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.

Critical aspects of assessment:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

Evidence gathered by an assessor to determine competence will include:

verbal and/or written responses to scenarios, case studies and role plays

written reports

reports from persons who have been involved in review and improvement processes

portfolio of workplace documents

Evidence of performance over time must be obtained to inform a judgement of competence

Products that could be used as evidence include:

Verbal and written responses to case studies, scenarios

Responses to scenarios, simulations, role plays

Completed reports, plans, policies and procedures developed

Written directions, emails, memos and other information

Reports from team leaders, senior managers, other managers, specialist advisors

Processes that could be used as evidence include:

How OHS information was sourced and analysed

How consultation to determine priorities were conducted

How achievement against the OHS plan was monitored

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Related units:

Assessment of this unit should address and build on the content of related unit:

HLTOHS300B Contribute to OHS processes

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

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

Due diligence and general duty requirements of OHS legislation

Examples of OHS management benchmarks

Hazards of the particular work environment and how they cause harm

Hazard identification procedures relevant to the hazards in their workplace:

awards and enterprise agreements that impact on the particular workplace

organisation procedures related to OHS including hazard, incident and injury reporting, hazard identification, risk assessment and control, consultation and participation, incident investigation, record keeping

the characteristics and composition of the workforce and how they may impact on the management of OHS

Legal requirements for OHS record keeping and reporting

Legislative requirements for consultation

OHS management processes including elements of OHS management systems

Principles of risk assessment

Principles of safe design processes

Relationship between OHS and managing sustainability issues in the workplace, including environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability

Regulatory requirements relevant to the particular industry/type of work site

Requirements for hazard identification

Roles and responsibilities of OHS representatives and OHS committees

Sources of OHS information both internal and external to the workplace

The difference between hazard and risk

The hierarchy of control and its application

The roles and responsibilities of employees, supervisors and managers in the workplace

Use and limitations of a range of OHS performance measures

Workplace specific information on OHS

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to

Review and improve OHS processes for an organisation or part of an organisation

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

Analyse and interpret OHS legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice/ compliance codes and guidance material for relevance to the organisation context

Apply a quality improvement process

Assimilate information from a range of sources to evaluate effectiveness of processes

Communicate with supervisors, other managers, staff, OHS inspectors and expert advisers in a range of contexts, and using a range of media and formats

Conduct effective meetings

Relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethic backgrounds and physical and mental abilities

Establish and promote opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues

Use language and writing skills to develop easily understood policies and procedures

Use technical skills to access OHS information

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. 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.

OHS legislation includes:

Commonwealth, state and territory OHS acts and regulations

Standards include:

Documents produced by national bodies, OHS regulators or industry bodies, that prescribe preventative action to avert occupational deaths, injuries and diseases.

Standards are of an advisory nature only, except where a law adopts the standard and thus makes it mandatory.

They may be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action.

Codes of practice/compliance codes are:

Documents generally prepared to provide advice to employers and workers, of an acceptable way of achieving standards.

Codes of practice/compliance codes may:

be incorporated into regulations

not relate to a standard

be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action.

Guidance material is:

An advisory technical document, providing detailed information for use by unions, employers, management, health and safety committee members and representatives, safety officers and others requiring guidance.

It advises on 'what to do' and 'how to do it'.

Guidance material has no legal standing.

OHS information includes:

Persons, organisations and references where knowledge about OHS may be obtained.

These may be:

Internal, including:

hazard, incident and investigation reports

workplace inspections

incident investigations

minutes of meetings

Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments

organisation data such as insurance records, enforcement notices and actions, workers compensation data, OHS performance data

reports and audits

material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers

employees handbooks

employees including questionnaire results

OHS advisors

manufacturers' manuals and specifications

External, including:

regulatory bodies

Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC)

databases such as national and state injury data

OHS specialists and consultants

newspapers and journals, trade/industry publications

internet sites

industry networks and associations including unions and employer groups

OHS professional bodies

specialist advisors

research information

Due diligence requirements include:

All precautions reasonable in the circumstances to protect the health and safety of employees and others who may be affected by actions or omissions of the individual or corporation.

