Unit of competency details

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ACM10v3

Initial release

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a Unit of Competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Manage workplace health and safety information and records

1.1 Relevant workplace health and safety legislation, standards, codes of practice/compliance codes, guidance materials  and other sources of workplace health and safety information  are identified, accessed and evaluated for their relevance to the specific work context.

1.2 Information on workplace health and safety requirements, trends and risk controls  are collected, collated and provided.

1.3 Records and record keeping processes are reviewed to ensure that legal requirements  for workplace health and safety record  keeping are identified and addressed.

1.4 Processes are implemented and monitored to ensure that workplace health and safety records are accurately completed, collected and stored in accordance with legal requirements and workplace procedures.

2. Manage workplace health and safety participative processes

2.1 Participative processes  are monitored to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and organisation procedures .

2.2 Information provided to employees is evaluated to ensure it is in a readily accessible and understandable format.

2.3 Processes are implemented and monitored to ensure that workgroup members have an opportunity, either directly or through their representative, to contribute to decisions that may affect their health and safety.

2.4 Processes for addressing workplace health and safety issues are evaluated to ensure issues raised through consultation  are resolved promptly and in line with organisation procedures and legislative requirements.

2.5 Information is provided promptly about the outcomes of consultation in a format and medium that is readily accessible to employees.

3. Manage workplace health and safety risk management processes

3.1 Processes for hazard, incident , and injury reporting and investigation are reviewed to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and to inform future prevention strategies.

3.2 Processes are monitored to ensure that hazard identification  and risk assessments  occur according to organisation procedures.

3.3 Risk controls and hazard specific procedures are checked to ensure consistency with the hierarchy of risk control  and are monitored to support compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements.

3.4 Any workplace health and safety implications of either proposed or implemented changes to the workplace, work processes or organisation of work are identified and addressed.

3.5 Limits of own professional expertise are recognised and expert advisors  are consulted as required.

4. Manage workplace health and safety training program

4.1 Workplace health and safety training needs assessment is undertaken for workgroup members that takes account of legislative and regulatory requirements, internal policies and procedures, existing skills of workgroup members and risk control requirements.

4.2 Training programs are implemented and monitored to ensure identified workplace health and safety training requirements are addressed.

4.3 Processes to ensure that all new employees receive workplace health and safety induction  are implemented and monitored.

4.4 Relevant workplace health and safety and training specialists are accessed and consulted as required, in the development and implementation of the workplace health and safety training program.

5. Manage workplace health and safety continuous improvement process

5.1 Input from individuals and workgroup is considered in identifying and implementing workplace health and safety improvement.

5.2 Workplace health and safety priorities are determined in consultation with appropriate managers and stakeholders. 

5.3 Workplace health and safety action plans  are developed taking account of priorities and training needs.

5.4 Achievements against the workplace health and safety plans are monitored and plans updated accordingly.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this Unit.

Required skills

Required skills include: 

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to manage workplace health and safety processes for a small organisation or group(s) of persons undertaking a range of work.

In addition, the candidate must be able to:

• apply an action planning process
• assimilate information from a range of sources to evaluate effectiveness of processes
• communicate with supervisors, other managers, staff, workplace health and safety inspectors and expert advisers in a range of contexts, and using a range of media and formats
• conduct effective meetings
• develop solutions to complex workplace health and safety problems, utilising information from a range of sources
• identify and access appropriate external support services
• relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethic backgrounds and physical and mental abilities
• take into account and support staff to use opportunities to address waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues
• use language and literacy and conceptual skills to analyse and evaluate workplace health and safety information
• use technical skills to access workplace health and safety information.

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes: 

• knowledge and understanding of guidance material including codes of practice/compliance codes relevant to the particular industry/type of work site
• legal and practical requirements for workplace health and safety training
• legal requirements for workplace health and safety record keeping and reporting
• legislative requirements for consultation
• relationship between workplace health and safety and sustainability in the workplace, including the importance of maintaining safety in the workplace to establishing and maintaining environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability
• risk assessment process including:

• hazard identification procedures
• principles of risk assessment
• the hierarchy of risk control and its application
• the difference between hazard and risk

• roles and responsibilities of health and safety representatives and workplace health and safety committees
• roles and responsibilities of workers, officers and Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs)
• sources of workplace health and safety information both internal and external to the workplace, including Safe Work Australia and relevant state/territory regulators
• systems for identifying skill needs, for example:

