Competency
Competency is verified ability to do a task safely — typically demonstrated through training (qualification or licence) plus practical assessment. Competency is the evidence behind "trained and assessed", a phrase that recurs through WHS regulations.
Legal context
Competency under WHS is more than a training certificate. It typically requires three elements: (1) underpinning knowledge (a qualification or training course), (2) demonstrated practical skill (an assessment by a competent assessor), and (3) maintenance (refresher training, currency of licence, recency of use). High-Risk Work Licences (HRWL) for forklifts, cranes, dogging, rigging, scaffolding and confined-space supervision are statutory competencies issued by the regulator. Trade qualifications, industry-specific tickets (working at heights, EWP, traffic management) and internal task authorisations all sit in the competency layer. A competency register maps every required competency to every role and every worker, with expiry tracking.
Where this shows up in RAE IQ
Related terms
Induction
An induction is the structured introduction of a worker (or contractor) to a workplace before they start work: site rules, emergency procedures, hazards, PPE, supervisory chain, sign-on. Induction is a precondition for being allowed to work on most managed sites.
Training matrix
A training matrix is the cross-tabulation of workers (rows) against required training and competencies (columns), with completion dates, expiry dates and gap status in the cells. It is the operational evidence behind "trained and assessed".
Permit to work
A permit to work is a formal authorisation document for a specific high-risk task in a specific location for a defined time window. Hot work, confined-space entry, energised electrical work, working at height, excavation and isolation/lockout typically require a PTW.
Platform pillars
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47 WHS and HSWA terms with legal context, FAQs and regulator references.