Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Hazard:
Something (or a source of a situation) with a potential to harm life or health. Examples include:
· falls, trips and slips
· hitting or being hit by stationary or moving objects
· noise
· manual handling
· repetitive movements and awkward postures
· working with knives
· exposure to heat, cold and UV radiation
· contact with electricity
· short or long term contact with chemicals and hazardous substances (i.e. dust, fumes)
· contact with plant or marine life
· plant and machinery operation and maintenance (including for example, unguarded machinery, motor vehicles, unstable vessels)
· ladders
· working with inappropriate clothing
· weather and water conditions
· contaminants
· dangerous organisms
· inadequate training
· recreational swimming
· poor housekeeping and lack of deck space
· immersion in water without a PFD
· unventilated holds
· smoking and alcohol.

Hazard identification:
· the process of recognising that a hazard exists, for example:
· checking equipment or the work area before work commences and during work
· workplace inspections
· housekeeping.

Risk:
The likelihood that something will cause harm in the circumstances of its use.

Risk assessment:
Activities undertaken (consistent with level of responsibility) to estimate how likely it is that harm will occur as a result of the existence of a particular risk.

Risk control:
Devices, systems (including work methods) or approaches that reduce exposure to workplace hazards.

Hierarchy of control model:
A system for developing risk controls with the priority being, in order:
· eliminating hazards; and where this is not possible, minimise the risk by:
· substituting for a lesser hazard or risk
· isolating hazard from personnel
· engineering controls
· administrative controls
· personal protective clothing and equipment

This is a recognised ranking of control measures according to effectiveness form the most effective measures (that eliminate hazards) to the least effective (that achieve only temporary protection and require ongoing checking and change). Personal protective clothing and equipment is regarded as the least satisfactory control measure.

Designated personnel:
· supervisors, managers and team leaders
· enterprise Occupational Health and Safety personnel
· other persons authorised or nominated by the enterprise or industry to perform, approve, inspect or direct specified work.

Workplace procedures:
Instruction on how a workplace activity should be carried out, by whom and when. For example:
· isolation (also known as lock-out and tag out)
· permit to work
· noise and vibration
· confined space entry
· emergency procedures
· rescue procedures
· use of safety and flotation devices
· work in rough weather
· work in an unstable work platform
· use of personal protective clothing and equipment
· manual handling
· use and storage of hazardous substances
· working at heights
· accident and incident reporting
· job procedures and work instructions
· electrical safety
· machine guarding
· plant and equipment (ie operating licensing, maintenance, servicing)
· vessel housekeeping
· health and hygiene (for example, alcohol, smoking, shift work, fatigue)
· working with the elements (for example isolations, hypothermia, inclement weather, UV exposure)
· recreational swimming.

Workplace policy:
Written statement of employer's intentions and how they will action those intentions in the workplace, for example, Occupational Health and Safety, access and equity, discrimination.

Personal protective clothing and equipment:
Equipment and clothing designed to be worn by a person to provide protection from hazards, for example, personal flotation devices (PFD), safety lines, personal locator beacons, gloves, eye protectors, overalls, aprons, spats, shoes, hearing protectors, helmets, hats, harnesses and breathing apparatus. Examples of use may include:
· wearing PFDs on board a vessel
· wearing PFD and clothing that does not expose the wearer to the risk of loose ends or cords becoming entangled in machinery, nets or ropes
· using hearing protection when working near noisy machinery and equipment
· wearing hats when working in the sun
· wearing gloves, eye protection, overalls, aprons when working with chemicals and pesticides
· diving
· comply with enterprise food safety or risk management plan.

Manual handling:
Any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry bags, drums, cartons, crates.

Risks to workplace bystanders:
Persons who are not working but are present at or near a workplace and may be affected by the activities of the workplace, for example:
· being run over and injured by vehicles or vessels
· being exposed to noise, chemicals, pesticides slips/falls/spills.
· drowning.

Emergencies in the workplace:
· injuries associated with machines, vehicles, vessels, diving
· injuries associated with dangerous organisms (bites, stings, poisoning, etc.)
· rough weather and heavy seas
· collisions
· vessel capsize
· falling or being dragged overboard
· rescue activities
· entanglement in nets or craypot ropes
· immersion in water
· electrocution
· fire
· flood
· chemical spills.

Occupational Health and Safety standards requirements may include:
· relevant State or Territory legislation, national standards, codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction
· enterprise-specific occupational and health and safety procedures, policies or standards.

Participative arrangements:
· formal and informal meetings including Occupational Health and Safety
· Occupational Health and Safety committees
· other committees
· health and safety representatives
· suggestions, requests, reports and concerns put forward by employees to supervisors
· hierarchy of control model to level of responsibility.

Training:
The development of skills, knowledge, attitudes, competencies through instruction or practice, for example:
· training on commencement of employment
· safe use and handling of hazardous substances
· identification of hazardous work practices
· manual handling
· confined space work
· marine safety practices
· survival skills.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· reasons for and purpose of workplace health and safety requirements
· significant hazards in the workplace
· local emergency services
· ways in which Occupational Health and Safety is managed in the workplace, and activities required under Occupational Health and Safety legislation
· workplace Occupational Health and Safety procedures relevant to the work being undertaken
· preferred order of ways to control risks (ie hierarchy of control)
· the rights and responsibilities of the workplace parties under Occupational Health and Safety acts, regulations and codes of practice
· designated personnel responsible for Occupational Health and Safety within the enterprise.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· following workplace procedures for hazard identification and risk control
· following workplace procedures for acting in an emergency.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading labels, notices and relevant enterprise documentation and manufacturer's specifications
· interpreting Occupational Health and Safety symbols.

Numeracy skills used for:
· estimating weight of items, for example to be lifted or moved.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· follow workplace procedure for hazard identification and risk control when completing a range of workplace operations and circumstances that the individual would be expected to deal with
· act in an emergency.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· significant physical, environmental and chemical hazards in the workplace
· local emergency services
· Occupational Health and Safety risk management
· relevant parts of Occupational Health and Safety legislation, relevant regulations and codes of practice which apply in that State or Territory for work being undertaken.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed in conjunction with other units.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short answer testing
· practical exercises
· project work
· observation of work activities.

Resources required for assessment
Resources include:
· enterprise Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures
· relevant Occupational Health and Safety acts, regulations and codes of practice.