Verification of competency

What it is, and what it isn't

A VOC is not a licence and it is not a new qualification. It does not replace a high risk work licence. It is evidence, on a set date, that an operator was watched doing the work and did it to standard.

An assessor checks the operator's existing tickets, asks questions about the machine and the hazards, then watches them run it through real tasks.

Why companies need them

• Work health and safety law puts the duty on the business to make sure its workers are competent. A ticket from years ago does not prove that on its own.
• Most mine sites, oil and gas sites and major construction projects will not let an operator through the gate without a current VOC.
• Skills fade. Someone who has not been on an excavator for two years is not the same operator they were.
• If there is an incident, a VOC is a record that the business checked before putting that person on the machine.

When to get one done

• New starters, before they go on the tools
• Before mobilising a crew to a new site or client
• When someone moves onto a different make, model or size of machine
• After a long break from operating
• After an incident or near miss
• Whenever the site or client asks for it. Many set their own expiry, so check what yours requires.