Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Codes of practice/ standards
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
This competency covers any work permits which requires a safety observer. Permits are called clearances by some organisations. Typical types of permit requiring a safety observer include:
excavation
hot work
confined space
other relevant permits.
Requirements identified on the permit may include testing of atmospheric conditions, ventilation and control measures such as isolation, barriers, tag out/lockout signs, communications, incident response.
A 'competent person' is a person who has, through a combination of training, education or experience, acquired knowledge and skills enabling that person to correctly perform a specified task.
Safety structures and controls may include automatic plant shut down buttons, cords/lanyards, alarms, barriers, guards, earth leakage devices, tag out/lock out procedures, warning lights.
Incident response
The required incident response may include:
first response to fire
some initial rescues
first aid/CPR
other responses
These responses are not included in this units of competency but are the subject of their own unit of competency.
Health, safety and environment (HSE)
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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 the Training Package.

Overview of assessment
Assessment of this unit should demonstrate competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.
This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to specify the requirements and then select the best solution to meet the necessary and desirable requirements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment will require access to a plant or workplace over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with other relevant units.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.