Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop, implement and sustain effective, professional and contemporary work health and safety (WHS) management practices. It requires the ability to establish and review systems, policies and procedures designed to ensure a safe workplace.
The unit applies to all tourism, travel, hospitality and event sectors and to any small, medium or large organisation.
It applies to those senior managers who operate with significant autonomy and are responsible for making a range of strategic management decisions.
This unit incorporates the requirement, under state and territory WHS legislation, for businesses to take a systematic approach to managing the safety of their workers and others in the workplace.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Establish and maintain a framework for health, safety and security. | 1.1.Access and interpret key legislative documents to ensure WHS system complies with regulatory requirements, standards and codes. 1.2.Design a WHS management system to suit characteristics and needs of the organisation, in consultation with appropriate personnel. 1.3.Identify and provide adequate financial, human and specialist external resources to address WHS management practices. 1.4.Develop and clearly articulate WHS policies and procedures in a format readily accessible to all personnel. 1.5.Define and allocate health, safety and security responsibilities within relevant job descriptions. 1.6.Consult with key personnel, and develop and implement a plan for WHS training requirements. 1.7.Establish and monitor a system for keeping WHS records. 1.8.Establish and maintain systems to ensure communication of WHS information to personnel. |
2. Establish and maintain consultative arrangements for the management of health, safety and security. | 2.1.Establish and maintain appropriate consultative processes to suit characteristics and needs of organisation. 2.2.Plan for and ensure that consultation is conducted at times designated by legislation. 2.3.Resolve issues raised through consultation. 2.4.Provide employees with accessible information on the outcomes of consultation. |
3. Establish and maintain practices for identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks. | 3.1.Develop or access hazard identification and risk assessment templates that incorporate criteria for assessing risks. 3.2.Plan for and ensure systematic hazard identification at times designated by legislation. 3.3.Develop procedures for the ongoing identification of types of hazards designated by legislation. 3.4.Develop procedures for the assessment and control of risks associated with identified hazards. 3.5.Nominate within procedures the roles and responsibilities of personnel for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control. 3.6.Take a lead role in controlling risks, including implementing interim or emergency solutions. 3.7.Manage the response to any incident or accident, and follow legislative requirements for notifying and cooperating with WHS government regulators. |
4. Evaluate organisational health, safety and security system. | 4.1.Assess and maintain ongoing compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) or WHS legislation and regulatory requirements, standards and codes. 4.2.Consult with a range of personnel to elicit feedback on WHS policies, procedures and practices. 4.3.Assess effectiveness of WHS management practices and develop, implement, document and communicate improvements and changes to the WHS system. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
establish and implement a complete work health and safety (WHS) system that covers the following components:
adequate facilities for the welfare of employees
appropriate management of incidents or accidents and notification to WHS government regulators
availability of information, instructions, training and supervision that ensure employees’ health and safety
safe:
machinery, equipment and materials
premises
provision of entrances and exits that are safe
systems of work
work environment
evaluate and identify improvements to WHS practices within the above system
develop comprehensive WHS system documents to support above system
demonstrate management practices that must be established and maintained for compliance of above system with state or territory occupational health and safety (OHS) or WHS legislation.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
structure, characteristics and needs of the organisation that the WHS system must address
objectives, components and comprehensive details of relevant state or territory OHS or WHS legislation:
actions that must be taken for legal compliance
employer responsibilities to provide a safe workplace
requirement to consult, designated times for consultation and acceptable consultation mechanisms
requirements for the use of WHS representatives and committees, and their roles and responsibilities
designated times for hazard identification and categories of hazards that must be identified
acceptable mechanisms for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
requirements for record keeping and acceptable record keeping mechanisms
requirement to provide information and training
employee responsibilities to ensure safety of self, other workers and other people in the workplace
employee responsibility to participate in WHS practices
objectives, components and comprehensive details of WHS codes of practice and standards developed by industry or regulatory bodies
ramifications of failure to observe OHS or WHS laws and codes of practice
methods of receiving updated information on OHS or WHS laws and codes of practice
components of WHS management systems
considerations in the formulation of WHS policies and procedures:
consultation
emergencies
evacuation of staff and customers