• identifying additional training needs of learners
• performance reviews
• training needs analysis

• the characteristics and composition of the workforce and how they may impact on the management of workplace health and safety
• the roles and responsibilities of employees, supervisors and managers in the workplace
• understanding of the national Work Health and Safety model and relevant state/territory legislation that influence regulatory requirements relevant to the particular industry/type of work site
• workplace specific information, including:

• awards and enterprise agreements that impact on the particular workplace
• designated person for raising workplace health and safety issues
• hazard identification procedures relevant to the hazards in their workplace
• hazards of the particular work environment and how they cause harm
• organisation procedures related to workplace health and safety including hazard, incident and injury reporting, hazard identification, risk assessment and control, consultation and participation, incident investigation, record keeping
• relevant workplace health and safety training and training providers
• the characteristics and composition of the workforce and how they may impact on the management of workplace health and safety
• workplace support services eg. employee assistance providers, workplace counselling and medical services.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

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

To demonstrate competence in this Unit, a candidate must be able to provide evidence of managing workplace health and safety processes for a small organisation or a group of persons undertaking a range of work.

Evidence gathered by an assessor to determine competence will include:

• written or verbal responses to scenarios and case studies
• provision of workplace examples
• reports from persons who have been involved in the management processes
• portfolio of workplace documentation.

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

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Products that could be used as evidence include:

• verbal and written responses to verbal, written or physical scenarios
• demonstrated action to scenarios, simulations and role plays
• completed reports to senior managers
• written directions, emails, memos and other information provided to supervisors in area of responsibility
• reports from team leaders, senior managers, other managers, specialist advisors..

Processes that could be used as evidence include:

• how training needs were identified and addressed
• how action plans are developed, monitored and updated
• how hazard identification and risk assessment occur
• how incident investigation occurs.

Method of assessment

This Unit should be assessed together with other Units of Competence relevant to the function or work role.

Guidance information for assessment

Access and equity considerations:

• all assessment should be applied with respect to relevant work-related access and equity issues
• competence should reflect an ability to work in a culturally diverse environment.
• assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

Workplace health and safety legislation 

Workplace health and safety legislation varies in different states and will include:

• National Work Health and Safety Model
• current relevant State/Territory workplace health and safety legislation
• relevant state/territory Manual Handling Code of Conduct.

Standards 

Standards include documents produced by national bodies, workplace health and safety 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 

Codes of practice/compliance codes are documents generally prepared to provide advice to employers and workers, of an acceptable way of achieving standards. They may:

• be incorporated into regulations
• not relate to a standard
• be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement action.

Guidance material 

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'.

has no legal standing.

Other sources of workplace health and safety information 

Other sources of workplace health and safety information include persons, organisations and references where knowledge about workplace health and safety may be obtained. These sources 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, workplace health and safety performance data
• reports and audits
• material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers
• employees handbooks
• employees including questionnaire results
• health and safety representatives
• workplace health and safety committees
• manufacturers' manuals and specifications

• external, including:

• employee assistance program providers and workplace counselling services
• relevant state workplace health and safety Acts, regulations, codes and guidance materials
• other relevant legislation
• Safe Work Australia
• State/territory regulatory bodies
• databases, such as national and state injury data
• workplace health and safety specialists and consultants
• newspapers and journals, trade/industry publications
• internet sites
• industry networks and associations, including unions and employer groups
• workplace health and safety professional bodies
• specialist advisors
• research information.

Workplace health and safety information 

Workplace health and safety information includes:

• collated information on hazard incidents and injuries
• information on hazards, including MSDSs
• investigation and audit reports
• outcomes of hazard identifications and workplace inspections
• requirements under workplace health and safety legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice/compliance codes and guidelines
• rights and responsibilities
• risk assessments
• risk controls
• training records
• workplace health and safety policies and procedures
• work procedures.

Risk controls 

Risk controls include the devices and methods to, where practicable, eliminate the hazard or, where this is not practicable, minimise the risk associated with the hazard.

Legal requirements 

Legal requirements for record keeping include that specified under workplace health and safety legislation and regulations for:

• serious incident and injury reporting
• registered plant
• hazardous substances and dangerous goods
• environmental monitoring
• health surveillance
• privacy legislation.

