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

This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to lead a facility emergency response team in the control of an emergency in its' early stages prior to the arrival of emergency services and/or specialist response teams. It includes leading an emergency response team by preparing the team for a facility emergency, coordinating the response to control a facility emergency, communicating with and coordinating personnel and leading a team's recovery from a facility emergency.

This unit has been developed to cover the facilities as considered in Australian Standard (AS) 3745 and AS4083. For this unit, as covered by AS3745 and/or AS4083, occupants are people attending a facility on a permanent or temporary basis such as an employee, contractor, student or resident, but not a visitor or patient and a facility is a building, structure or workplace that is, or may be, occupied by people (occupants).

All aspects of the unit must be undertaken in accordance with legislative requirements, organisational policies and procedures, and accepted safe practices. It applies to team leaders of a facility emergency team.

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

PUAFER009 Participate as a member of a facility emergency initial response team

Facility Emergency Response

Public Safety

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1  

Establish and maintain emergency response teams 

1.1 

Role, authority, structure and scope of emergency response team is negotiated with management of the facility and is documented in facility emergency response procedures

1.2 

A system for alerting emergency response team members to an emergency is developed, demonstrated and regularly tested

1.3 

A business plan and budget are developed and maintained for the emergency response team

1.4 

Facility emergency systems and procedures are audited for compliance with industry standards, codes and/or regulations

2 

Provide information and develop procedures 

2.1 

A risk assessment of emergency response team's expected activities is conducted, in accordance with industry standards, codes and/or regulations

2.2 

Hazards are identified and controls are developed and implemented, in accordance with industry standards, codes and/or regulations

2.3 

Information is provided to the emergency response team about its role, authority, structure, scope, equipment and training requirements

2.4 

Facility emergency response procedures are developed and provided to emergency response teams and other appropriate personnel and are regularly reviewed

2.5 

Pre-incident planning information about layout of the facility and key features relevant to potential emergencies is provided to the emergency response team

2.6 

Suitably qualified and competent emergency planners are consulted

2.7 

Members of the emergency response team and emergency control organisation are consulted about and encouraged to participate in the development and review of facility emergency procedures

3 

Make recommendations for provision of emergency equipment and manage its maintenance 

3.1 

Recommendations are made for the acquisition of emergency equipment appropriate to the role and scope of the emergency response team

3.2 

Safe operating procedures, based on risk assessments and manufacturers' instructions, are developed and communicated to the emergency response team

3.3 

Arrangements are made for the storage of emergency equipment in a location that is safe, convenient and readily accessible to the emergency response team

3.4 

Arrangements are made to ensure emergency equipment is maintained, in accordance with industry standards and/or manufacturers' instructions

3.5 

Personal protective clothing and equipment and information about its characteristics, limitations, safe use and care are provided to each member of the emergency response team

4 

Arrange training for  emergency response teams 

4.1 

Training and assessment is arranged before personnel are assigned to emergency response duties

4.2 

Training is arranged, based on needs analysis, to ensure currency of competence

4.3 

Arrangements are made for scheduling, promoting, reporting and recording of training, in accordance with facility emergency response procedures

4.4 

Feedback on performance, during training, is used to validate and improve training delivery, processes and procedures

5 

Monitor and report on emergency response team 

5.1 

Emergency response team is audited and reviewed for relevance and ability to implement emergency response systems

5.2 

Status of the emergency response team and emergency control system is reported to the emergency planning committee, in accordance with facility emergency response procedures

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

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

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUAWER010B Lead a facility emergency initial response team.

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

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

• applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• communicating with and coordinating personnel
• completing reports
• complying with legislation, industry standards, codes of practice and regulations
• coordinating response to control an emergency in a facility
• coordinating use of emergency equipment safely under emergency conditions
• leading a safe and prompt response to a facility emergency
• leading team's recovery from a facility emergency
• preparing team for an emergency in a facility
• selecting, implementing and coordinating safe actions by the team
• supporting responding emergency services and/or specialist response teams
• taking on a leadership role including giving clear directions under emergency conditions, making decisions appropriate to the situation and keeping others informed
• undertaking pre-incident planning
• using communication skills during emergencies
• working with other response teams

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and includes knowledge of

• alarm systems and associated equipment
• dynamic risk assessment
• equipment operating characteristics, limitations, precautions and general care
• facility emergency management plans and emergency response procedures
• fire safety features in buildings
• hazards and precautions
• how people react in emergency situations
• legislation, industry standards, codes of practice and regulations
• management of contingencies
• organisational documentation, policies and procedures
• other response teams
• personal protective clothing and equipment
• pre-incident planning including contingency plans, sketches, notes about facility layout, features, hazards and emergency control facilities, discussions and/or use of operational procedures involving emergency plans, sketches, notes, procedures or Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
• priorities and strategies for a general emergency
• procedures for responding to alarms
• roles, responsibilities and authority of attending emergency services personnel
• situational awareness
• survival, rescue and recovery procedures
• tactics for safely handling specific emergencies
• Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements

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 industry approved 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
• relevant and appropriate materials, equipment, tools and personal protective clothing and equipment currently used in industry including

• emergency initial response equipment

• applicable documentation including organisational policies, facility emergency plan, facility emergency response procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.