Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range Statement provides information about the context in which the unit of competency is carried out. The variables cater for differences between States and Territories and the Commonwealth, and between organisations and workplaces. They allow for different work requirements, work practices and knowledge. The Range Statement also provides a focus for assessment. It relates to the unit as a whole. Text in bold italics in the Performance Criteria is explained here.
A framework for occupational health and safety may include:
policy development and updating
determining the ways in which occupational health and safety functions will be managed which may include distinct occupational health and safety management activities, or inclusion of occupational health and safety functions within a range of management functions and operations such as:
maintenance of plant and equipment
purchasing of materials and equipment
designing operations, work flow and materials handling
planning or implementing alterations to site, plant, operations or work systems
mechanisms for review and allocation of human, technical and financial resources needed to manage occupational health and safety, including defining and allocating occupational health and safety responsibilities for all relevant positions
mechanisms for keeping up-to-date with relevant information and updating the management arrangements for occupational health and safety, for example:
information on health effects of hazards
technical developments in risk control and environmental monitoring
changes to legislation
mechanisms to assess and update occupational health and safety arrangements relevant to legislative requirements
a system for communicating occupational health and safety information to employees, supervisors and managers within the enterprise
Occupational health and safety legislation may include:
State/Territory/Commonwealth occupational health and safety acts, regulations and codes of practice, including regulations and codes of practice relating to hazards present in the workplace or industry
general duty of care under occupational health and safety legislation and common law
requirements for the maintenance and confidentiality of occupational injury and disease
requirements for provision of occupational health and safety information and training
provisions relating to health and safety representatives and/or occupational health and safety committees
provisions relating to occupational health and safety issue resolution
Participative arrangements should cover:
occupational health and safety committees and other committees, for example, consultative, planning and purchasing
health and safety representatives
employee and supervisor involvement in occupational health and safety management activities, for example, occupational health and safety inspections, audits, environmental monitoring, risk assessment and risk control
procedures for reporting hazards, risks and occupational health and safety issues by managers and employees
inclusion of occupational health and safety in consultative or other meetings and processes
Procedures for identifying hazards may include:
workplace inspections, including plant and equipment
audits
maintaining and analysing occupational health and safety records, including environmental monitoring and health surveillance reports
maintenance of plant and equipment
reviews of materials and equipment purchases, including manufacturers' and suppliers' information
employee reporting of occupational health and safety issues
Procedures for assessing risks may include:
nationally recognised procedures such as National Safety Council procedures for risk assessment
determining the likelihood and severity of adverse consequences from hazards
occupational health and safety audits
workplace inspections
maintenance of plant and equipment
purchasing of materials and equipment
planning or implementing alterations to site, operations or work systems
analysis of relevant records and reports, for example:
injuries and incidents (including near misses)
hazardous substances inventories/registers
audit and environmental monitoring reports
occupational health and safety committee records
Measures to control risks may include:
assessing the occupational health and safety consequences of materials, plant or equipment prior to purchase
obtaining expert advice
reducing/minimising risk through appropriate application of measures according to the hierarchy of control, namely:
elimination of the risk
substitution
engineering controls
administrative controls
personal protective equipment.
designing safe operations and systems of work
inclusion of new occupational health and safety information into procedures
checking enterprise compliance with regulatory requirements
Organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous events may include:
making inventories of, and inspecting, high risk operations
inspecting systems and operations associated with potentially hazardous events such as:
emergency communications
links to emergency services
fire fighting
chemical spill containment
bomb alerts
first aid services
counselling
Employee Assistance Program
Occupational health and safety training may include:
arrangements for ongoing assessment of training needs such as those relating to supervisors and managers
specific hazards
specific tasks or equipment
emergencies and evacuations
training required under occupational health and safety legislation
allocation of resources for occupational health and safety training, including:
acquisition of training resources
development of staff training skills
purchase of training services.
induction training
training for new operations, materials or equipment
Records system for occupational health and safety may cover:
identifying records required under occupational health and safety legislation, for example, workers compensation and rehabilitation records
hazardous substances registers
Material Safety Data Sheets
incident/injury notifications (including near misses)
certificates or licences
manufacturers' and suppliers' occupational health and safety information
occupational health and safety audits and inspection reports
maintenance and testing reports
workplace environmental monitoring and health surveillance records
records of instruction and training
first aid/medical post records
change of management
Evaluation may include:
reviewing the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety management system
regular review of operating procedures
regular analysis of occupational health and safety records
audits against occupational health and safety legislative requirements and organisational health and safety policies and procedures (some organisations have more stringent requirements than legislation requires because of risks associated with the work)

The Evidence Guide specifies the evidence required to demonstrate achievement in the unit of competency as a whole. It must be read in conjunction with the Unit descriptor, Performance Criteria, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Public Sector Training Package.
Units to be assessed together
Pre-requisite units that must be achieved prior to this unit:Nil
Co-requisite units that must be assessed with this unit:Nil
Co-assessed units that may be assessed with this unit to increase the efficiency and realism of the assessment process include, but are not limited to:
PSPGOV601B Apply government systems
PSPHR621A Manage organisational design strategies
PSPLEGN601B Manage compliance with legislation in the public sector
PSPMNGT604B Manage change
PSPMNGT606B Manage quality client service
PSPMNGT608B Manage risk
PSPPOL603A Manage policy implementation
PSPREG601B Manage regulatory compliance
Excluded units that may not contribute to the same qualification as this unit:
PSPOHS602A Manage workplace safety
Overview of evidence requirements
In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms:
the knowledge requirements of this unit
the skill requirements of this unit
application of Employability Skills as they relate to this unit
establishment and maintenance of a workplace safety system in a range of (2 or more) contexts (or occasions, over time)
Resources required to carry out assessment
These resources include:
occupational health and safety acts, regulations and codes of practice
occupational health and safety management information including policies and procedures
information relevant to the management of the enterprise, for example, planning, operations, maintenance, purchasing and budgeting
work areas in the area of responsibility
Where and how to assess evidence
Valid assessment of this unit requires:
a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered when establishing and maintaining a workplace safety system, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and breakdowns in routine
the applicant to establish and maintain a workplace safety system in a range of (2 or more) contexts (or occasions, over time)
the assessor to have recognised expertise in managing occupational health and safety in the industry, or work in an assessment team with such a person.
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, such as literacy, and the needs of particular groups, such as:
people with disabilities
people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
women
young people
older people
people in rural and remote locations.
Assessment methods suitable for valid and reliable assessment of this competency may include, but are not limited to, a combination of 2 or more of:
case studies
portfolios
projects
questioning
scenarios
authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or training courses
For consistency of assessment
Evidence must be gathered over time in a range of contexts to ensure the person can achieve the unit outcome and apply the competency in different situations or environments