This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to establish and maintain a sterile area at a security controlled airport with screened air services, in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and national operating standards.

It includes establishing sterile areas, recognising and reporting a breach, and completing required documentation.

This unit addresses aviation technical skill requirements (physical, mental and task-management abilities) related to aviation security duties of ground operations personnel, and contributes to safe and effective performance in complex aviation operational environments.

Operations are conducted as part of recreational, commercial and military aircraft activities across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Work is performed independently or under limited supervision as a single operator or within a team environment.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Use for Defence Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders, Instructions, Publications and Regulations.

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Establish sterile area 

1.1

Sterile areas are established as required in accordance with workplace procedures

1.2

Sterile areas are re-established following a breach, evacuation or equipment failure as required, in accordance with workplace procedures

2 

Recognise and report a breach 

2.1

Breaches or potential breaches of sterile areas are recognised

2.2

Breaches or potential breaches are reported to designated personnel in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

2.3

Information about breaches or potential breaches is collected in accordance with workplace procedures

2.4

Nature of breaches or potential breaches is determined in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

2.5

Appropriate action is taken in a breach in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

3 

Complete required documentation 

3.1

Record of actions taken to establish and/or re-establish a sterile area are completed, in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

3.2

Records of a breach, potential breach, evacuation or equipment failure in a sterile area are completed, in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

3.3

Written reports of a breach, potential breach, evacuation or equipment failure and related action to re-establish a sterile area, are completed and referred to designated personnel in accordance with the organisation’s transport security program and workplace procedures

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Applicable legislation, regulations and codes must include:

• current Aviation Transport Security Act and
• current Aviation Transport Security Regulations
• notices made under the Act and the Regulations
• organisation’s transport security program

Workplace procedures must include one or more of the following:

• access and equity policies, principles and practices
• applicable legislative requirements and aviation screening notices
• client service standards
• code of conduct or ethics
• communication and reporting procedures
• complaint and dispute resolution procedures
• emergency and evacuation procedures
• employer and employee rights and responsibilities
• equipment use and maintenance
• own role, responsibility and authority
• privacy and confidentiality
• standard operating procedures for screening
• work health safety procedures applicable to aviation security screening

Breaches of a sterile area must include:

• breach at a screening point where there is immediate detection of the unauthorised person/s concerned
• breach at an access point (other than a screening point) where there is immediate detection of the unauthorised person/s concerned
• breach at an access point where the unauthorised person/s concerned is under constant observation
• breach at an access point (other than a screening point) where the unauthorised person/s concerned is under constant observation
• where the unauthorised person/s concerned is not under constant supervision and the area of the breach can be isolated
• where the unauthorised person/s concerned is not under constant supervision and the area of the breach cannot be isolated

Information about breaches or potential breaches must include:

• details and description of the person/s breaching security
• details of the affected area
• estimated number of persons in the affected area
• particulars of the breach including where it occurred
• time of breach

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions on at least one occasion and include:

• communicating effectively with others
• identifying and correctly using relevant equipment
• identifying and establishing a sterile area at an airport in accordance with workplace procedures
• modifying activities depending on workplace contingencies, risk situations and environments
• planning, organising and monitoring work activities providing leadership and working collaboratively with others
• reading, clarifying and applying the Act, regulations and workplace procedures as they relate to the establishment of a sterile area at an airport and its re-establishing following either an intentional or unintentional breach, evacuation or equipment failure
• reporting and/or rectifying problems, faults or malfunctions promptly, in accordance with workplace procedures
• taking appropriate initiative with the organisation’s standard operating procedures
• using appropriate communications equipment
• using appropriate customer service skills
• using correct recording system, accurately report on a breach, evacuation or equipment failure and when establishing and maintaining a sterile area at an airport.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions and include knowledge of:

• action to be taken in a breach, evacuation or equipment failure in a sterile area and its subsequent re-establishment
• aviation transport security program procedures and policies applicable to establishing a sterile area at an airport and its re-establishment following an intentional or unintentional breach, evacuation or equipment failure
• breach of a sterile area – unauthorised entry of persons or articles into a sterile area
• customer service standards and techniques to be applied when establishing and maintaining a sterile area in an aviation environment
• intentional breach of a sterile area – where person/s causing a breach intended to avoid screening or where there is doubt as to the intention of person/s causing a breach
• notification requirements in a breach of a sterile area, evacuation or equipment failure and subsequent re-establishment of a sterile area
• regulations relevant to establishing a sterile area in an aviation environment and its re-establishment following either an intentional or unintentional breach, evacuation or equipment failure
• reporting requirements as detailed in the organisation’s transport security program
• roles, functions and responsibilities of airport screening personnel for establishing a sterile area in an aviation environment
• site layout, organisational structure and workplace procedures for an aviation transport sterile area and related access, exit and security screening points
• sterile area – a zone established to prevent cleared persons in the zone coming into contact with persons who have not been cleared, and to prevent cleared persons getting access to anything from outside the zone that has not been cleared
• sterile areas to be searched:

• areas accessible to the public such as toilets, concession stands and areas, eating areas, open aerobridges, parenting rooms, gate lounges, passenger lounges
• planter boxes
• rubbish bins
• under seating and tables

• typical issues that may occur when establishing a sterile area at an airport and re-establishing it following either an intentional or unintentional breach, evacuation or equipment failure, and appropriate action that can be taken to resolve and avoid these issues.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• acceptable means of simulation assessment
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals
• relevant materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry.