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Bluetron is your partner in workplace safety
Verification of Competency (VOC)
Bluetron is one of the first organisations to provide VOC services anywhere in Australia* including Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) VOC for a large range of plant and equipment.
Your staff, or potential staff, all have a set of skills that they have acquired through training or work experience. They should be able to transfer or apply those skills to your workplace, if not, then there will be a need for further training. VOC is about being pro-active rather than re-active to identify competency levels and gaps in competency that can be rectified through relevant training to ensure your workplace is safe and on the cutting edge of quality.
VOC is not just for persons working in the Mining, Resources or Construction Sectors. You, as a Person in Control of 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 all types of work for example; cleaners, taxi drivers, sales reps, point of sale, storepersons, admin staff, trades assistants, tradespersons, plant and machinery operators.
Our specialist VOC areas include, but are not limited to:
Load Shifting:
LL Front-end Loader
LB Front-end Loader/Backhoe
LS Front-end Loader of the Skid-steer Type
LE Excavator
LF Forklift Truck
LO Order Picking Forklift Truck
Scaffolding:
SB Basic Scaffolding
SI Intermediate Scaffolding
SA Advanced Scaffolding
Dogging and Rigging:
DG Dogging
RB Basic Rigging
RI Intermediate Rigging
RA Advanced Rigging
Cranes:
C1 Slewing Mobile Crane (up to 100 tonnes)
C6 Slewing Mobile Crane (up to 60 tonnes)
C2 Slewing Mobile Crane (up to 20 tonnes)
CN Non-Slewing Mobile Crane (greater than 3 tonnes)
CV Vehicle Loading Crane (10 metre tonnes or more)
CB Bridge and Gantry Crane Operation
CT Tower Crane
Hoists:
HM Materials Hoist (Cantilever Platform)
HP Personnel and Materials Hoist
WP Boom Type Elevating Work Platform (Boom length 11 metres or more)
Your skills must remain current and you will have to prove this to new employers or prior to starting work on large projects. We not only conduct an assessment of your skills, we record it for you in your Skills Portfolio and issue you with a Blue Card as lasting proof of your assessment.
Blue Card:
Skills Portfolio:
Our Specialist Assessors
Drawn from industry and government, including TAFE, Construction, Transport & Logistics, Military and OH&S Inspectorates (WHS QLD and ACT WorkCover) our Assessors, each have over 10 years industry experience in training and assessment, hold TAA 40104/TAE 40110 qualifications, Lead Auditor and High Risk Work Licences and are experienced assessors (Workplace Health & Safety Queensland, NSW WorkCover and WorkSafe ACT Accredited Assessors).
Why do we need VOC?
To ensure a controlled work environment, a gatekeeper is required, the gatekeeper is used to ensure only competent persons are employed and do not place themselves or others at risk. Verification of Competency is your gatekeeper.
Australia's new WHS legislation coming in on 1 January 2012 requires that training is relevant to the workplace. If someone starts work with you or goes away to do a course, how do you ensure that their training is relevant?
The National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work and OH&S Duty of Care obligations requires employers engaging individuals to perform high risk work, to provide additional training, instruction and information on the equipment operation, hazards, risks and control measures relevant to their workplace. This is also reflected in the safety duties of Persons in Control of a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) in the new National WHS Act 2012 [Section 19(3)(c) provision and maintenance of safe systems of work, and Section 19(3)(f) provision of information, training, instruction or supervision] this is also a requirement of Regulation 39 of the new National WHS Regulation 2012 effective 01 January 2012.
We 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 Safety Analysis (JSA) documentation.
The Bluetron VOC program is a five part process:
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 - Blue Card issued and VOC Documented, a report of results provided to candidate and employer
Part E - Refresher Training where competency is not achieved
The Bluetron VOC Program is essential for:
- Employers engaging new staff
- FIFO sub-contractor management
- Return to work programs
- Labour Hire Companies
- Employment Agencies
- Individuals who have had their Certificate of Competency Expire
- Individuals With Licences to Perform High Risk Work
VOC is your ticket to a safer and efficient workforce. Bluetron's VOC program provides lasting proof of your training.
We document the whole process and provide the employer with written evidence, the individual with a durable PVC Card and also record this in the individual's Skills Portfolio. Our system is backed by relevant and reliable competency standards designed to meet your obligations for training and risk control relevant to hazards on your site and in your workplace.
Our VOC audit process confirms the level of compliance to site/project VOC requirements and identifies areas of non-compliance (commonly referred to as Gaps in Competency). Once identified, our programs provide a range of strategies to address the identified areas of concern. Refresher training is one of the most popular methods.
How competent are your company's operators?
Everyone gets a bit rusty over time, maybe they were taught by someone who didn't have a full grasp of key concepts or new safety and legislative requirements, maybe your workplace has changed, or new equipment has been purchased, or maybe your operators have developed bad habits.
The problem is, productivity, equipment damage, maintenance costs, and worse still, safety, may be compromised. It is a legal responsibility to ensure sufficient information, instruction and training of employees - are you able to provide evidence of this?
In addition to VOC, Bluetron Pty Ltd 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.
Our very popular refresher program is a multi-tiered approach. In short, the program involves VOC (initial skills assessment) on site in your workplace anywhere in Australia* where issues are identified and rectified with the operator straight away. This is followed up with a written report that can be used to track progress and efficiency. If an operator fails to meet the minimum required standard, we provide Theory and practical training to address the gaps in skills or knowledge competency levels.
The program can be used to pass on information, or train operators in new workplace procedures or processes and can also be used to implement a site specific permit system and provide evidence of compliance with the requirement for employers to ensure training.
We have had great success in improving forklift truck operator efficiency through this program with large companies in Queensland, that have gone on to adopting the program as an in-house safety initiative, some have combined it with a skills competition. In 2010 we focused on rolling out Forklift Operator Skills Assessments in Canberra, as part of a workplace safety initiative to improve productivity and forklift safety in all industries within the ACT. One of our assessors is regularly involved in judging at the National Forklift Championships.
Plant Operator VOC
Apart from VOC of plant operators that hold Licences to Perform High-Risk Work, we also conduct VOC for items of plant that do not require licensing:
Backhoes
Front-End Loaders
Skid-steer Loaders
Excavators
Rollers
Scrapers
Graders
Dozers
Haul Trucks
Pedestrian Operated Forklifts
Ride-on Pallet Trucks
Pallet Trucks
Stock Chasers
Bridge Cranes
Vehicle Loading Cranes
Scissor Lifts
Telescopic Handlers
Mobile Aluminium Scaffold (height less than 4 Metres)
Since the removal of the requirement for Certificates of Competency for certain types of Load Shifting Equipment, we now offer VOC Blue Cards for LL, LB, LS and LE to satisfy the requirement for PCBUs to ensure training for persons on site.
Assessment is conducted against national criteria which includes practical performance and checks of log book entries and supervisor verification. Upon successful completion, the Skills Portfolio is updated, a report is provided to the Employer and a plastic card indicating areas assessed, is issued to the candidate.
You can contact us:
 
By telephone: +61 2 6262 2557 By email: admin@bluetron.com.au
* Conditions apply
© Copyright Bluetron Pty Ltd - 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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