Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit deals with recognising and responding to an emerging incident (except for fire) to provide an appropriate first response

Application of the unit 

This competency applies to operators who are required to respond to an incident such as a leak, spill or other incident. The worker is not expected to deal with the emerging incident, but to provide an initial first response in order to contain the incident and/or secure the immediate area in order to minimise resultant damages and loss. In this unit it is assumed that the worker is acting according to established workplace procedures.

Pre-requisite Units 

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Assess level of severity.

1.1. Recognise an incident has occurred or is about to occur.

1.2. Access hazard information as appropriate.

1.3. Assess frequency, duration, actual and potential outcome.

1.4. Evaluate and communicate in a timely and appropriate manner the location, nature and extent of the incident.

2. Undertake routine response to minimise affect of the incident.

2.1. Determine first response requirements to contain the incident or evacuate the affected areas.

2.2. Select the appropriate response from the incident procedures and equipment.

2.3. Apply incident procedures as appropriate.

2.4. Clear and secure the incident area.

2.5. Safely locate, access and operate incident response equipment.

3. Notify responsible authorities.

3.1. Follow incident reporting procedures.

3.2. Identify appropriate authorities and notify.

3.3. Clearly and unambiguously communicate information concerning the incident in a timely manner.

4. Undertake safe evacuation.

4.1. Evacuate the area in a safe and controlled manner when first response has failed to control the incident or has proven inappropriate.

4.2. Secure the immediate area of the incident to ensure no further loss occurs to people, equipment, materials, process and environment.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

Competence includes the ability to apply and explain procedures for:

• identifying hazard and emergency signs and labels
• evacuation of different areas
• operating various pieces of incident response equipment
• communicating details of an incident situation clearly.

Language, literacy and numeracy requirements

• This unit requires the ability to respond to data and information indicating an incident.
• Writing is required to the level of completing required workplace forms and reports.
• Numeracy is required to the level of interpreting and reporting relevant data.

Required knowledge :

• Knowledge and understanding of the incident response procedures and equipment, sufficient to recognise standard and non-standard situations and then determine the appropriate action which is consistent with operating guidelines.
• Knowledge of the relevant OHS and environmental requirements, and organisation standard operating procedures is required along with an ability to implement them in a manner that is relevant to incident response practices.
• Evidence of knowledge of all relevant workplace procedures will include:

• principles of operation of the incident response equipment
• hazards policies and procedures
• incident, fire and accident procedures
• procedures for the use of personal protective clothing and equipment
• organisation standard operating procedures (SOPs).

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.

Assessment will occur with simulated industrial incidents 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:

• recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action
• implement the appropriate corrective action.

The reasoning process behind the problem analysis and determining the required actions should be assessed. The emphasis should be on the ability to minimise the affect of an incident situation.

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

• incident situations are recognised and communicated promptly
• action is taken to ensure that the effects of the incident situation are controlled promptly
• potential to involve others in the incident is recognised and appropriately communicated
• incident procedures are understood and followed.

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies and 'what ifs' as the stimulus with a walk through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and extreme situations that may have been generated from the past incident history of the workplace, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities (eg HAZOP) and similar sources.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment for this unit will be on a processing plant or in a manufacturing environment.

Assessment will require access to an operating plant or manufacturing environment over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

This unit requires a body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of 'what if' scenarios both in the workplace (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the job.

In all cases it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.

In a major hazard facility, it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with:

• PMPOHS200 Participate in workplace safety procedures 
• PMASUP220 Monitor and control environmental hazards .

Method of assessment 

Simulation may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency. Simulation should be based on the actual workplace and will include walk throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.

Guidance information for assessment 

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.

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Codes of practice / standards 

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.

Context 

This competency covers all emerging incidents except for fire.

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 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 as required for the situation such as:

• personal protective equipment such as breathing apparatus
• incident response equipment such as hand held extinguishers, hose reels, fire blankets
• evacuation equipment
• survival equipment
• standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• external personnel such as:

• police
• fire brigade
• ambulance.

Hazards 

Typical hazards include:

• chemicals and hazardous materials
• gases and liquids under pressure
• moving machinery
• materials handling
• working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours.

Problems 

'Respond to routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems'.

Typical process and product problems may include:

• accidents
• chemical or oil spills
• gas leak or vapour emission
• utilities failure
• bomb scares.

Personnel 

Appropriate personnel for OHS referrals may include:

• employer
• supervisor
• employees elected as incident team leader
• other personnel with incident team leader responsibilities.

OHS issues 

OHS issues which may need to be raised by workers with designated personnel may include:

• recognition of different types of emergencies
• problems encountered in control measures and implementation
• observation on injury and/or incident occurred in the workplace.

Required functions 

Required functions include:

• containment of incident, eg chemical/oil spill or gas/vapour leak
• communication with internal and external personnel.

Health , safety and environment  (HSE )

All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment 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.

Unit Sector 

Competency Field 

Co-requisite Units