Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit covers the competency required to gain access to and extricate entrapped casualty/s from a range of industrial and/or domestic incidents while minimising the potential for further injury and preserving the integrity of evidence.

An industrial rescue involves the safe removal of persons who have had an accident in the workplace such as factories, warehouses and building sites. It involves disentanglement from machinery, and extrication from heavy machinery such as cranes. Rescue of occupants trapped in elevators and escalators is also included.

Domestic rescue involves the rescue of occupants trapped in household settings. This includes such things as children with fingers in drain plugs, removal of rings, and persons who are physically incapable of removing themselves from their houses due to ill health.

This unit requires the responder to access entrapped casualties using a range of techniques and to operate specialist equipment to undertake the rescue.

Application of the Unit 

This unit typically applies to a member of a rescue team.

This unit may be customised to suit a range of industrial and/or domestic incidents based on an organisational risk profile.

Pre-requisite Unit /s 

Nil

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a Unit of Competency.

Performance Criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the Required Skills and Knowledge and/or the Range Statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the Evidence Guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Prepare for industrial /domestic rescue 

1.1 Operation and task information  is obtained and assessed upon call out to domestic or  industrial rescue incident 

1.2 Based on incident information, appropriate rescue resources  are identified, selected, received and checked to ensure they are ready for use

1.3 Personal protective equipment  (PPE ) and clothing  are selected based on type of industrial or domestic equipment involved

1.4 Systematic approach  to identifying potential hazards and associated risks  is undertaken en route and on approach to the incident

2. Establish and maintain rescue scene safety 

2.1 Communication  and ongoing liaison with heavy vehicle rescue team members on site is established

2.2 Liaison with other relevant personnel  is established and maintained

2.3 Rescue scene reconnaissance  and size up is conducted

2.4 Situational  and environmental hazards  are identified, analysed, evaluated and treated , marked and monitored

2.5 Rescue team is positioned taking into account potential dangers , requirements for personnel and vehicles to access the scene , and limitations of operating equipment 

2.6 Safe work area is established to protect casualties, emergency services personnel and members of the public

2.7 Preventative action is taken to minimise the risk of fire or other potential hazards, where required

2.8 Impact effects on occupancy areas  and potential effects on casualties  are assessed

2.9 Techniques and equipment are employed to stabilise the occupancy area  and to make the incident site safe

2.10 Scene lighting is established to reduce hazards associated with the type of incident

2.11 Specialist rescue resources are accessed based on an assessment of the incident

3. Manage casualties 

3.1 Hygiene precautions  are implemented in accordance with organisational requirements

3.2 Techniques and equipment are used to gain access to entrapped casualties  within the occupancy area/s

3.3 Primary survey  of casualty is undertaken to determine injury type and severity

3.4 Injuries are confirmed that may complicate removal of casualty from the occupancy area and appropriate action is taken

3.5 In the event of multiple casualties, triage assessment is undertaken to determine priorities for medical treatment and for extrication

3.6 Need for additional personnel and/or specialist equipment is requested

3.7 Support is provided to medical personnel assisting with the treatment of the entrapped person/s as required

4. Extricate casualty /s 

4.1 Casualty/s are protected from injury during extrication

4.2 Treatment of located casualty /s  is undertaken in consultation with medical personnel and in accordance with organisational policies

4.3 Access plans are determined with consultation team leader, medical staff and other technical specialists

4.4 Rescue techniques and equipment used by the rescue team take into account the features of the occupancy area including materials and design elements that may impact on the extrication

4.5 Casualty/s are removed  using recognised techniques and equipment

5. Carry out rescue operations 

5.1 Liaison is undertaken with primary response team and other relevant personnel

5.2 Additional technical equipment is employed to make incident scene safe

5.3 Procedures are implemented to protect casualty/s from further injury or discomfort during access and removal

5.4 Access path is provided for the removal of casualty/s using appropriate rescue techniques and equipment

5.5 Scene is preserved  for investigating officer/s

6. Conclude rescue operations 

6.1 Equipment is recovered , cleaned and serviced  according to manufacturers' guidelines and organisational standards

6.2 Signs and symptoms of operational stress  in self and others are reported to relevant personnel

6.3 Operational debrief  is attended and documentation  is completed to organisational standards

6.4 Exposure records  are completed

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required Skills 

• communication
• conduct a primary survey
• decision making
• extricate casualties safely
• identify symptoms of physical/emotional stress
• solve problems
• use rescue equipment
• wear PPE and clothing in accordance with organisational requirements
• work within the organisation's command and control structure

Required Knowledge 

• available equipment and equipment function
• emergency care
• hygiene procedures
• manufacturer's operational guidelines
• operate rescue equipment
• organisational policies and procedures (such as relevant legislation; operational, corporate and strategic plans; operational performance standards; operational policies and procedures; organisational personnel and occupational health and safety practices and guidelines; organisational quality standards; organisation's approach to environmental management and sustainability)
• primary survey procedures
• relevant legislation
• relevant occupational health and safety (OH&S) principles and practices
• rescue equipment
• safe work practices
• scene assessment procedures
• situational awareness
• symptoms of physical/emotional stress
• use of personal protective equipment

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 in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.

