Part A: Course Overview

Program: C5441 Diploma of Logistics

Course Title: Ensure a safe workplace for a work area

Portfolio: Vocational Education

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Course Contact: Jeremy Glover

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99251485

Course Contact Email: jeremy.glover@rmit.edu.au



Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish, maintain and evaluate an organisation’s work health and safety (WHS) policies, procedures and programs in a work area to ensure a safe workplace, according to WHS legislative requirements. It takes a systems approach and addresses compliance with relevant legislative requirements.

The unit applies to those working in a range of contexts who have, or are likely to have, responsibility for WHS as part of their broader management role. It is relevant for people with obligations under WHS laws, for example persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) or officers, as defined by WHS laws.

NOTES

1. The terms ‘occupational health and safety’ (OHS) and ‘work health and safety’ (WHS) are equivalent, and generally either can be used in the workplace. In jurisdictions where model WHS laws have not been implemented, registered training organisations (RTOs) are advised to contextualise this unit of competency by referring to existing WHS legislative requirements.

2. The model WHS laws include the model WHS Act, model WHS Regulations and model WHS Codes of Practice. See Safe Work Australia for further information.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None



National Competency Codes and Titles

National Element Code & Title:

BSBWHS521 Ensure a safe workplace for a work area

Elements:

1. Establish a WHS management system in a work area

2. Establish and maintain effective and compliant consultative arrangements for managing WHS in a work area

3. Establish and maintain procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks in work area

4. Evaluate and maintain a work area WHS management system (WHSMS)

Learning Outcomes

Performance evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, and to:

  • establish, implement, maintain and evaluate one work health and safety management system (WHSMS) for a work area of an organisation that complies with WHS laws, and organisational policies and procedures.

During the above, the candidate must:

  • establish, implement, maintain and evaluate effective and compliant consultative arrangements for managing WHS, including:
    • identifying duty holders
    • identifying and approving required resources
    • developing and implementing a training program
  • establish, implement, maintain and evaluate procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks using the hierarchy of control measures.

 

Knowledge evidence

The candidate must demonstrate the knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

  • details of relevant WHS laws relating to ensuring a safe workplace
  • WHS organisational policies, procedures, programs and practices required for the performance evidence
  • hazard identification and risk-management processes
  • key principles, uses and components of the hierarchy of control measures and procedures for applying it in the workplace
  • organisational and WHS legislative reporting requirements.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment conditions

Assessment must comply with WHS laws, legal responsibilities and duty of care required for this unit. It must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities undertaken by individuals carrying out WHS duties in the workplace, and must include access to:

  • organisational WHS policies and procedures required to demonstrate the performance evidence
  • WHS laws required to demonstrate the performance evidence
  • case studies and, where possible, real situations
  • opportunities for interaction with others.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the assessor requirements in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

 

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions.  You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed.  Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.