Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work effectively in a business continuity context.

This unit requires an awareness of the organisation's overall business continuity management framework and participation in activities related to the business continuity management framework.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit is for individuals working in administrative and/or support roles who require a basic knowledge of the processes relating to the organisation's business continuity requirements.

Business continuity awareness and planning help the organisation to identify barriers and/or interruptions and to determine how the organisation will achieve critical business objectives (even at diminished capacity) until full functionality is restored.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the business continuity management framework

1.1. Access the business continuity management framework, and related policies and procedures

1.2. Analyse the key elements of the business continuity management framework within the organisation  to determine their impact

1.3. Within work role authority, contribute to the review of the business continuity management framework, policies and procedures

1.4. Participate in emergency response and business continuity management framework training and exercises  as required

2. Support the organisation's business continuity strategies

2.1. Demonstrate an awareness of internal and external risk  context relevant to the organisation

2.2. Review and provide feedback on the outcomes of the business impact assessment /s 

2.3. Participate in risk treatment  reviews

2.4. Identify and record the organisation's emergency response , continuity and recovery strategies 

2.5. Identify own role and responsibility within the organisation's business continuity plan /s 

2.6. Identify and report to management on any new or emerging risk  or incident 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication and teamwork skills to:

• provide feedback to appropriate personnel about the business continuity management framework and strategies
• read, write and understand a variety of workplace documents
• work effectively with diverse individuals and groups

• learning skills to participate in training activities and to improve own knowledge and skills about business continuity management
• planning and organising skills to identify risk factors and to take action to minimise risk according to level of responsibility
• problem-solving skills to appropriately address identified risks treatments (within ownlevel of responsibility)
• research and data collection skills to monitor and evaluate risks
• technology skills to use the organisation's data and information management systems

Required knowledge 

• Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4360:2004Risk Management
• Australian/New ZealandStandard HandbookAS/NZS HB221:2004 Business Continuity Management
• organisation's policies and procedures, including business continuity strategies
• overall operations of the organisation, including existing data and information systems
• relevant legislation and regulations that impact on business continuity, such as OHS, environment, duty of care, contract, company, freedom of information, industrial relations, privacy and confidentiality, due diligence, records management

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.

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

• demonstrated understanding of own role in relation to wider business continuity requirements in the organisation
• demonstrated understanding of risk and the business continuity management framework processes and policies as they apply in the organisation
• participation in contributing to improving business continuity management framework processes within the organisation

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to workplace documentation relating to risk management
• access to business continuity management framework, business impact assessments and strategies

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the participant
• review of documentation outlining risk context and organisation's processes and outcomes
• work based projects or case studies
• scenarios
• oral or written questioning to assess basic knowledge of Australian standards for risk management and business continuity

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

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.

Organisation  may include:

• commercial enterprises
• community
• government
• non-commercial enterprises
• not-for-profit
• religious organisations

Exercises  may include:

• drills
• scenario planning

Risk  may include:

• aeronautical
• armed hold-up
• biological
• chemical
• civil disturbance
• disability/death of key person
• economic
• electronic
• erosion
• explosion
• fire
• fraud
• hazardous materials
• industrial accident
• infrastructure failure
• market failure
• natural disaster
• operational collapse - insolvency
• pandemic
• pollution
• privacy and confidentiality
• radiological/nuclear
• robbery and/or major vandalism
• sabotage
• structure failure
• terrorism
• transport accident
• war
• water
• weather/climate change

Business impact assessment /s  may include:

• breach/reduction of customer service standards
• cost/impact on existing and/or increased finance
• escalating losses over time
• impact of loss of business/resources
• loss of revenue
• potential fines/penalties/litigation costs
• reputation/brand damage
• statutory/regulatory breaches

Risk treatment  may include:

• activating evacuation plan
• activating lock down procedures
• activating workplace emergency management plan
• personnel working from home
• relocation of facilities
• resource replacement
• temporarily suspending activities
• transferring activities

Emergency response strategies  may include:

• contact lists to report incident/s
• documentation/reporting/recording procedures
• evacuation plan
• location of evacuation assembly point
• lockdown procedures
• names and responsibilities of wardens
• personnel instructions for evacuation
• process for accounting for personnel
• workplace emergency management plan

Continuity strategies  may include:

• action required to resume critical business activities
• contact lists of critical personnel and stakeholders
• counselling
• critical business activities and prioritisation of when they can/need to resume
• list of resources
• relocation to alternative worksite
• resource replacement
• treatment for critical business activities

Recovery strategies  may include:

• damage assessment
• process for assessing loss and filing insurance claims
• relocation of business to original location
• salvage and restoration of records, infrastructure and premises

Business continuity plan /s  may include:

• introduction
• organisational details
• objectives
• purpose
• critical business functions
• assumptions
• processes
• activation and stand down
• responsibility
• version control and maintenance
• operational requirements
• critical success factors
• interdependencies
• outage times
• compliance
• people
• structure
• roles and responsibilities
• contact details
• continuity arrangements
• accommodation
• resources
• workarounds and alternative solutions
• continuity management tasks
• communications
• other plans

Emerging risk  may include:

• act of god
• civil unrest
• communication with third party, e.g. phone call of bomb threat
• environmental - human
• insufficient finance
• insufficient insurance
• news bulletins
• pandemic
• terrorist

Incident  may include:

• biological contamination
• chemical exposure
• detection of any of the risks as listed previously
• fire
• flood

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Industry Capability - Continuity

Co-requisite units