Elements and Performance Criteria

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.


WHS legislation varies in different states and will include:
National Work Health and Safety Model
Current relevant state/territory WHS legislation
Relevant state/territory Manual Handling Code of Conduct


Standards include:
Documents produced by national bodies, WHS 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:
Is an advisory technical document, providing detailed information for use by unions, officers, PCBUs, health and safety committee members and representatives, safety officers and others requiring guidance
Advises on ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do it’
Has no legal standing


Hierarchy of risk control (from Safe Work Australia Work Health And Safety - Risks Code of Practice) includes:
The ranking of ways control risks ranked from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest, including:
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)


WHS information includes:
Persons, organisations and references where knowledge about WHS 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, WHS performance data
reports and audits
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and registers
employees handbooks
employees including questionnaire results
Health and Safety Representatives
manufacturers’ manuals and specifications

External, including:
Employee Assistance Program providers and workplace counselling services
relevant state WHS Acts, regulations, codes and guidance material
other relevant legislation
Safe Work Australia
State/territory regulatory bodies
databases such as national and state injury data
WHS specialists and consultants
newspapers and journals, trade/industry publications
internet sites
industry networks and associations including unions and employer groups
WHS professional bodies
specialist advisors
research information


Due diligence requirements include:
All precautions reasonable in the circumstances to protect the health and safety of workers 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 WHS specific functions that impact on the management of WHS 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 WHS performance include:
Lead indicators that assess how successfully a workplace is developing or improving WHS 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 WHS).
Lag indicators that assess how successfully a workplace is developing or improving WHS 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:
officers
PCBUs
Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
Health and Safety committees (HSCs)
workers and contractors
the community


Organisation policies and procedures include:
Policies and procedures underpinning the management of WHS 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.


Legislative requirements include:
National Work Health and Safety Model
Current relevant State/territory WHS legislation
Other relevant 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 WHS 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 (WHS) 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
employee assistance and workplace counselling services
occupational hygienists
audiologists
safety engineers
toxicologists
occupational health professionals
Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
Health and Safety committees (HSCs)

Other persons providing specific technical knowledge or expertise in areas related to WHS including:
risk managers
health professionals
injury management advisors
legal practitioners with experience in WHS
engineers (e.g. design, acoustic, mechanical, civil)
security and emergency response personnel
workplace trainers and assessors
maintenance and trade persons


Barriers may include:
language
literacy and numeracy
special needs of workers
shift work and rostering arrangements
contractual arrangements
timing of information provision
workplace organisation structures (e.g. geographic, hierarchical)
workplace culture related to WHS.


WHS plan is
The strategy for implementing the WHS policy and includes:
strategic documents developed to improve WHS within an organisation that identifies objectives together with strategies and accountabilities for achieving the objectives and:
WHS performance indicators (i.e. objectives and targets that are achievable and practical) reflecting systematic approaches to managing WHS
is usually developed annually but may be developed for a shorter or longer period
is reviewed regularly
provides the basis for WHS Action Plans which are developed to implement the strategic WHS plan


Key personnel include:
managers from other areas
people involved in WHS decision making
people who are impacted by decisions

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 WHS information was sourced and analysed
How consultation to determine priorities were conducted
How achievement against the WHS 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:
HLTWHS300A Contribute to WHS processes