Free Verification of Competency (Skid Steer Auger Attachment) Template

Purpose of the Free Verification of Competency (Skid Steer Auger Attachment) Template

Using this Free Verification of Competency (Skid Steer Auger Attachment) Template is a practical step for Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) to ensure workers can safely operate this high-risk attachment. While an operator may be competent on the base machine, an auger introduces unique and significant hazards, including striking underground services, entanglement, machine instability, and soil collapse.

This template provides a structured framework for assessing an operator’s knowledge and practical skills, helping you meet your primary duty of care under WHS legislation.

This document is designed to complement, not replace, competency assessments for the base machine. For a comprehensive approach, it should be used in conjunction with a free Skid-Steer Loader VOC (Verification of Competency) Template to ensure all aspects of operation are covered.

This process creates a formal record demonstrating that you have taken steps to verify that operators are competent for the specific tasks they are assigned.

How to Use the Free Verification of Competency (Skid Steer Auger Attachment) Template

This template is provided as a user-friendly DOCX file, allowing for easy customisation to your specific operational needs. A PDF version is also available for straightforward printing and use.

The process involves a competent assessor observing an operator performing tasks with the skid steer and auger in a typical work environment. The assessor uses the checklist to evaluate the operator against critical criteria, including pre-start checks, operational safety, hazard identification (like checking for underground assets), and shutdown procedures.

Important: This document is a template and must be customised. We have designed it as a structured starting point, but you must adapt it to reflect your specific workplace, the models of skid steer and auger you use, your site-specific risks, and your existing Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS).

Integrating this process into a robust WHS management system ensures it becomes a consistent part of your safety practices.

What a Skid Steer Auger VOC Covers

A thorough Verification of Competency for an auger attachment should assess an operator's ability across several key domains. This template prompts evaluation of:

• Pre-Operational Checks: Verifying the condition of the auger flighting, teeth, hydraulic hoses, and attachment locking mechanisms.
• Planning and Hazard Identification: Confirming the operator follows procedures like 'Dial Before You Dig', assesses ground conditions, and establishes exclusion zones.
• Operational Skills: Safely attaching the auger, positioning the machine, controlling the auger's speed and depth, and monitoring for instability or obstructions.
• Emergency Procedures: Demonstrating correct responses to situations like a hydraulic failure or striking an unknown object.
• Shutdown and Detachment: Correctly shutting down the machine, de-pressurising hydraulics, and safely detaching and storing the auger.

The principles of assessing specific, high-risk plant attachments apply across various equipment. Similar detailed assessments are required for other earthmoving tools, as outlined in resources like our Verification of Competency (Mini Excavator) Template.

When to Use This Verification of Competency

A VOC is not a one-time event. It should be conducted at several key points to ensure ongoing safety and competence. Consider using this template:

• Before first use: For any operator, even experienced ones, before they use a skid steer with an auger attachment for the first time at your workplace.
• As part of new worker onboarding: To verify the skills claimed by a new employee or contractor.
• After an incident or near-miss: To identify and correct any gaps in knowledge or performance that may have contributed to the event.
• Following a lengthy absence from the task: If an operator has not used the equipment for an extended period.
• As part of periodic refresher assessments: As a proactive measure to ensure skills have not diminished over time.

This proactive approach helps identify competency drift before it leads to an incident. A scheduled program of verification for all high-risk plant, including equipment like trenchers, is a hallmark of a mature safety system.

You can adapt our Verification of Competency (Trencher) for this purpose.

Who Should Conduct the Assessment

The person conducting the Verification of Competency must be a competent person themselves. This means they must have the requisite knowledge, skills, and experience to operate the skid steer and auger attachment safely and to a high standard.

They should also have experience in training and assessment to be able to fairly judge the operator's performance and provide constructive feedback. This role is often filled by a site supervisor, an experienced operator designated as a trainer, or an external WHS consultant.

The assessor must be confident in their ability to identify both safe and unsafe behaviours. Regular WHS compliance auditing can help identify if your internal verification processes are robust and being carried out by suitably qualified personnel.