Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to develop the work health and safety (WHS) management system at senior management level, in order to meet legislative requirements and to ensure that the workplace is, so far as is practicable, safe and without risks to the health of employees.
This unit of competency applies to managers and senior technicians who have a WHS responsibility. It typically applies when a WHS management system is being developed, and could be used for a complete review of an existing WHS management system. Develop means to develop initially, or to further develop/improve or maintain an existing WHS management system.
This unit of competency describes WHS requirements applicable for those with managerial responsibilities for development and ongoing management of the WHS management system within the organisation. This may be as a worker or as an owner of a business.
This unit of competency applies within an area of managerial responsibility, which may be an entire organisation or department of an organisation. Roles and responsibilities will vary from organisation to organisation.
This unit of competency applies to organisations where the WHS system with related policies, procedures and programs may or may not be established. Where the WHS system is established, the unit will relate to the review of the WHS management system.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element | ||
1 | Identify needs of the WHS management system | 1.1 | Analyse the workplace to identify needs and workplace factors that may impact on the design of the WHS management system |
1.2 | Clarify WHS legal obligations in relation to the specific workplace | ||
1.3 | Review relevant standards relating to WHS management system | ||
1.4 | Identify links with other functional areas and management systems | ||
1.5 | Seek input from stakeholders on the design of the WHS management system | ||
2 | Review the framework for the WHS management system | 2.1 | Ensure WHS responsibilities and duties are documented and accountability processes are in place |
2.2 | Identify and source financial and human resources required for the operation of the WHS management system | ||
2.3 | Review WHS policies and procedures | ||
2.4 | Ensure implications of any proposed changes to the workplace are identified and addressed | ||
2.5 | Recognise limits of own professional expertise and consult WHS specialists as necessary |
3 | Develop participative arrangements for the management of WHS | 3.1 | Develop appropriate participative processes with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant WHS legislation and industry standards |
3.2 | Provide information on WHS to employees in a format that is readily accessible and understandable | ||
3.3 | Promptly and effectively deal with and resolve issues raised through participation and consultation in accordance with procedures for issues resolution | ||
3.4 | Provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation in a manner accessible to employees |
4 | Develop risk management processes | 4.1 | Develop procedures for hazard, incident and injury reporting and investigation |
4.2 | Develop procedures for hazard identification, hazard analysis and risk assessment | ||
4.3 | Develop hazard specific risk control measures currently in place to meet legal requirements and minimise risk as far as is practicable | ||
4.4 | Develop procedures for ongoing control of identified hazards and monitoring of the effectiveness of controls |
5 | Develop and maintain a WHS training program | 5.1 | Conduct a WHS training needs assessment for the work group that takes account of legislative requirements, internal policies and procedures, skills of work group and risk control requirements |
5.2 | Develop and implement a WHS training program to identify and fulfil employee’s WHS training needs as a part of the organisation general training program. | ||
5.3 | Coordinate with relevant training experts as necessary |
6 | Develop and maintain a system for WHS records | 6.1 | Identify and address legal requirements for record keeping and reporting |
6.2 | Identify and access sources of WHS information | ||
6.3 | Take actions to ensure that records are accurately completed, collected and stored |
7 | Implement WHS systems, strategies and plans | 7.1 | Determine WHS priorities in consultation with managers and taking account of participative arrangements in the workplace |
7.2 | Develop plans for the implementation of WHS strategies | ||
7.3 | Monitor and update plans for achievement as required |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability to:
ascertain requirements for development of WHS management system
develop appropriate documentation, including:
policies and procedures
training material
identify and source financial and human resources
develop training strategy to address WHS training requirements
consult and negotiate to implement or review policies and procedures
apply a systematic process to planning and implementation or review of WHS systems.
Evidence of Knowledge
Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job sufficient to fulfil their job role, including:
regulatory requirements relevant to role, including duty of care responsibilities
requirements for WHS record keeping and reporting
principles and practices of effective WHS management and risk control
elements and requirements of a WHS management system
other management systems requiring interface or integration with the WHS management system
barriers to implementation of WHS, including language and literacy, cultural diversity of workforce and workplace culture in relation to WHS
relevant organisation procedures, practices, codes and signs/symbols
organisations goals, targets and measures
hierarchy of control.
Assessment Conditions
The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.
The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:
a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria
multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.
A third-party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence (provided a record is kept) or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 assessor requirements.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different 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. | |
Regulatory framework | The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used, and include one or more of the following: legislative requirements, including work health and safety (WHS) industry codes of practice and guidelines environmental regulations and guidelines Australian and other standards licence and certification requirements |
Procedures | All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, and include one or more of the following: emergency procedures work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements (SWMS) formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant |
Hazards | Hazards include one or more of the following: smoke, darkness and heat electricity gas and gases and liquids under pressure structural hazards structural collapse industrial (machinery, equipment and product) equipment or product mass noise, rotational equipment or vibration working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or in environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours flammability and explosivity hazardous products and materials sharp edges, protrusions or obstructions slippery surfaces, spills or leaks limited head spaces or overhangs unauthorised personnel other hazards that might arise |
WHS information sources | WHS information sources include one or more of: WHS legislation, codes of practice and Australian and International standards WHS regulators WorkSafe Australia Guides industry bodies internet sites, journals and newsletters manufacturer manuals material safety data sheets (MSDS) and registers organisation WHS policies and procedures internal risk assessments, job safety analyses (JSAs) and workplace inspections internal hazard and incident reports |
Sectors
Competency Field
Work health and safety