |
Factors that may impact on the design include: | cultural diversity language, literacy and numeracy levels of the workforce management approach shift work and rostering arrangements timing of information and data provision workers with specific needs workplace culture and approach to WHS by managers, supervisors, PCBUs or their officers, and workers workplace organisational structure, including size of organisation, geographic location, nature of organisational hierarchy |
Existing WHS systems include: | any current policies, procedures, processes and systems to manage WHS broadly, how WHS is managed in the organisation formal or informal WHS management systems, including WHS information systems |
Existing other systems include: | accounting environmental human resources information technology management quality |
Evaluation protocol includes: | criteria for evaluation how the criteria will be measured what and how information will be gathered |
Regulation, Licensing and Risk – Work Health and Safety
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.