Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the outcomes required to carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest. Field surveillance teams work under instructions from the control centre.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to personnel who have been appointed or engaged to undertake a role within an emergency disease or plant pest incursion response.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Look for signs of a specific emergency disease or plant pest

1.1. Work instructions from surveillance coordinator or other appropriate authority are received and confirmed.

1.2. Signs of an emergency disease or plant pest are identified, appropriate samples for testing collected, and evidence gathered to support a diagnosis according to relevant standards and protocols.

1.3. Available expertise is accessed to assist in diagnosis, as appropriate.

1.4. Diagnostic samples are collected, handled, packaged and dispatched according to relevant standards and protocols.

2. Respond to an emergency disease or plant pest

2.1. Where signs of an emergency disease or plant pest are found, surveillance coordinator is alerted.

2.2. Appropriate measures are taken to immediately contain emergency disease or plant pest according to instructions from control centre and relevant guidelines.

2.3. Information relevant to management of emergency disease or plant pest outbreak is collected and reported to surveillance coordinator.

2.4. Property owners/persons in charge are given directions and warnings about suspected emergency disease or plant pest.

2.5. Personal decontamination and, where appropriate, decontamination of equipment and vehicles, are conducted according to relevant standards and protocols for emergency disease or plant pest.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• apply relevant standards, protocols and procedures
• solve problems to deal with unexpected issues
• work as part of a team where required
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected, and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• appropriate standards and protocols for the emergency disease or plant pest, such as Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN) or Australian Emergency Plant Pest Response Plan (PLANTPLAN)
• emergency disease or plant pest control procedures
• personal and general decontamination procedures.

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 

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

The critical requirements for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below.

Assessment must confirm one's ability to:

• follow work instructions
• follow biosecurity and decontamination procedures
• communicate findings to supervisor in a timely and accurate manner
• communicate with property owner while observing confidentiality requirements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

For valid assessment, one must have opportunities to participate in exercises, case studies and other real and simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest.

The candidate must also have access to the following resources:

• standards, protocols and procedures, such as:

• AUSVETPLAN or PLANTPLAN

• operational plan and survey plan
• personal protective and decontamination equipment.

Method of assessment 

Assessment for this unit of competency is to be largely practical in nature and will most appropriately be assessed in an emergency disease or plant pest response simulation exercise or in responses to an emergency disease or plant pest incursion.

Guidance information for assessment 

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The skills and knowledge required to carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts, including the ability to deal with unplanned events. For example, this could include work with outbreaks of different emergency diseases or plant pest incursions and with possibly unfamiliar species.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Signs of emergency disease or plant pest may include:

• abnormality
• clinical signs
• high levels of morbidity in populations
• mode of death
• mortalities
• presence of highly specific vectors
• results of post-mortem examinations
• symptoms and decline.

Emergency diseases or plant pests include:

• diseases that may affect animals, fish and other marine animals, including:

• disease that is exotic to Australia
• serious infectious disease of unknown or uncertain cause
• severe outbreak of a known endemic disease that is considered to be of national significance with serious social or trade implications
• variant of an endemic disease

• species, biotype or strain of invertebrate pest or pathogen injurious to plants or plant health.

Relevant standards and protocols may include:

• approved standard operating procedures
• commonwealth, state and territory legislation
• emergency disease or plant pest specific guidelines, such as AUSVETPLAN or PLANTPLAN
• other relevant guidelines for handling an emergency disease or plant pest
• transportation of dangerous goods.

Appropriate measures to contain emergency diseases or plant pests may include:

• decontaminating people, products, materials and premises
• disposing of carcasses or plants and plant products
• implementing movement controls
• notifying appropriate authorities
• quarantining one or more premises.

Relevant information may include:

• clinical signs
• disease history
• epidemiology
• livestock or crop data
• owner/manager contact details
• premises data
• surveillance
• tracing.

Unit sector 

Biosecurity

Co-requisite units 

Competency field