In a typical scenario a team leader or team member examines the manual handling component of a job and improves it in terms of safety, effort required and efficiency. This may be conducted for a job performed by others in the team, or it may be for the person's own job.

This unit primarily requires the application of skills associated with problem solving and initiative and enterprise to identify safe and efficient manual handling and planning and organisation to ensure processes are implemented. This unit also requires communication with and involvement of team members to ensure they understand the approach and to facilitate training.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Assess manual handling risks

1.1. Identify manual handling hazards in work area

1.2. Assess risks arising from those hazards

2. Analyse physical effort requirements of job

2.1. Determine basic manual handling requirements of job

2.2. Analyse requirements in terms of components such as lift, move, place, hold

2.3. Analyse items to be handled in terms such as weight, size, shape or other hazards

3. Determine time/effort components of physical effort

3.1. Break required movement pattern down into movement components

3.2. Determine time and effort requirements for movements

3.3. Develop alternative movement patterns

3.4. Determine time and effort requirements for alternative movements

3.5. Determine handling aids required to assist movement

3.6. Determine preferred movement pattern/s

4. Analyse the ergonomics of physical effort

4.1. Analyse the ergonomics of the preferred movement pattern

4.2. Develop substitute movements for any movement which is not ergonomically sound

4.3. Determine handling aids required to improve ergonomics of required movements

5. Optimise application of physical effort

5.1. Select movement patterns which are ergonomically sound and time and effort efficient

5.2. Train all relevant people to use these methods

5.3. Ensure procedures and practices reflect the optimum methods

5.4. Communicate with team members and involve them in development of alternatives to ensure awareness and facilitate learning

Required skills:

communication

analysis

teamwork

basic mathematics

problem solving.

Required knowledge:

relevant OHS acts and regulations as applied to manual handling

principles of efficient movement

principles of efficient job and work method design

principles of work analysis

principles of ergonomics/safe movement.

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, required skills and knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Overview of assessment requirements

The person will be able to examine a job for its physical components and then determine a better way of doing it. As a side benefit they will become more aware of poor manual handling practice and raise an alert to it.

What critical aspects of evidence are required to demonstrate competency in this unit?

Evidence should be available of the analysis and improvements of the physical/manual handling aspects of jobs in the workplace.

In what context should assessment occur?

Assessment should use evidence from the analysis of real jobs or an appropriate simulation.

Are there any other units which could or should be assessed with this unit or which relate directly to this unit?

There are no related units. Concurrent assessment may be undertaken with appropriate units.

What method of assessment should apply?

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the elements, performance criteria, skills and knowledge. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors should gather sufficient, fair, valid, reliable, authentic and current evidence from a range of sources. Sources of evidence may include direct observation, reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues, project work, samples, organisation records and questioning. Assessment should not require language, literacy or numeracy skills beyond those required for the unit.

The assessee will have access to all techniques, procedures, information, resources and aids which would normally be available in the workplace.

The method of assessment should be discussed and agreed with the assessee prior to the commencement of the assessment.

What evidence is required for demonstration of consistent performance?

Where evidence is from continuous improvement activities, then a range of such improvements needs to be considered to provide sufficient evidence. Where evidence is coming from one, complex improvement activity then it may provide sufficient evidence.

What are the specific resource requirements for this unit?

Access to a workplace which will allow the improvement of physical actions.

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 in the Performance Criteria is detailed below. Add any 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.

Procedures

Procedures include all work instructions, standard operating procedures, formulas/recipes, batch sheets, temporary instructions and similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant. They may be written, verbal, computer based or in some other form.

For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (e.g. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Responsible Care) and government regulations.

Manual handling hazards

Manual handling hazards include all requirements as defined by the relevant occupational health and safety (OHS) acts and regulations, industry standards and best practice.

Unit Sector

CM Tools

This unit contains employability skills