Verification of Competency (VOC) Check

A Verification of Competency (VOC) is an assessment that confirms a worker can safely operate a specific machine, or do a specific task, to the standard your site expects. It is carried out by a qualified assessor, usually from an RTO or the employer's own training team, and it is recorded on a VOC certificate or assessment record. A VOC is not a licence and has no single national format.

Mine sites, civil contractors and labour hire firms ask for VOCs because a training ticket shows someone passed a course, sometimes years ago, while a VOC shows they were recently assessed on the actual equipment. Many sites want both: the nationally recognised ticket, such as an RII plant operator ticket, and a current VOC for the machine the worker will run. Where a licence is legally required, for example a High Risk Work Licence for a forklift or crane, a VOC sits on top of the licence and never replaces it.

How to check a worker's VOC

1. Ask for the VOC record itself, not a line on a resume. It should name the worker, the machine or plant type, the assessor or issuing organisation and the date of the assessment.
2. Check that the machine on the VOC matches the work. A VOC for a 20-tonne excavator says nothing about a dozer or a loader.
3. Look at the date. VOCs have no legislated expiry, but most sites only accept a VOC from the last year or so, or one done on their own site.
4. Keep a copy with the worker's file so you can show it at an audit.

With RefChecks you send the request and the worker uploads their VOC from their phone. We read the document, record the machine or plant type, assessor and assessment date in the worker's report, and flag anything that doesn't add up for review. Order it from Background Checks in your account, on any plan.