Description

This unit covers the competency required to participate as a member of a workplace emergency initial response team. This team works in conjunction with the emergency control organisation in the control of workplace emergencies in their early stages prior to the arrival of emergency services or specialist response teams.

This unit:

• has been developed to cover the broad range of emergencies and workplaces as considered in Australian Standard 3745—2002
• is part of a suite of eleven workplace emergency response units of competency that has three streams
• is part of the initial response stream

This unit does not cover the competency required for crisis management, recovery or restoration.

Unit Sector

Initial Response

Pre-Requisites

Nil

Performance Criteria

1. Prepare for workplace emergencies
1.1 Emergency equipment assigned for use by the initial response team is stored and maintained in a safe,
accessible and serviceable state
1.2 Current workplace emergency procedures to be used by employees are identified and accessed
1.3 Risk assessment of initial response team activities is undertaken according to workplace procedures
1.4 Initial response team training activities are undertaken according to workplace emergency procedures and relevant legislation

2. Respond to workplace emergencies
2.1 Emergency is responded to according to workplace emergency procedures
2.2 Emergency situation is assessed for hazards and appropriate precautions against those hazards are
implemented
2.3 Identified hazards are reported to people in danger and the initial response team leader
2.4 Instructions from the initial response team leader are confirmed and implemented safely and promptly
2.5 Appropriate equipment is selected and operated according to workplace emergency procedures
2.6 Situation is contained to the extent necessary to prevent an escalation of the emergency and to enable emergency services and specialist response team activity to be completed safely

3. Communicate with and complement other personnel
3.1 Effective communication with initial response team members and initial response team leader is constantly maintained
3.2 Activities are consistent with the initial response team leader’s plan of action and support the work of other initial response team members
3.3 Activities support the actions of other initial response teams
3.4 Any injuries, accidents or near misses involving team members are reported to the team leader

Key Competencies

• Collect, Analyse & Organise Information
• Communicate Ideas & Information
• Plan & Organise Activities
• Work with Others & in Teams
• Use Mathematical Ideas & Techniques
• Solve Problems
• Use Technology

Range Statement

Emergency services or specialist response teams may include:

• Ambulance/medical services
• Coast guard
• Defence workplace response teams
• Fire services
• Organisational specialist response team
• Organisations identified as response or support agencies as defined in the appropriate state/territory and/or commonwealth legislation
• Other external agencies such as hazmat teams, bomb squads, animal rescue services
• Police services
• Relevant state/territory and commonwealth authorities (such as environmental protection)
• Rescue services

Emergencies must include those emergencies identified by the workplace hazard analysis, which may include:

• Animal or livestock emergencies
• Bomb threat
• Building invasion/armed invasion
• Chemical, biological and radiological
• Civil disorder
• Criminal acts
• Cyclones, including storm surge
• Deliberate self-harm
• Earthquake
• Failure of utilities
• Fire
• Flood
• Hazardous substances incidents
• Hostage situations
• Industrial accident
• Letter bomb
• Medical emergency
• Severe weather/storm damage
• Structural instability
• Terrorism
• Transport accident
• Toxic emission
• Veterinary emergencies
• Wildfire

Workplaces include:

• Workplaces, buildings and structures as outlined in Australian Standard 3745—2002

Emergency equipment may include:

• Emergency vehicles, trailers, trolleys or caches
• Fire protection equipment
• Forcible entry tools
• Life support equipment
• Monitors (or turrets)
• Personal protective clothing and equipment
• Rescue equipment
• Spill or leak control kits

Hazards may include:

• Chemical, biological, radiological
• Climatic
• Electrical
• Environmental
• Explosive
• Fire
• Mechanical
• Psychological (eg critical incident stress)
• Noise related
• Security related
• Storm/flood
• Structural
• Thermal
• Wildlife related

Precautions must include:

• Risk controls developed by using the hierarchy of controls, also called the safety decision hierarchy, with the priority being in order of:
  • eliminate the hazard
  • substitute with a lesser hazard
  • isolate the hazard
  • engineer controls i.e. guarding
  • implement procedures to minimise risk
  • use appropriate personal protective equipment

Other initial response teams may include:

• Damage control
• Emergency control organisation
• Fire team
• First aid
• Maintenance
• Security

Evidence Guide

Critical aspects of evidence:

• Assessment must confirm the ability to be prepared for a safe and prompt response to a workplace emergency; to identify hazards and implement appropriate precautions; to use equipment safely and effectively; and to work as a team member safely and effectively under the direction of a workplace emergency initial response team leader

Underpinning knowledge

• Alarm systems and associated equipment
• Appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment
• Concept of dynamic risk assessment
• Equipment operating characteristics, limitations, hazards, precautions, procedures and general care
• General emergency priorities and strategies
• Hazard analysis
• Hazards and the precautions necessary during control activities
• Procedures for responding to alarms
• Survival, rescue and recovery procedures
• Tactics for safely handling specific emergencies
• Workplace emergency procedures

Underpinning skills

• Access and use protective clothing and equipment safely and effectively under emergency conditions
• Communication skills during emergencies
• Care for protective clothing and equipment
• Interpret and respond to alarm systems
• Re-stow initial response equipment

Resource implications

• Access to:
  • scenarios that reflect a range of emergency situations that may be expected in the workplace
  • material safety data sheets
  • workplace register of hazardous substances

Consistency in performance

• Competency should be demonstrated over time with a range of emergencies that could be expected in the workplace, including dealing with plausible contingencies

Context of assessment

• Competency should be assessed in a simulated environment under conditions that safely replicate workplace emergency situations