Operation and task information may include 

Availability of company personnel to provide technical advice

Environmental and other hazards

Incident location

Other public safety organisations at the scene or en route

Time of day and traffic density

Type of rescue and number of casualties

Type of machinery or household item involved

Domestic or industrial rescue may include 

Domestic rescue

children with fingers in drain plugs

removal of rings

persons who are physically incapable of removing themselves from their houses due to ill health

Industrial rescue

agricultural machinery

disentanglement from machinery located in factories, warehouses and building sites

elevators/escalators

industrial/construction incidents

industrial machinery entrapments

occupant/s trapped in elevators and escalators

shipping containers

Rescue resources may include 

Ancillary equipment such as stretchers

Firefighting equipment

Hand tools

Hot cutting equipment

Lifting and hauling equipment

Lighting equipment

Pneumatic hydraulic mechanical electrical tools

Patient protection equipment

Rescue units and stowed equipment

Tool boxes

Personal protective equipment and clothing may include 

Boots

Eye protection

Gloves

Hearing protection

Helmet

Knee/elbow protection

Systematic approach must include 

Assessment i.e. call out and response, route, scene, liaison, casualties

Positioning of vehicle i.e. dangers, access and casualties

Procedures i.e. dangers, casualty protection, extrication, warning devices and lighting

Potential hazards and associated risks may include 

Moving machinery

Electrocution

Industrial traffic (forklifts etc.)

Various industrial work environments

Communication may include 

Radio communications (radio, telephones and information technology)

Warning signals

Other relevant personnel may include 

Ambulance officers

Company personnel

Emergency services personnel

Household occupants

Police

Utility technicians

Rescue scene reconnaissance may include 

Collecting relevant information about casualty/s and hazards

Isolating and eliminating utilities

Surveying the incident scene

Situational and environmental hazards may include 

Adverse weather

Biological hazards such as body fluids and tissue

Convergence

Dangerous goods and hazardous substances

Difficult terrain

Dusts

Electrical and mechanical moving machinery

Electricity

Equipment power/drive systems

Gas

Mobile property

Sharp and jagged objects

Slippery surfaces

Vehicle fuel systems

Water and sewerage utilities

Treating hazards may include 

Eliminating the hazard

Isolating the area/source

Stabilising overhead hazards

Using atmospheric monitoring equipment

Using PPE and clothing

Potential dangers may include 

Electrical hazards

Fuel

Stability and location of machinery

Accessing the scene may include 

• Allowing clear access and egress for other responding vehicles and ambulances

Establishing a clear area to manoeuvre personnel, stretchers

Limitations of operating equipment may include 

• Access to incident site
• Equipment capacities and limitations

Impact effects on occupancy areas may include 

Disconnection of essential services

Potential effects on casualty may include 

Confinement without entrapment (elevators)

Limb entrapment

Stabilising the occupancy area may include 

Isolating utilities (power, gas, water etc.)

Meshing gears on machinery

Hygiene precautions may include 

• Avoiding contact with body fluids and tissue
• Decontaminating equipment at scene and placing protective clothing and gloves in a sealed bag for special dry cleaning
• Using correct personal protective clothing and equipment
• Using surgical gloves under protective work gloves
• Washing hands
• Wearing appropriate protective clothing

Gaining access to entrapped casualty /s may include 

• Accessing elevator shaft
• Disassembling of machinery
• Managing moving machinery
• Managing utilities supplies
• Removing domestic plumbing equipment

Primary survey 

• Is a methodical process used to quickly identify immediate life threatening injuries and conditions that require intervention
• Should be completed promptly upon initial patient contact if no immediate life threatening injuries and conditions requiring intervention are found during the survey
• Should be completed as soon as possible if it is interrupted

Should only be interrupted when:

• life threatening condition is identified and immediate life saving interventions are initiated
• scene conditions require that the patient be moved immediately due to danger to first emergency care responders or the patient

Treating located casualty /s may include 

First aid

Removing casualty /s may include 

Rescue/spine boards

Stretchers

Team stretcher handling

Preserving the scene may include 

Defining and redefining scene boundary

Preserving evidence and related legal requirements

Securing the scene

Recovering , cleaning and servicing of equipment may include 

• Contaminated clothing and equipment cleaned or disposed
• Equipment inspected for damage and serviceability
• Inventories checked

Signs and symptoms of operational stress may include 

Critical incident stress

Dehydration

Fatigue

Hypothermia

Debriefings may include 

Critical incident stress debriefing

Operational analysis

Post-incident analysis

Performance evaluations

Documentation may include 

AIRS/coroner report

Near miss injury report

Notebooks completed

Operational debrief

Post operational analysis

Exposure records may include 

• Reporting form that documents any exposure that may result in a short- or long-term associated injury such as:
• hazardous substances, such as dust, vapours, fumes, radiation and chemical substances
• heavy repetitive work over long periods of time
• lifting heavy loads
• noise
• psycho-social hazards (e.g. critical incident stress)