Qualification details

Release 1.  This is the first release of this qualification in the PUA - Public Safety Training Package.

The PUA30919 Certificate III in Public Safety (Biosecurity Emergency Response Operations) provides individuals with the skills and knowledge to work in a biosecurity emergency response. Pests and diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Australia pose a risk to the economy, environment and community. Biosecurity involves the mitigation and management of these risks.

The role of a biosecurity emergency responder is to carry out actions within a biosecurity emergency response to an animal, plant, aquatic, environmental or other biosecurity threat. Biosecurity emergency responder's duties may include activities in the field and/or working in an operations centre (the term operations centre is used in accordance with the Biosecurity Incident Management System).

This qualification includes the units of competency required by biosecurity emergency responders to work safely and effectively as part of a response team. The range of activities that may be performed include contributing to response planning, implementing disease or pest surveillance and associated sampling protocols, ensuring effective quarantine and movement controls and undertaking disease or pest control procedures at infected premises.

Individuals will demonstrate autonomy and judgement whilst following instructions in known and stable contexts within established parameters.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

A total of 10 units of competency comprising

• 5 core units  listed below; plus
• 5 elective units  from the general elective units listed

Choose a minimum of 3 elective units from the list below

Select the remaining 2 elective units from the elective unit list below or elsewhere within this training package or another endorsed training package or accredited course.

All elective units selected from outside this qualification must be from an equivalent qualification level or higher and must contribute to the vocational outcome of the qualification.

Elective units selected from outside the qualification must not duplicate content already covered by units in this qualification.

Where imported units are selected, care must be taken to ensure that all prerequisite units specified are complied with.

Where a prerequisite is attached to a unit it is identified by the symbol ∟ .

Core units  

AHCBER301

Work effectively in an emergency disease or plant pest response

PUACOM001

Communicate in the workplace

PUACOM003

Manage information

PUATEA001

Work in a team

PUAWHS001

Follow defined work, health and safety policies and procedures

General elective units 

PUABIO001

Conduct planning in a biosecurity emergency response

PUAEQU001

Prepare, maintain and test response equipment

PUAOPE013

Operate communications systems and equipment

PUAOPE015

Conduct briefings and debriefings

PUAOPE020

Lead a crew

PUASES012

Work as a team member in an emergency operations centre

AHCBIO202

Follow site quarantine procedures

AHCBIO302

Identify and report unusual disease or plant pest signs

AHCBER303

Carry out emergency disease or plant pest control procedures at infected premises

AHCBER304

Carry out movement and security procedures

AHCBER402

Carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest

AHCNAR302

Collect and preserve biological samples

PSPGEN038

Identify and treat risks

This qualification replaces and is not equivalent to PUA33112 Certificate III in Public Safety (Biosecurity Response Operations)