Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to identify, interpret and apply building control legislation relevant to small-scale residential and commercial buildings when assessing their accessibility for people with disabilities. It involves identifying and applying the required professional code of practice during the assessment. The unit requires knowledge of the Australian common law system and various sources of law applicable to the accessibility of small-scale building developments.
The unit supports access consultants assessing the accessibility of small-scale residential buildings, including new buildings, additions and renovations to existing structures, and heritage restorations; and small-scale commercial buildings, including retail and service outlets, restaurants, offices, and hotels. It applies to access consultants working alone or as a member of a team to assess the accessibility of buildings for people with disabilities.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Identify requirements for accessibility of small-scale building. | 1.1. | Requirements of Australian administrative legal system applicable to assessment are identified. |
1.2. | Individual elements of judicial review legislation are identified, interpreted and documented. | ||
1.3. | Responsibilities of access consultants and building certifiers relating to the assessment are identified. | ||
1.4. | Organisational requirements and professional code of practice required by building industry regulators and applicable to the assessment are identified, interpreted and implemented. | ||
2. | Analyse implications of requirements for assessment process. | 2.1. | Legislative, regulatory and professional requirements for accessibility are analysed, and variations are interpreted and noted. |
2.2. | Ambiguous and conflicting requirements are clarified with other professionals in the field where required. | ||
2.3. | Amendments or modifications required to building to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are identified and documented. | ||
2.4. | Research findings are recorded and filed according to organisational procedures. | ||
3. | Apply requirements for accessibility to assessment. | 3.1. | Processes for addressing issues of non-compliance with applicable building control legislation are identified. |
3.2. | Regulatory enforcement strategies are identified, reviewed and documented. | ||
3.3. | Information on requirements relating to the provision of access is explained as required. | ||
3.4. | Strategies for developing and maintaining effective working relationship with building certifier are implemented. | ||
3.5. | Required documentation is prepared in a format suitable for review by building certifier. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also assess one residential small-scale building and one commercial small-scale building for accessibility for people with disabilities.
For each building, the person must:
evaluate it against the requirements of legislation, standards and codes relating to the provision of access to small-scale buildings
provide a report relating to the building’s compliance that:
describes building compliance with legislative and regulatory disability access requirements
interprets the impact of the full range of disabilities and the limitations that each disability places on the individual’s ability to access the environment
details processes for addressing issues of non-compliance with the building control legislation applicable to the building.
In undertaking the above work, the person must also:
identify, analyse, apply and record requirements of legislation, standards and codes relating to the provision of access to small-scale buildings
read and interpret plans of small-scale buildings
interpret and evaluate examples of civil action relating to the provision of access
interpret professional code of practice and apply it to own work practices
interpret how the full range of environmental barriers impacts on people with a range of disabilities and impairments
interpret the responsibilities of building certifiers to ensure the provision of access to small-scale buildings
interpret and analyse routine and non-routine situations to establish suitable methods of reporting
prepare and administer required documentation in a format suitable for review by a building certifier
use effective communication skills to impart information relating to the assessments
use research skills to source information relevant to the building assessment
apply organisational policies and procedures, including quality assurance requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
building and construction terminology and definitions used in assessment of building disability access
key requirements of Australian administrative legal system specified in the range of conditions relating to accessibility of small-scale buildings
key requirements of commonwealth, state and territory building legislation and local government regulations relating to accessibility of small-scale buildings
roles, responsibilities and duties of access consultants relating to small-scale building access assessment
key requirements of professional code of practice for access consultants relating to small-scale building access assessment
disability awareness to inform application of legislation, including:
range of disabilities to be considered when conducting assessment
disability-specific physical barriers to accessing building and its facilities
disability-specific minimum legislative and regulatory requirements for enhancing building accessibility
roles, responsibilities and statutory duties of building certifiers relating to building access assessment as specified by legislation
strategies for developing and maintaining effective working relationship with building certifiers
organisational requirements and procedures relating to applying building control legislation when assessing building access, including:
procedures for researching and applying building control legislation when assessing small-scale buildings for access and identifying non-compliance
format and procedures for preparing and recording required documentation
procedures for communicating information on access requirements, while maintaining privacy and confidentiality
quality assurance requirements.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer and software to access, retrieve, store and distribute assessment-specific documentation
specifications:
requirements of Australian administrative legal system as specified in the range of conditions
relationships, including consultation with:
building certifiers
other professionals required to assist in the interpretation of legislative access compliance requirements.
Timeframe:
in line with timeframe established in assessment arrangements.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | maintain knowledge of current codes, standards, regulations, practices and industry updates relating to building access matters draw selectively on knowledge of legislation and legal cases on the provision of access, and apply to assessments of building access for people with disabilities. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret and use ratios and scales to analyse design and dimensions of building against access legislative requirements. |
Oral communication skills to: | impart knowledge and ideas through oral and visual means maintain professional relationships and networks. |
Reading skills to: | read a range of complex texts and extract information relating to access requirements and specific small-scale buildings compare complex requirements to building plans to identify compliance of buildings with accessibility requirements interpret building industry terminology. |
Writing skills to: | write plain English reports on disability accessibility compliance, based on detailed analysis of legislative and regulatory requirements. |
Technology skills to: | apply information technology and computer skills when accessing information and preparing documentation. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Requirements of Australian administrative legal system must be relevant to accessibility of building being assessed and include: | common law, statute law, delegated legislation and local government law, including state and territory anti-discrimination legislation and regulations building control legislation, including: Australian standards relating to building accessibility, including: AS 1428.1 Design for access and mobility - General requirements for access - New building work AS 1428.4.1 Design for access and mobility - Means to assist the orientation of people with vision impairment - Tactile ground surface indicators AS 1428.5 Design for access and mobility - Communication for people who are deaf or hearing impaired AS 2890.6 Parking facilities - Off-street parking for people with disabilities Building Code of Australia civil law and examples of civil action relating to building accessibility Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) DDA Premises Standards local government Development Control Plan. |
Responsibilities of access consultants must include: | adhering to and implementing professional code of practice maintaining a duty of care at all times in professional dealings participating in continuous professional development programs providing contracted services to the standard specified in a timely and professional manner working within own areas of competence working within the law. |
Professional code of practice | identifying and documenting matters relating to duty of care as it relates to common law identifying and acknowledging conflict of interest as specified by required legislation. |
Sectors
Access consulting