handling chemicals and hazardous substances
hazard identification and reporting
incident and accident management and notification to WHS regulatory authorities
incident and accident reporting by staff
ongoing monitoring of risk control
overall organisational approach to WHS
participation of personnel in WHS management practices
responsibilities of employees to ensure safety
risk assessments and reporting
safe work practices
secure management of:
cash
documents
equipment
keys
people
consultative processes:
diary, whiteboard or suggestion box used by staff to report issues of concern
fact sheets to fully inform personnel about WHS rights and responsibilities
formal WHS representatives and committees
formal meetings with agendas, minutes and action plans
informal meetings with notes
WHS discussions with employees during the course of each business day
recording issues in a management diary
regular staff meetings that involve WHS discussions
seeking staff suggestions for content of WHS policies and procedures
special staff meetings or workshops to specifically address WHS issues
staff handbook containing WHS information
surveys or questionnaires that invite staff feedback on WHS issues
time requirements for hazard identification:
when changes to the workplace are implemented:
before the premises are used for the first time
before and during the installation or alteration of any plant
before changes to work practices are introduced
when any new information relating to health and safety risks becomes available
approaches to assessing the effectiveness of WHS management systems:
monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of risk control methods
reviewing:
incidents, accidents or near misses
WHS reports
WHS statistics
methods used by the specific industry sector and organisation to:
conduct consultation when developing policies and procedures
communicate WHS policies, procedures and safe working practices
conduct ongoing WHS consultation
evaluate the effectiveness of WHS management practices
sources of assessment criteria for assessing risks:
developed by external consultancy services
outlined in Australian standards
self-determined for the organisation as part of a WHS management system
suggested by industry associations for use by member businesses
WHS information:
consultative arrangements for WHS
employee roles and responsibilities in WHS management practices
legal obligations and ramifications of failure to comply
location of first aid kit and emergency evacuation plan
WHS training information and updates
policies:
overall approach of organisation to WHS
participation of personnel in WHS management practices
responsibilities of employees to ensure safety
procedures
specific risk control measures relevant to the workplace
specific regulations and codes of practice
use of:
hazard identification reporting documents
risk assessment template documents
formats for and inclusions of:
policies and procedures
WHS templates for hazard identification and risk assessment
incident, accidents, or near miss reports
reports that document the evaluation of systems and required changes
WHS record keeping systems
WHS record requirements:
consultation:
diaries of meetings
agendas for and minutes of meetings
committee members
consultation decisions and follow up actions
hazard identification
incident or accident notifications to WHS regulatory authorities
incident, accident, and near miss reports and related statistics
policies and procedures
risk assessments
risk control actions
training plans
training undertaken.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in an operational tourism, travel, hospitality or events business operation for which a tailored WHS management system can be established and monitored. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
computers, software programs, printers and communication technology used to administer the development of a WHS system
organisational specifications:
relevant state or territory WHS legislation
current plain English regulatory documents distributed by the local WHS government regulator
codes of practice and standards issued by regulatory authorities or industry groups
WHS information and business management manuals issued by industry associations or commercial publishers
current commercial policies and procedures, and hazard identification and risk assessment template documents
team for which the individual establishes WHS management practices; this can be:
teams in an industry workplace who are assisted by the individual during the assessment process; or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | interpret unfamiliar and complex materials describing regulatory requirements for WHS management systems and internal reports providing operational feedback about the effectiveness of practices develop comprehensive yet easily accessible WHS policies, procedures and template documents. |
Writing skills to: | construct high level reports about the effectiveness of WHS management practices and rationale for any change. |
Oral communication skills to: | discuss training needs with key supervisory and management personnel interview personnel about incidents, accidents, or near misses. |
Problem-solving skills to: | allow for a logical evaluation of the characteristics and needs of the organisation in order to design a tailored WHS system take a lead role in controlling risks and implementing interim or emergency solutions manage the response to any incident or accident. |
Teamwork skills to: | consult with key personnel and incorporate their views to develop an effective WHS system. |
Planning and organising skills to: | plan for, establish and regularly monitor all components of a WHS management system. |
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Work Health and Safety