Verification of Competency (VOC)

Verification of Competency

Verification of Competency (VOC) is a key area that employees need to be aware of.

There are three main reasons why this is the case:

  • New legislation
  • Increased safety
  • Increased productivity
  • Less maintenance costs
  • Less equipment damage

Under the new 2012 National Workplace Health and Safety Legislation introduced on 1st January 2012 a new range of conditions are required. Employers must take reasonable and practical steps to ensure the competency of their staff for the work they perform and the operation of workplace plant and equipment. In summary this is a VOC.

Why Industry Pathways Sentinel Program?

Industry Pathways VOC Sentinel Program can be conducted onsite without interrupting productivity. VOC assessments done while staff are working, eliminate the need for employing temporary replacements and are used to ensure your staff can operate equipment in complete safety.

Industry Pathways VOC Sentinel Program is about being pro-active rather than re-active to identify competency levels and gaps in competency to be rectified through relevant training ensuring your workplace is safe and on the cutting edge of quality. In addition to VOC, Industry Pathways Sentinel can provide you with refresher training to assist you with your duty of care obligations.

VOC is not just for persons working in the Mining, Resources or Construction sectors. You, as a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) can draw upon our team of experienced assessors to have VOC conducted for all persons coming into your workplace.

We cover several different types of work but specialise in conducting VOC for persons operating plant and equipment, whether that plant or equipment requires licensing or not. Our VOC program involves minimal disruption to work flow and is usually conducted on-site against checklists developed using National Competencies and Site Policies and Procedures, including workplace rules/policies, Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and Job Environmental & Safety Analysis (JSA / JEA) documentation.

Why do you need VOC?

  • It is a legal responsibility to ensure sufficient information, instruction and training of employees “� are you able to provide current evidence of this?
  • If someone starts work with you or goes away to do a course, how do you ensure their training is relevant?
  • To ensure a controlled work environment, a sentinel is required, the sentinel is used to ensure only competent persons are employed and do not place themselves or others at risk. Our VOC is your sentinel.

What does the new legislation mean?

The main difference pertaining to the new legislation is the duty of care of the employer is greatly increased. If an accident was to occur on site, the employer would need to show they met their duty of care obligations by doing everything possible to make sure the operator was properly trained, and had the right skills and knowledge to be performing that task at the time the incident occurred.

The Industry Pathways Sentinel Program:

Part A – Challenge testing of underpinning knowledge
Part B – Observation of Practical performance of work
Part C – Validation of experience through documentary evidence
Part D – VOC Documented, a report of results provided to candidate and employer
Part E – Refresher Training where competency is not achieved

VOC is your ticket to a safer and efficient workforce. Industry Pathways` Sentinel VOC program provides lasting proof of your training.

Industry Pathways can provide you with refresher training to assist you with your duty of care obligations regarding information, instruction and training and bring your operators up to standard.

Verification of Competency (VOC)