Elements and Performance Criteria

What hazards in the workplace may be included?
Equipment and machinery operation and maintenance (including powered tools), vehicles, noise, chemicals, gases, manual handling, plants and animals, solar radiation, electricity, overhead hazards including powerlines, confined spaces, tripping hazards, water bodies, firearms, explosives, damaged or broken structures, damaged or worn equipment, items blocking exits, items of equipment in areas used for access, poor surfaces, and spillages and breakages.

What employee responsibilities in OHS legislation may be included in this unit?
Co-operation with the employer/supervisor in any action taken to comply with OHS legislation, taking reasonable care for own health and safety; accepting responsibility for protection of the health and safety of others through avoidance of personal action which puts others at risk. This includes smoking in the workplace, use of substances which modify mood or behaviour, inappropriate behaviour, not wilfully interfering with, or misusing anything provided to protect health and safety, not wilfully placing at risk the health or safety of any person in the workplace.

What OHS training may be relevant?

OHS induction, specific OHS training, safe machinery operation and maintenance, hazard identification and assessment, and safe chemical use.

What may constitute participative arrangements?
OHS committees and team or work group meetings.

What might be included in workplace for which protective clothing or equipment could be required?
Noise associated with plant, machinery and animals, pesticides, dusts, work in the sun, welding and use of grinders. Personal protective equipment (PPE) may include ear, eye and chemical protection, protective clothing, sunscreen lotion, safety harness, and headgear.

What could be some of the manual handling hazards?
Moving, lifting, shovelling, loading materials, pulling, pushing, up-ending materials, hand tool use, storing materials at heights too high or too low, bending, repetitious tasks, and handling plants and animals.

What risks to people and animals might be relevant?
Drowning in waterways, run over and injury associated with vehicles and machinery, machinery entanglement, exposure to noise, splash, scalding, and drift and volatility of chemicals.

What procedures may be included?
Hazard policies and procedures, emergency policies and procedures, procedures for use of personal protective clothing and equipment, hazard identification and issue resolution procedures, job procedures and work instructions, reporting procedures, and the installation of workplace safety signage.

Which OHS emergencies may apply to this unit?
Electrocution, fire, flood, chemical spills, storms and cyclones, gases in confined spaces, gas leaks, serious injury associated with tractors, machinery and equipment, animals, vehicles, firearms and grain suffocation.

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below:

Employee and employer responsibilities under the OHS Act.
Enterprise procedures relating to hazards, fires, emergencies, accidents, risk control.
OHS signs and symbols relevant to area of work.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

Follow workplace procedures for hazard identification and risk control.
Ability to read safety warning signs.
Observe safety during work operations.
Participate in arrangements for maintaining health and safety of all people in the workplace.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Essential Assessment Information
There is

What processes should be applied to this competency standard? There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
By raising OHS issues verbally with supervisor and others. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
By recognising hazards, keeping maintenance records and reporting accidents and dangerous occurrences. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Following OHS procedures requires limited planning and organising. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Following OHS procedures will require participation with others in a team. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
To determine liquids and weights used in the workplace. (1)

Solving problems
To determine appropriate action in emergency. (1)

Using technology
By the use of communication equipment to raise OHS issues. (1)