ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Organise consultation process

1.1 Relevant personnel or other representative personnel are identified and invited into the development and maintenance processes.

1.2 Issues raised through consultation are effectively handled according to issue resolution procedures.

1.3 Results from the consultation process are verified and made available to relevant personnel.

1.4 Consultative processes are flexible and consistent with representatives requirements.

2. Design Occupational Health and Safety framework

2.1 Hazards and risks are correctly identified and confirmed according to occupational health and safety legislation, codes of practice and prevailing trends.

2.2 Procedure for ongoing identification of hazards and risks is developed and integrated within work systems and procedures.

2.3 Occupational health and safety policies are developed in line with relevant legislation.

2.4 Occupational health and safety responsibilities and duties are clearly defined and incorporated into job descriptions/statements.

2.5 Adequate resources are sourced and provided in a timely and consistent manner.

2.6 Measures to control assessed risks are developed and implemented in accordance with the hierarchy of control, relevant occupational health and safety legislation, codes of practice and trends.

2.7 Interim solutions are implemented until a permanent control measure is developed. Details are recorded clearly and efficiently according to organisation policy and procedures and relevant legislation.

3. Design and implement an Occupational Health and Safety awareness training program

3.1 Educational information on the occupational health and safety system is made available to all relevant personnel.

3.2 Appropriate training is provided to all relevant personnel to enable the implementation of safety procedures.

4. Establish, monitor and maintain Occupational Health and safety system

4.1 A system for keeping occupational health and safety records is established in accordance with legislative requirements.

4.2 Work activities are monitored to ensure that hazard identification and risk assessment and control procedures are effectively adopted.

4.3 Inadequacies in hazard identification, risk assessment and established risk control measures are identified in accordance with the hierarchy of control and reported to designated personnel.

4.4 Amendments to procedures are undertaken through appropriate consultation methods.

5. Establish and maintain a system for accident investigation

5.1 A system is developed and implemented for reporting and investigation of all accidents/incidents in accordance with the policies and procedures.

5.2 Training is provided to employees responsible for accident investigation for effective implementation of accident investigation policy.

5.3 Policies and procedures for reporting and investigating all accidents/incidents are reviewed and updated as required.

6. Evaluate the organisation's Occupational Health and Safety system and related policies procedures and programs

6.1 The effectiveness of the occupational health and safety system and related policies, procedures and programs is assessed according to the organisation's occupational health and safety policy.

6.2 Improvements to the occupational health and safety system are developed and implemented.

6.3 Compliance with occupational health and safety legislation and codes of practice is assessed to ensure that legal occupational health and safety standards are maintained.

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required Skills

attention to detail

high level interpersonal skills

high level skills in clear written and oral communication

procedures and personnel

skills in management of systems

Required Knowledge

details of all relevant Occupational Health and Safety legislation and its relevance to organisation operations

details of codes of practice and their relevance to organisation operations

hierarchy of control (the preferred order of risk control measures from most to least preferred that is:

elimination

substitution

engineering control

administrative controls

and personal protective equipment)

literacy levels and communication skills of work group members

knowledge of current principles and practices used to implement and monitor organisational OH&S policies

procedures and programs

suitable communication techniques to address needs of work group members

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Demonstrated understanding of principles and practices for Occupational Health and Safety.

Demonstrated understanding of the significance of other management systems and procedures for occupational health and safety.

Consistency in performance

Evidence will need to be gathered over time across a range of variables.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Evidence must include observation of performance in the work environment or a simulation. Written and verbal tests may be used as supporting evidence. Competence may be demonstrated working individually or under the guidance of or as a member of a team with specialist occupational health and safety staff or managers.

Specific resources for assessment

No special requirements.

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.

Occupational Health and Safety policies may:

express the organisation’s commitment to OHS, and demonstrate consistency of application across the organisation’s policies

Resources may include:

financial and human

Information should be:

clear

concise

written in plain English where possible

in suitable format for particular target group

timely

Consultative process may include:

meetings

workshops

reports

Persons involved in consultation may include:

employer

employee

representative body (regulator, unions)

independent advisor

Occupational Health and Safety trends:

occupational health and safety trends may be identified from the occupational health and safety records system

System used to record safety details may:

allow the recording and identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease

Occupational Health and Safety training program may be:

internal or external

fulfil employees’ occupational health and safety needs as identified

as part of the organisation’s general training program

Hazard identification and risk assessment may include:

visual inspections

reports

notices

situational analyses

Hazards may be:

existing or potential

Hazardous procedures may include:

work practices

equipment

situations

Hazardous events may include:

accidents

fires

emergencies such as chemical spills and bomb scares

Procedures for dealing with hazardous events may include:

evacuation

chemical containment

first aid procedures

PIN notice

ceasing activity

Interim measures may be necessary when:

measures that control a risk at its source are not immediately practicable

Processes for consultation may include:

occupational health and safety committees

consultation with health and safety representatives

resolution procedures

participative/consultative procedures conducted by supervisory staff within the area of managerial responsibility

union/association and management meetings

Monitoring of activities may include:

review of written reports

performance appraisal

auditing procedures

observation of work task

Relevant personnel may include:

managers

supervisors

occupational health and safety officer/manager

permanent and part time workers

representative personnel

suppliers

staff organisation