Workplace health and safety records 

Workplace health and safety records may include:

• employees handbooks
• environmental monitoring records
• first aid records
• hazard, incident and investigation reports
• health surveillance records
• job safety analyses (JSAs), safe work method statements and risk assessments
• maintenance and testing reports
• material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers
• minutes of meetings
• plant and equipment operation records, including those relevant to registered plant
• training records
• workplace inspection reports.

Participative processes 

Participative processes include processes that:

• inform employees and other stakeholders of workplace health and safety matters
• seek their input
• offer opportunity for stakeholders to participate in decisions that may impact on their health and safety

Participative processes may also be referred to as 'consultative processes', however 'participation' implies a higher level of involvement.

Organisation policies and procedures 

Organisation policies and procedures include:

• policies and procedures underpinning the management of workplace health and safety, including:

• hazard, incident and injury reporting
• hazard identification, risk assessment and control
• human resources policies and procedures such as harassment and grievance procedures, induction programs, team meetings, alcohol and drug policies
• consultation and participation
• incident investigation
• quality system documentation.

Consultation 

Consultation includes processes for seeking information or the opinions from one or more people prior to decision making.

Consultation should particularly include those who may affect the outcomes or be affected by the decisions made but may also include specialist sources.

Hazard 

A hazard is a source or situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, the environment, or a combination of these.

Common workplace hazards (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) include:

• Manual tasks - overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain
• Gravity - falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death
• Electricity - potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution
• Machinery and equipment - being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death
• Hazardous chemicals - chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis
• Extreme temperatures - heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue. Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite
• Noise - exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage
• Radiation - ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers can cause burns, cancer or blindness
• Biological - micro-organisms can cause hepatitis, legionnaires’ disease, Q fever, HIV/AIDS or allergies
• Psychosocial hazards - effects of work-related stress, bullying, violence and work-related fatigue.

Examples of hazards in an animal care environment may include:

• animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches or crush injuries
• biological hazardous waste
• bodily fluids
• chemicals and medicines
• sharps
• zoonotic and exotic disease possibilities.

Incident 

Incident includes any event that has caused or has the potential for injury, ill-health or damage.

Hazard identification 

Hazards identification is the process of identifying sources of harm, and may be required:

• before new forms of work and organisation of work are implemented
• before changes are made to workplace, equipment, work processes or work arrangements
• as part of planning major tasks or activities, such as equipment shutdowns
• following an incident report
• when new knowledge becomes available
• at regular intervals during normal operations
• prior to disposal of equipment, or materials.

Risk 

Risk in relation to any hazard means the probability and consequences of injury, illness or damage resulting from exposure to a hazard.

Risk assessments 

Risk assessments involve analysing a hazard to:

• identify factors influencing the risk and the range of potential consequences:

• effectiveness of existing controls
• likelihood of each consequence considering exposure and hazard level

• and combining these in some way to obtain a level of risk.

Hierarchy of risk control 

Hierarchy of risk control (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) includes:

• Level 1 controls

• eliminate hazards

• Level 2 controls

• substitute the hazard with something safer
• isolate the hazard from people
• use engineering controls

• Level 3 controls

• use administrative controls
• use personal protective equipment (PPE).

Expert advisors 

Expert advisors include persons either internal or external to the organisation including:

• audiologists
• ergonomists
• employee assistance and workplace counselling services
• occupational health professionals
• occupational hygienists
• health and safety representatives
• workplace health and safety committees
• safety engineers
• safety professionals
• toxicologists

Expert advisors may also include other persons providing specific technical knowledge or expertise in areas related to workplace health and safety including:

• engineers (e.g. design, acoustic, mechanical, civil)
• health professionals
• injury management advisors
• legal practitioners with experience in workplace health and safety
• maintenance and trade persons
• regulatory bodies
• risk managers
• security and emergency response personnel
• workplace trainers and assessors.

Workplace health and safety induction 

Workplace health and safety induction includes the processes by which new employees are introduced to, and acquainted with their job and the new workplace, including familiarisation with:

• hazards and risks associated with the work,
• risk control measures,
• welfare facilities and
• emergency response procedures.

Stakeholders 

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

• officers
• Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs)
• health and safety representatives
• workplace health and safety committees
• workers and contractors
• the community.

Workplace health and safety action plans 

Workplace health and safety action plans include documented plans developed within the workplace to implement a systematic approach to workplace health and safety management and contain:

• actions that support an integrated strategy to address deficiencies, meet obligations or provide for improved outcomes
• allocated responsibilities
• timeframes.