VERIFICATION OF COMPETENCY

Verification of Competency (VOC) is a method of assessment that assists employers to meet OHS requirements by ensuring staff are competent to operate equipment or perform a task to the standard expected in employment. Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) has become more prevalent throughout the greater Asian Pacific Region and the need for qualifications that meet current international industry standards and prevailing international legislation is a necessity across a broad range of industry. This in turn has highlighted the employers’ due diligence and obligation to ensure an individual has “current competency”.

Competence is the ability to consistently perform activities to a defined standard of efficiency and safety. It is a combination of knowledge, ability, attitude and behaviour; derived from training and experience, and verified through supervision and assessment.

It’s a legal requirement. Legislative requirements which are usually expressed in general terms, stipulate; “Employees and others are not, so far as is reasonably practicable, exposed to risks to their health and safety”.

Assessing for Verification of Competency enables businesses to confirm that their employees are competent in their skills required for their job role and use of specific equipment. No longer is holding a ticket or qualification enough for an employer to judge if an individual is current to operate effectively in employment.

Assessments include theory questions, verbal questioning and visual observational/demonstration one-on-one.

Participants must provide their trade papers, licenses and/or qualifications as a prerequisite to undertaking a VOC. This, along with relevant work documents and/or logbooks will provide a guide to what level of competency the participant should hold.

Each assessment takes approximately a continual 4-8 hours; dependent on the occupation or job role and on type of plant and /or requirement of employer/site. A general rule is no more than 8 people in a typical work shift (12 hours), this is to ensure all candidates and the required documents are meeting to the required standards.

The Client (individual or employer) will receive an assessment summary that can be used as evidence for currency and can be kept with resume, training records, etc. ATC will issue a statement of verification stating the VOC conducted.

The Client (individual or employer) will be advised of any additional/gap training required before any further assessment could be conducted. ATC can issue required training manuals, readings and gap training to help the candidate in achieving competency upon request.

Please feel free to contact us anytime for further information about our great range of services, courses on offer or what training your company may need to minimise risks in the workplace, current WHS needs or to maintain current industry best practise and compliance.