Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to contribute to the development and submission of a safety case in accordance with the work health and safety (WHS) legislation.
This unit of competency applies to senior operators, supervisors, owners, managers and those in similar roles who are required to apply knowledge of all relevant workplace systems to contribute to identifying and consulting on issues, interpreting data and consolidating findings, writing the safety case and preparing it for submission.
The unit of competency will apply within the individual’s area of managerial responsibility which may be an entire enterprise or department of an enterprise. Specific roles and responsibilities will vary from enterprise to enterprise.
The individual is expected to work as part of the team that is made up of senior management, engineers, technical and safety specialists. However, the individual is required to demonstrate competence in all aspects of the unit.
The safety case must comply with the requirements for safety cases in the jurisdiction for which it is being prepared. It will typically apply to major hazard facilities.
This unit of competency may be applied with the requirements for hazard identification, analysis and control, and may also require risk management.
This unit of competency applies to process manufacturing plants and other facilities in which the use of machinery, equipment, operational procedures, products or materials require the preparation of a safety case as prescribed by the relevant regulations. Relevant regulations may vary between jurisdictions.
No licensing 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 and verify issues for presentation | 1.1 | Consult with the senior management as well as all relevant departments in a collaborative and objective manner |
1.2 | Identify and verify issues that are required for the presentation | ||
1.3 | Refer to the relevant legislation/regulation, and if necessary, clarify requirements from the relevant government departments | ||
2 | Interpret data collected | 2.1 | Interpret and analyse data collected |
2.2 | Use appropriate database for the enterprise to assist in the analysis | ||
2.3 | Prepare and distribute analysis and discuss with relevant personnel within the enterprise | ||
3 | Write up a safety case as part of the safety case team | 3.1 | Consolidate findings and obtain agreements from relevant personnel as to the information to be included in the case |
3.2 | Refer to regulatory and format requirements that are stipulated by the authority | ||
4 | Prepare the safety case | 4.1 | Prepare the case for submission in accordance with required procedures |
4.2 | Follow up with the relevant contact in the authority | ||
4.3 | Report response from the authority in accordance with enterprise procedures | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and demonstrate the ability to:
identify hazards and hazard controls
communicate with internal and external stakeholders to:
consult on and verify issues
validate the content of the safety case
liaise with the authority
report on the response from the authority
interpret data and consolidate findings
interpret and apply legislative and regulatory requirements to the development and submission of the safety case
write the safety case, or relevant portions of it.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
organisational procedures and systems and how they relate to the safety case, including those covering:
work permit systems
safety, hazards and hazard control
incident, fire and accident
environmental protection
risk assessment/risk management
record keeping
purchasing of supplies and equipment
maintenance of plant and equipment
training and assignment of staff to safety critical work
requirements set by relevant Acts and/or regulations specific to the state or territory in which the relevant facility is located
hierarchy of control
hazard analysis (e.g. hazard and operability study (HAZOP)) and hazard control methodology.
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 use a real project in an operational workplace, contributing to the initial development of a safety case, or to the major review of an existing safety case.
Where this is not possible or practical, assessment must occur using 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.
Simulation may be used for part only of the assessment evidence for this competency.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence 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.
Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
In addition, the assessor or anyone acting in subject matter expert role in assessment must demonstrate both technical competency and currency. If the assessor cannot demonstrate technical competency and currency they must assess with a subject matter expert who does meet these requirements.
Technical competence can be demonstrated through one or more of:
relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment
appropriate workplace experience undertaking the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions
appropriate workplace experience supervising/evaluating the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions
Currency can be demonstrated through one or more of:
being currently employed undertaking the type of work being assessed
being employed by the organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed and having maintained currency in accordance with that organisation’s policies and procedures
having consulted/had contact with an organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed within the last twelve months, the consultation/contact being related to assessment
conducting on-the-job training/assessments of the type of work being assessed
being an active member of a relevant professional body and participating in activities relevant to the assessment of this type of work.
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 All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence. |
Safety management system requirements | The safety management system for a facility must specify the following or be otherwise compliant with the relevant regulations: the critical equipment (including process equipment, machinery, electrical and instrumentation systems) that relate to, or may effect, the safety of the facility the systems in place to ensure that the equipment is fit for the purpose: for which it is used in normal operating conditions to the extent that it is intended to function or be used in an emergency Participative arrangements must also be included in the safety management system, including the following: mechanisms to ensure WHS procedures are followed information sessions on existing or new issues meetings between employer and employees or representatives providing access to relevant workplace information use of clear and understandable language |
Enterprise policies and procedures | Enterprise policies and procedures include those that directly or indirectly cover issues relating to incidents. Depending on the organisation these will typically include the following: hazard policies and procedures standard operating procedures safety procedures work instructions emergency, fire and accident procedures personal protective equipment (PPE) and procedures |
Hazards | Hazards include one or more of the following: heat, smoke, dust, lack of visibility or other atmospheric hazards electricity gas gases and liquids under pressure structural hazards structural collapse equipment failures industrial (machinery, equipment and product) equipment or product mass noise, rotational equipment or vibration plant services (steam, condensate and cooling water) limited head spaces or overhangs working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or in environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours fire and explosion flammability and explosivity hazardous products and materials unauthorised personnel sharp edges, protrusions or obstructions slippery surfaces, spills or leaks extreme weather other hazards that might arise |
Appropriate controls | Implementing appropriate controls requires application of the hierarchy of control to reduce hazards to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP): 1. elimination 2. substitution 3. isolation 4. engineering controls 5. administrative controls 6. use of PPE |
Participative arrangements | Participative arrangements will involve at least one of the following: following WHS procedures information sessions on existing or new issues meetings between employer and employees or representatives access to relevant workplace information use of clear and understandable language |
Safety case | The safety case includes information regarding: person responsible for operation of the facility person responsible for the safety case a description of the facility formal safety assessment of the facility the safety management system reporting of incidents address where records are kept safety policy organisational structure and responsibilities published technical standards applied to or used the design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of the facility, and any modifications to the facility the control system to be used for the facility the type of machinery and equipment used at the facility the permit to work system the emergency response plan in relation to incidents the emergency communication system the key performance indicators the system for incident recording, investigation and reviewing training other information as required from time to time by the relevant regulation |
Sectors
Competency Field
Work health and safety