Verification Of Competency or VOC
What Is Verification Of Competency or VOC?
A Verification of Competency (VOC) is a method of assessment that can be used to demonstrate workers’ ability to operate equipment and/or undertake the responsibilities of their role. It is commonly used by employers during their pre-employment checks, site requirements and contract negotiations. In fact, a VOC is often required by employers before individuals are even allowed on site.
Australian industry regulations require employers and persons conducting a business undertaking (PCBU) to ensure their workers can clearly demonstrate their ability to perform the tasks related to their job role when plant is used. The use of a VOC is one way of ensuring this happens.
Why Operators Need A Verification Of Competency
As an employer, you are responsible for the health and safety of all people on your site.
This includes your employees, contractors and visitors.
In January 2012, a new set of Workplace Health and Safety laws were introduced that put more responsibility onto the employer to ensure that “all reasonably practicable measures to prevent the risk to health and safety occurring” (Source: Safe Work Australia). A licence or ‘ticket’ is no longer an adequate measure of your workers ability to perform their tasks and operate machinery in a manner compliant with regulations. In the unfortunate event there is an accident on site, will you be able to prove that you – as an employer – took every reasonable step to ensure the competency of your workers? Encouraging your employees and contractors to complete their VOC training – preferably before commencing work on site – will allow you to demonstrate that reasonable measures were taken to ensure the health and safety of all workers on site.
Do Workers Need Verification of Competency (VOC) When They Already Have A Licence?
Your licence is a pre-requisite to undertaking the VOC assessment, but not necessarily proof of competency.
If you have held a licence or Qualification for a long time, you may not be able to immediately verify your competency against the industry standard without some form of basic refresher training and assessment. An example of this shortfall may be demonstrating a sound knowledge of the current regulations, policies and procedures relating to the work they perform. Your Licence or qualification has a range of free refresher courses available online that can be undertaken by operators prior to completing a VOC assessment to ensure their knowledge is current. Comprehensive training material is also supplied as part of the VOC course, in the form of a “Learners Guide”.
Methods Of Demonstrating Competency
A Statement of Attainment and Qualification Card are two examples of competency evidence that can be used to demonstrate you have the required skills for operating mobile plant. These are often referred to as a “Licence” or “Plant Ticket”. The Regulators encourage formal competency-based training and assessment for the operation of mobile plant and high risk work – this can only be provided by accredited and approved RTO’s through the vocational education and training system. The standard they encourage is to the Units of Competency contained within the national Training Packages, which are driven and endorsed by industry. These are often referred to as RII, TLI or CPCC standards.
VOC on licences for earthmoving equipment, small cranes and other plant
If you’ve been operating plant in Australia for years, you know that there are regulations regarding the licensing required to operate certain equipment. But did you know that these regulations have changed?
In 2012, Regulators stopped issuing licences for some or all of this equipment. Only licences for High Risk Work are still issued by Regulators. As part of your Duty of Care requirements, employers and PCBU’s are required to ensure competency of the operator when plant is used, so far as is reasonably practicable. Holding a previously accredited licence for this plant displays that the operator has undertaken training and been assessed to the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) Legislation. Even though this may have been the applicable standard at the time of issue of their licence, this standard has been superseded by the Industry Standards. For this reason, an operator’s original licence or ‘ticket’ may not be enough to demonstrate competency to the current industry standard. This is the standard that is required by many employers around the country across a number of industries, including mining, construction and transport. A major part of this ‘skills gap’ usually includes a lack of knowledge about the current Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) regulations and how these are relevant to the work an operator performs in his/her job role. This can be readily remedied as part of the Your Licence VOC process.
When Should Companies or Individuals Verify Operator Competency?
Verifying competency is a crucial part of ensuring that workers are up to date with new industry regulations, workplace safety standards and any new technology or policies related to the industry and job role they work in at the time of assessment. It is recommended that workers undertake a VOC certification every 30 months, or 2.5 years, in order to ensure they are kept up to date with these changes.
Working On Site Prior To Completing VOC
The regulations require that operators be trained and supervised to an appropriate level, but do not specify how far this training must take place before they are able to work in the role. It is entirely reasonable and legally compliant to allow an operator to carry out their normal duties whilst undertaking VOC if the risk is assessed and an appropriate level of supervision is exercised. This is a standard industry practice during training and instruction, and is practiced across the country every day. Enrolment with an accredited Registered Training Organisation to complete VOC is formal evidence of the provision of information, instruction and training as required by regulations. Regulators allow inexperienced persons to conduct high risk work under training on a work site as long as the risk of operation is assessed and the operator is supervised at the appropriate level. For example, workers who are experienced, ticketed, and undertaking VOC would obviously be at much lower risk than a trainee rigger or excavator operator. Whether an operator will be able to work in this manner will be dependent upon the policies and procedures on each specific site.
A Guide to Effective Workplace Supervision Levels
There are three levels of supervision normally applied to high-risk work activities, whether on construction, mining or other sites. These are determined by the responsible persons onsite and must be based on risk that has been properly assessed. These levels of supervision are:
Direct Supervision
All operations take place in sight and earshot of a competent, qualified supervisor. o Usually applied to an operator who is assessed to have a minimum level of former experience or exposure to the plant or specific tasks. o Particularly important for those who demonstrate a lower level of ability and need intensive instruction.
Periodic Supervision
Operations which require the supervisor to make regular checks on safety and progress. Supervisor is required to ensure that risks continue to be within pre-determined parameters. Normally applied where the operator is experienced with the plant or specific tasks and demonstrates at least a good level of aptitude. Requires that good communication systems are in place and that there is good accessibility to other licensed or qualified operators that the operator can seek advice from as needed.
Minimal Supervision
A lower level of supervision, requiring the supervisor to attend intermittently, to ensure that additional, greater or different risks have not surfaced due to environmental factors or unforeseen issues. Requires the workplace to have good communication systems and good access to; licensed and qualified persons, a high level of instruction and training, and/or stable risk control measures in place to protect the operator. Strong administrative controls would also be relevant in this case, such as exclusion zones for workers from mobile plant operations.
The level of supervision and instruction must be suitable and adequate at all times. The responsible person must assess the required level of supervision that is needed according to the nature of the work being performed and the risks present. This can be done by determining what hazards are present, how these hazards can be minimized or eliminated, and how much training is required for each employee to minimize risk.
Who is Eligible to Conduct VOC Assessments?
VOC assessments should only be undertaken by trained, professional assessors, with an understanding of the requirements of the industry competency standards in the national training packages.
The assessment process is a crucial part of ensuring that workers are competent to undertake the work they are employed to perform. It is also important that employers understand how their employees’ performance will be evaluated and how they can support them to ensure their continued competence.
How is VOC conducted?
A VOC assessor can conduct with face-to-face assessments onsite, or at a training facility. The operator will be required to undertake theory and practical assessments, and a decision regarding competency will be made based on that meeting. This process requires that the operator turn up at a predetermined place and time and undertake both assessments. If they are successful, they can go to work. If not, the operator will be required to undertake gap training and be reassessed.
Like any process, the VOC process can be streamlined and made more efficient. Technology is playing a role in enabling the assessment process to happen more efficiently. It frees up time for the assessor to focus on those tasks that might be missed if the assessment was not conducted face-to-face. As we move towards a future where VOC may become an even larger part of the workplace than it is today, technology will play an even bigger role in making the process as efficient and effective as possible.
Dedicated To Your Safety
AOTA