Application

This unit of competency specifies the skills and knowledge required to supervise and manage those working with products and materials that generate respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The unit includes planning for and supervising the use of compliant plant, tools and equipment to work with products and materials containing crystalline silica (CS).
The unit also includes briefing workers on compliant work requirements and establishing appropriate risk control measures, so far as reasonably practical, for potential exposure to RCS. The unit also covers work practices as part of continuous improvement processes for work health and safety (WHS) when working with products and materials containing CS.
The unit is suitable for persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), employers, supervisors and managers responsible for ensuring the health and safety of employees, contractors and sub-contractors and suppliers when working with products and materials containing CS.
The worksite may be a factory or workshop setting, commercial and residential settings, and/or construction sites, including demolition sites.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Relevant WHS state and territory regulatory authorities should be consulted to confirm jurisdictional requirements.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit in addition to the specific performance and knowledge evidence described below.
Candidates must be able to:
• select and supervise the application of a combination of control measures for three different work activities, such as cutting, drilling or grinding on products or materials containing crystalline silica (CS).
In doing so, the candidate must:
• demonstrate compliance with selection and use of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for all workers for the work activity
• verify fit checking of RPE, training for staff in the use, maintenance and storage of RPE
• verify setup, use and maintenance of plant, tools and equipment with selected control measures.

Knowledge Evidence

To be competent in this unit, a candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
• hierarchy of control measures:
• elimination
• substitution
• isolation
• engineering controls
• administrative controls
• personal protective equipment (PPE)/RPE
• health risks working with products and materials containing CS
• health effects from inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS)
• products containing CS, such as:
• engineered stone
• concrete
• mortar
• bricks
• pavers
• tiles
• natural stone
• cement sheeting
• aerated concrete
• work health and safety (WHS) regulations
• Australian Standards AS/NZ 1715:2009 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment and AS/NZ 1716:2012 Respiratory protective devices, or their equivalent
• employer responsibilities and duty of care requirements:
• consultation and communication processes
• WHS regulations and health monitoring requirements
• personal exposure monitoring
• safety information documents:
• codes of practice
• guidance notes
• job safety analysis (JSA)
• safety data sheets (SDS)
• safe work method statement (SWMS)
• types of silicosis based on frequency of exposure and level of dust
• industries impacted by potential exposure to RCS
• compliant use of a range of plant, tools and equipment used with products and materials containing high silica content
• maintenance requirements on respirators for RCS and for power tools, plant and equipment
• maintenance and storage requirements for RPE
• RPE fit testing and fit checking requirements
• manufacturer requirements
• training for RPE use, maintenance and storage
• housekeeping methods:
• regular cleaning practices
• wearing RPE during cleaning
• avoid sweeping of dust
• M to H Class vacuum cleaners
• wet wiping
• use of water filtration
• dust control measures
• engineering controls, including maintenance:
• dust capture extraction
• wet cutting methods and water suppression
• respiratory protection
• local exhaust ventilation
• activities generating RCS health hazards and risks:
• cutting
• grinding
• polishing
• drilling
• demolishing
• excavating
• WHS policies and procedures
• reporting notifiable incidents
• WHS recording, reporting and audit requirements of records
• environmental guidelines regarding waste disposal of slurry mixtures and dust containment strategies
• contingency planning.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of performance must be undertaken in the workplace or in a simulated workplace environment. Where the assessment occurs in a simulated workplace environment, the appropriate simulation(s) must reflect realistic workplace situations.
Candidates must be provided with access to:
• relevant tasks or work specifications
• appropriate documents, materials, tools, equipment, PPE and RPE currently approved for use in industry
• relevant codes of practice, Australian Standards, relevant building legislation, industry codes, regulations and requirements of workplace policies and procedures as required by Commonwealth, state and territory regulators
• relevant environmental requirements.

Foundation Skills

• {'skill': 'Foundation Skills', 'description': 'Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.'}

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