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. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.
Hazard identification
Hazards identification is the process of identifying sources of harm, and may be required:
before new forms of work and organisation of work are implemented
before changes are made to workplace, equipment, work processes or work arrangements
as part of planning major tasks or activities, such as equipment shutdowns
following an incident report
when new knowledge becomes available
at regular intervals during normal operations
prior to disposal of equipment, or materials.
Hazard
A hazard is a source or situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, the environment, or a combination of these.
Common workplace hazards (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) include:
manual tasks - overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain
gravity - falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death
electricity - potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution
machinery and equipment - being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death
hazardous chemicals - chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis
extreme temperatures - heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue. Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite
noise - exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage
radiation - ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers can cause burns, cancer or blindness
biological - micro-organisms can cause hepatitis, legionnaires’ disease, Q fever, HIV/AIDS or allergies
psychosocial hazards - effects of work-related stress, bullying, violence and work-related fatigue.
Examples of hazards in an animal care environment may include:
animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches or crush injuries
biological hazardous waste
bodily fluids
chemicals and medicines
sharps
zoonotic and exotic disease possibilities.
Risk
Risk in relation to any hazard means:
the probability and consequences of injury, illness or damage resulting from exposure to a hazard
Residual risk is:
the risk which remains after controls have been implemented.
Organisation procedures
Organisation procedures includes policies and procedures underpinning the management of workplace health and safety, including:
hazard, incident and injury reporting
hazard identification, risk assessment and control
consultation and participation
quality system documentation.
Workplace health and safety housekeeping
Workplace health and safety housekeeping includes workplace and personal routines designed to improve health and safety:
cleaning up spills
keeping walkways, exits and traffic areas clear.
Information
Information includes:
employees handbooks
hazard, incident and investigation reports
incident investigation reports
information from external sources on hazards and risk relevant to the work group
information from health and safety representatives
job safety analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments
material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and registers
manufacturers' manuals and specifications
minutes of meetings
reports from workplace health and safety committee
workplace inspection reports.
Work procedures
Work procedures include:
batch specifications
operator or manufacturer manuals
procedures for selecting, fitting, using and maintaining personal protective equipment
standard operating procedures.
Coaching
Mentoring and coaching may include:
assisting with problem solving
providing encouragement
providing feedback
providing guidance and explanation on implementation of work and organisation procedures.
Incidents
Incidents include any event that has caused or has the potential for injury, ill-health or damage.
Workplace documentation
Other workplace documentation may include:
job checklists and schedules
workplace inspection checklists.
Risk controls
Risk controls include the devices and methods to, where practicable, eliminate the hazard or, where this is not practicable, minimise the risk associated with the hazard.
Hierarchy of risk control
Hierarchy of risk control (from Safe Work Australia Work Health and Safety Risks - Code of Practice) includes:
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).
Emergency signals and alarms
Emergency signals and alarms may include:
evacuation alarms or announcements
fire alarms
machinery malfunction alarms
reversing beepers on mobile plant.
Emergency
Emergency may include any abnormal or sudden event that requires immediate action, such as:
serious injury events
events requiring evacuation
fires and explosions
hazardous substance and chemical spills
explosion and bomb alerts
security emergencies, such as armed robberies, intruders and disturbed persons
internal emergencies, such as loss of power or water supply and structural collapse
external emergencies and natural disasters, such as flood, storm and traffic accident impacting on the organisation.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this Unit
To demonstrate competence in this Unit, a candidate must be able to provide evidence of contribution to workplace health and safety processes in the workplace. This includes:
addressing their own health and safety
addressing that of others who may be affected by their actions
supporting members of the workgroup who may be less experienced in the workplace in regard to workplace health and safety matters
taking some initiative to address hazards and manage risks at a systemic level.
Evidence gathered by an assessor to determine competence will include practical demonstration of competence, including:
workplace demonstration, simulation exercise, scenario or role play
indirect evidence from workplace supervisor reports, workplace documentation, and written responses to problems, scenarios and case studies.
Evidence of workplace performance over time must be obtained to inform a judgement of competence.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Products that could be used as evidence include:
verbal and written responses to verbal, pictorial or physical scenarios
demonstrated response to scenarios, simulations, role plays
completed hazard or incident reports, completed workplace inspection checklists
reports from work group members, supervisor.
Processes that could be used as evidence include:
how workplace checks/inspections are carried out
how hazards are addressed
how mentoring of fellow workgroup members is undertaken
how incident investigations reports were completed.
Method of assessment
This Unit should be assessed together with other Units of Competence relevant to the function or work role.
Guidance information for assessment
Access and equity considerations:
all assessment should be applied with respect to relevant work-related access and equity issues
competence should reflect an ability to work in a culturally diverse environment.
assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.