Other functional areas and management processes refers to:

Functions other than OHS specific functions that impact on the management of OHS and may include:

strategic planning

purchasing, procurement and contracting

logistics including supply chain and distribution

HR, IR and personnel management, including payroll

engineering and maintenance

information, data and records management

finance and auditing

environmental management

quality management.

Indicators of OHS performance include:

Lead indicators that assess how successfully a workplace is developing or improving OHS by measuring the activities that drive or 'lead' the safety performance. They may be either:

a quantitative indicator that can be counted or measured and described numerically (for example, number of safety audits conducted) or

a qualitative indicator that describes or assesses a quality or behaviour (such as rating of management commitment to achieving 'best practice' in OHS).

Lag indicators that assess how successfully a workplace is developing or improving OHS by measuring outcomes such as numbers or frequency of injuries or claims costs:

They measure loss and, as changes to these measures usually take considerable time (or 'lag') behind the implementation of any improvement strategy, they are termed lag indicators.

Stakeholders are

Those people or organisations who may be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by, an activity or decision including:

managers

supervisors

health and safety and other employee representatives

OHS committees

employees and contractors

the community

Organisation policies and procedures include:

Policies and procedures underpinning the management of OHS including:

hazard, incident and injury reporting

hazard identification, risk assessment and control

consultation and participation

incident investigation

quality system documentation.

Legislative requirements include:

Commonwealth and relevant state/territory OHS specific acts and regulations, as well as legislation covering:

dangerous goods

workers compensation

environment protection

privacy legislation

contract law

criminal law

common law

industrial relations law

equal employment opportunity and anti- discrimination law.

Systematic approach to managing OHS includes:

all the comprehensive processes that are combined in a methodical and ordered manner to minimise the risk of injury or ill health in the workplace

processes of planning, allocation of resources, communication, consultation, hazard management, record keeping, reporting, training and assessment, and review and evaluation for ongoing improvement.

Accountability includes:

The processes of verification of proper conduct or by which a person with (OHS) responsibilities demonstrates fulfilment of those responsibilities to those to whom they are answerable.

Safe design is:

A process that applies information and data about human capabilities and behaviour to the design of objects, facilities, procedures and environments that people use.

Safe design generally provides for the minimisation of risk through engineering, rather than reliance on human behaviour.

Benchmarks may include:

Legislation

regulations

codes of practice/compliance codes

national standards

Australian standards

industry standards

standards established by other organisations

standards developed internally by the organisation.

Resources include:

personnel

finance

hardware and equipment.

Expert advice may be sought from:

Persons either internal or external to the organisation including

safety professionals

ergonomists

occupational hygienists

audiologists

safety engineers

toxicologists

occupational health professionals.

Other persons providing specific technical knowledge or expertise in areas related to OHS including:

risk managers

health professionals

injury management advisors

legal practitioners with experience in OHS

engineers (such as design, acoustic, mechanical, civil)

security and emergency response personnel

workplace trainers and assessors

maintenance and tradepersons.

Barriers may include:

language

literacy and numeracy

special needs of employees

shift work and rostering arrangements

contractual arrangements

timing of information provision

workplace organisation structures (e.g. geographic, hierarchical)

workplace culture related to OHS.

OHS plan is

The strategy for implementing the OHS policy and includes:

strategic documents developed to improve OHS within an organisation that identifies objectives together with strategies and accountabilities for achieving the objectives and:

OHS performance indicators (i.e. objectives and targets that are achievable and practical) reflecting systematic approaches to managing OHS

is usually developed annually but may be developed for a shorter or longer period

is reviewed regularly

provides the basis for OHS Action Plans which are developed to implement the strategic OHS plan

Key personnel include:

managers from other areas

people involved in OHS decision making

people who are impacted by decisions