Description

Pre-Requisites

Application of Unit

This competency applies to operators who may be called upon to control small incidents in the workplace.

It includes:

• fires of the A,B,C,D,E and F classes
• fuel and other spills
• process overheating
• equipment failure.

The person would:

• safely use first response equipment and coordinate with other actions
• operate incident equipment
• report the use of incident equipment
• mark or position incident equipment to indicate that it has been used and requires servicing.

Generally the person would be part of a team during an incident response. However, he/she may be required to take independent action. At all times they would be liaising and cooperating with other members of the team.

Performance Criteria

1. Evaluate the incident
1.1 Recognise an incident has occurred or is about to occur.
1.2 Assess the incident for type of response and the likely effectiveness of first response action.
1.3 Identify the hazards arising from the incident.
1.4 Raise the alarm and seek assistance as required.
1.5 Select appropriate response to control incident.
1.6 Determine hazard control measures to be employed.
1.7 Recommend evacuation if appropriate.

2. Control the incident.
2.1 Maintain personal safety at all times.
2.2 Confine the incident to the area of origin where possible.
2.3 Select appropriate equipment to control incident.
2.4 Use equipment in accordance with procedures.
2.5 Clear and secure the incident area.
2.6 Monitor the incident and surrounding conditions and modify response as appropriate.
2.7 Handover to specialist incident response personnel as appropriate.

3. Conclude the incident control.
3.1 Report the use of equipment according to procedures.
3.2 Mark or position incident control equipment after use to indicate it requires servicing or replacing.
3.3 Participate in incident debrief and reporting in accordance with procedures.

Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Context

This unit applies to all sectors of the industry.

This unit will assist individuals to meet some of their obligations under the relevant State/Territory legislation. Responsibility for appropriate contextualisation and application of the unit to ensure compliance however, remains with the individual organisation.

Organisations within the Chemical, Hydrocarbons and Oil Refining industries may find themselves falling under the provisions of various Major Hazard Facilities legislation. In developing this unit consideration has been given to the requirements of Sections 8 and 9 of the National Standard for the Control of Major Hazard Facilities [NOHSC:1014(2002)] and the National Code of Practice for the Control of Major Hazard Facilities [NOHSC:2016(1996)].

Procedures

All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.

Procedures include all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards.

All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.

Tools and equipment

This competency includes use of equipment and tools such as:

• fire doors
• fire sprinkler systems
• fire alarm systems
• First Aid kits
• fire extinguishers
• hose reels
• smoke vents
• spill control kits.

Problems

'Respond to routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems'. Typical process and product problems may include:

• determining the nature and size of the incident
• predicting the incident's likely development
• lack of support in an incident
• inappropriate or lack of a means of escape
• lack of availability of control equipment or facilities.

Evidence Guide

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Assessment will occur using a simulation and will be undertaken in a work-like environment.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit. These may include the ability to:

• correctly respond to incident situations
• implement appropriate action.

Emphasis should be on the ability to stay ahead of the problem rather than to have to take drastic action in order to recover the situation.

Consistent performance should be demonstrated. For example, look to see that:

• the incident is evaluated appropriately
• an appropriate response to the incident, and appropriate response equipment, is selected
• the safety of persons is given the highest priority
• actions taken are effective and do not cause escalation or other incidents
• all reporting is completed in accordance with procedures.

These assessment activities should cover a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations which may have been generated from past workplace incident history, incidents in similar workplaces around the world, hazard analysis activities and/or similar sources.

Assessment method and context

A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria and skills and knowledge.

Competence in this unit may be assessed:

• in an appropriate, industrial scenario
• in a situation allowing the generation of evidence of the ability to respond to problems
• by using a suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios
• through a combination of these techniques.

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge and theoretical assessment will be combined with appropriate practical/simulation or similar assessment. Assessors need to be aware of any cultural issues that may affect responses to questions.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.

Specific resources for assessment

This section should be read in conjunction with the Range Statement for this unit of competency. Resources required include suitable access to an operating plant or equipment that allows for appropriate and realistic simulation. A bank of case studies/scenarios and questions will also be required to the extent they form part of the assessment method. Questioning may take place either in the workplace, or in an adjacent, quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom. No other special resources are required.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Required skills

This unit requires the ability to recognise and respond to the signs of an incident and communicate to relevant people as part of the response.

Writing is required to the level of completing required workplace forms and reports.

Numeracy is required to respond to relevant incident data.

Required knowledge

The knowledge referred to in the Evidence Guide for this unit includes:

• classification of fires and incidents
• limitations of first response equipment
• situations that must not be responded to because of the risk to life
• the hazards involved with first response action
• understanding relevant workplace procedures
• selecting appropriate first response equipment
• understanding the theory of fire and other relevant incidents.

Competence also includes the ability to isolate the causes of problems within the incident response system and to be able to distinguish between causes of problems indicated by:

• damage to first response equipment
• exceeding the limitations of use of incident control equipment or facilities
• inappropriate actions when first response action is undertaken
• inadequacies in facilities that may be used to confine emergencies
• inappropriately identifying the type of incident
• the incorrect use of equipment.