Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to work with building development teams to ensure that completed projects provide adequate access for people with disabilities. The unit involves inspecting the completed construction for access compliance and reporting purposes. In order to work effectively with development teams, access consultants must have good communication and interpersonal skills. They must also contribute their knowledge of the access requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Premises Standards, the Building Code of Australia (BCA), and Australian standards applicable to development team processes.
The unit supports access consultants who contribute to building development team processes by working with development teams who, in addition to the project architect, may include consultants from a range of disciplines including engineering, fire engineering, workplace health and safety, landscape architects as well as access consultants. It applies to access consultants who ensure the provision of access 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. | Review construction project documentation. | 1.1. | Project documentation relating to required part of building cycle is accessed and checked to ensure that it is complete and satisfies organisational requirements. |
1.2. | Project documentation is analysed to determine extent to which provision of access satisfies legislation, codes and standards. | ||
1.3. | Ambiguities in documentation are clarified according to organisational requirements. | ||
2. | Identify and convey issues and advice regarding adequacy of access provision to development team members. | 2.1. | Areas of potential non-compliance are identified and documented according to organisational requirements. |
2.2. | Advice is sought where required to assist in identifying and analysing unknown elements relating to construction plans, access requirements and disabilities. | ||
2.3. | Issues of concern to be clarified with development team regarding adequacy of access provision are identified according to organisational requirements. | ||
2.4. | Issues and supporting reasons are presented to development team using effective interpersonal skills and communication techniques. | ||
2.5. | Advice is provided to development team regarding adequacy of access provision according to organisational requirements using effective interpersonal skills and communication techniques. | ||
3. | Contribute to development team discussions on potential solutions to access provision. | 3.1. | Ongoing advice regarding potential solutions to issues regarding adequacy of access provision is provided to team in agreed format and according to organisational requirements. |
3.2. | Constructive contributions are made to all team discussions and processes, according to own competencies and organisational requirements. | ||
3.3. | Agreed decisions on access solutions made at development team meetings are documented, stored and maintained according to legislative and organisational requirements. | ||
4. | Review implementation strategies. | 4.1. | Agreed decisions are monitored to ensure timely and effective implementation. |
4.2. | Installation activities resulting from development team agreed decisions are monitored for effectiveness and compliance with required legislation, codes, standards and organisational requirements. | ||
5. | Report on compliance. | 5.1. | Construction is inspected on completion for access compliance as specified in the required legislation, codes and standards; and according to work health and safety (WHS) requirements. |
5.2. | Report on adequacy of access provision as specified in required legislation, codes and standards is provided to development team according to organisational requirements. | ||
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 contribute information and advice to the building development teams of two different construction projects.
For each project, the person must:
review project documentation, evaluate the provision of access in relation to legislative and regulatory requirements, and identify areas of non-compliance with legislative or regulatory requirements relating to adequacy of access provision
convey those issues to development team members in a professional and logical manner
provide access solutions advice that reflect the legislative and regulatory requirements relating to the provision of access specified in the range of conditions
contribute to development team discussions on solutions to access provision issues and document, store and maintain agreed decisions according to legislative and organisational requirements
monitor installation activities resulting from agreed decisions for their effectiveness and compliance with legislation, building codes and organisational requirements
inspect the construction on completion for access compliance according to work health and safety (WHS) procedures
provide a report to development team on adequacy of access provision of completed construction.
In contributing to the above building development teams, the person must research and interpret:
legislation, codes and standards relating to access for people with disabilities
impact of the full range of disabilities and the limitations that each disability places on the individual’s ability to access the environment
how the full range of environmental barriers impacts on people with a range of disabilities and impairments.
During the above work, the person must:
provide information or advice that:
reflects project information requirements
is communicated in plain English
meets organisational requirements, including format and timeframes
use effective interpersonal communication techniques to determine access requirements and ensure that legislative, regulatory, client and other stakeholder requirements are addressed, including:
using language that is accurate, articulate and concise
confirming and eliciting information
demonstrating active listening to clarify and confirm understanding
controlling tone of voice and body language
using culturally aware language and concepts
demonstrating flexibility and willingness to negotiate
presenting options and consequences
providing constructive feedback
seeking feedback to confirm understanding of needs
summarising and paraphrasing to check understanding
using effective presentation aids where required, such as audiovisual slides, diagrams, photographs and pictures.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
key requirements of legislation, codes and Australian standards applicable to the specific area of work and relating to the provision of access for people with disabilities, including:
anti-discrimination legislation and regulations
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 legislation
Building Code of Australia (BCA)
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
DDA Premises Standards
interpersonal communication techniques as specified in the performance evidence
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
key requirements of professional code of practice for access consultants
key features of group processes and team behaviour, including:
role and function of workplace teams
stages of team development
causes of stress or conflict in teams
strategies for managing or reducing conflict
team dynamics
organisational requirements and procedures relating to contributing to building development teams, including:
access and equity policy, principles and practices
client privacy and confidentiality requirements
code of conduct and code of ethics
internal and external communication processes and protocols, including for sourcing and accessing documentation to meet legislative and regulatory requirements
legal policies and guidelines relating to specific area of work
WHS policies and procedures relating to inspecting completed construction work, including selection and use of required personal protective equipment (PPE)
policies and procedures relating to setting fees and negotiating and managing contracts
policies and procedures relating to own role, responsibilities and delegation
privacy and confidentiality policies and procedures
processes for researching and recording data and administering records
quality assurance requirements
records and information management systems and processes
style guides and other guides used to prepare reports.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
PPE required for the building inspection specified in the performance evidence
computer and software to access, retrieve, store and distribute audit-specific documentation
specifications:
anti-discrimination legislation and regulations
Australian standards as specified in the performance evidence
building legislation
BCA
DDA
DDA Premises Standards
relationships, including consultation with:
diverse range of building development team members, including:
architects
consultants from a range of disciplines, including engineering, fire engineering, workplace health and safety, landscape architects, and access consultants
regulatory authorities, including state, territory and local government representatives
colleagues.
Timeframe:
in line with development team 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: | source and access documentation to meet the requirements of access legislation, codes and standards maintain knowledge of current legislation, codes, standards, practices and industry updates relating to access matters. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret and use ratios and scales to analyse design and dimensions of construction project documentation against access requirements and provision and check measurements perform calculations necessary to determine the provision of access. |
Oral communication skills to: | demonstrate command of language to: convey information relating to the provision of access in a clear and accessible manner present logical arguments when proposing solutions to the adequate provision of access demonstrate communication techniques suited to team processes, which facilitate team discussion that determines concerns and generates potential solutions to access issues convey knowledge and ideas through oral and visual means. |
Reading skills to: | read a range of complex project documentation and extract information relating to access requirements identify and assess accessibility requirements in complex text, site plans, construction specifications, diagrams, graphs and charts interpret building industry terminology. |
Writing skills to: | produce accurate and legible access reports and other forms of written communication that meet development team and organisational requirements. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | adapt to new workplace situations and diverse development team members. |
Planning and organising skills to: | collect, organise and collate project information consult effectively with other team members, responding to development team expectations and requests for information and advice. |
Digital literacy skills to: | apply information technology and computer skills to prepare project documentation for presentation and reporting purposes. |
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. | |
Project documentation must include at least two of the following: | design brief concept design tender documentation, such as specifications contract documentation construction plans working drawings administration services. |
Legislation, codes and standards | anti-discrimination legislation and regulations 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 legislation BCA DDA DDA Premises Standards. |
Agreed format must include at least one of the following: | verbal presentation written report. |
Sectors
Access consulting