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 provide a safe response to an incident involving compromised structural stability partial collapse, and to gaining access to and extricating casualties.

It requires the responder to stabilise the structure and where casualties are present the responder is required to remove the casualties using a range of techniques relevant to the type of structure, type of collapse and nature of entrapment.

The unit is applicable to members of rescue teams particularly, responders working within the capability of a local response team. It cannot be used to certify competency for an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team member.

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

PUASAR023 Participate in a first response urban search and rescue Category 1

Search and Rescue

Not applicable

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1  

Prepare for structural collapse operation 

1.1 

Operation and task information is received through a briefing, in accordance with organisational procedures

1.2 

Rescue resources are identified and selected based on incident information received and are checked to ensure they are ready for use

1.3 

Personal protective clothing and equipment is selected based on the nature of the incident and rescue resources to be used

1.4 

Systematic approach to identifying potential hazards and associated risks is discussed with team members en route and on approach to the incident

2 

Establish and maintain rescue scene safety 

2.1 

Rescue scene assessment is conducted, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.2 

Hazards and environmental conditions are identified, monitored and controlled using risk mitigation processes

2.3 

Scene is managed to control access and maintain a safe and effective operational environment

2.4 

Communication with other personnel on site is established and maintained, in accordance with organisational procedures

3 

Determine location and condition of casualties 

3.1 

Evidence of the location of casualties within the collapsed structure is identified, analysed and reported, in accordance with organisational procedures

3.2 

Appropriate resources are used to extricate surface or lightly trapped casualties

3.3 

Condition of surface or lightly trapped casualties and nature of entrapment is ascertained, where possible

3.4 

Specialist resources are requested to assist with extricating casualties where entrapment exceeds that of surface or lightly trapped

3.5 

Search marking systems are utilised, as required

4 

Stabilise and make safe incident scene 

4.1 

Exclusion zone is established to provide a safe working environment

4.2 

Stabilisation techniques are utilised to make the collapsed site safe

4.3 

Incident scene is constantly monitored for situational and environmental hazards and structural stability to prevent injury to self or others

4.4 

Stabilisation that requires the use of specialist resources is requested, as required

5 

Gain access to casualties 

5.1 

Techniques appropriate to the nature of the entrapment are utilised to access casualties

5.2 

Located casualties are treated in consultation with medical personnel, in accordance with organisational procedures

5.3 

Hygiene precautions are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures

6 

Remove casualties 

6.1 

Techniques and equipment are used to remove the casualty from within the structure

6.2 

Casualties are released, treated and stabilised, in accordance with organisational procedures

6.3 

Casualties are removed from scene, in accordance with organisational procedures

6.4 

Evidence of casualty's identity is collected and processed, in accordance with organisational procedures

6.5 

Appropriate actions are taken to preserve the incident scene, in accordance with organisational procedures

7 

Conclude rescue operations 

7.1 

Appropriate actions are taken to preserve the incident, in accordance with organisational procedures

7.2 

Equipment is recovered, cleaned and serviced, in accordance with organisational procedures and manufacturers' guidelines

7.3 

Hygiene precautions are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures

7.4 

Decontamination procedures are followed, in accordance with organisational procedures

7.5 

Operational debriefing is participated in, in accordance organisational procedures

7.6 

Operational documentation including post incident report is completed, in accordance with organisational 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.

personal protective clothing and equipment must include

• boots
• ear protection (plugs and muffs)
• eye protection (goggles and glasses)
• gloves
• hand held lighting
• helmet and light
• knee and elbow protection
• masks and respirators
• protective clothing
• safety harnesses
• surgical gloves
• wet weather gear
• whistle

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUASAR028A Undertake rescue from a partial structural collapse.

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 hygiene precautions
• applying safe work practices
• communicating with team members and casualties
• competing victim marking
• completing post incident reports
• concluding rescue operations
• conducting a dynamic risk assessment
• conducting primary surface search and rescue involving audible and visible search, line and hail search and physical search
• determining location and condition of casualties
• establishing and maintaining exclusion zones
• establishing and maintaining rescue scene safety
• extricating a casualty whilst minimising further injury to casualty, self and others
• following organisational policies and procedures including Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• gaining access to casualties
• identifying evidence of the location of casualties within the collapsed structure
• identifying, monitoring and controlling hazards and environmental conditions
• maintaining situational awareness
• managing the scene to control access including implementing structural collapse marking system and sectoring site of structural collapse and defining boundaries
• monitoring incident site
• operating rescue equipment
• participating and contributing to briefings and debriefings
• preparing for structural collapse operation
• preserving scene evidence
• recognising and discussing potential hazards and associated risks
• recovering, cleaning and maintaining equipment
• removing casualties
• stabilising and making safe incident scene
• undertaking rescue scene assessment
• using debris removal and shoring techniques
• using hauling and lifting techniques
• using rescue equipment including cutting and breaking equipment, generators and lighting equipment, lifting and hauling equipment and powered equipment
• using rescue techniques including shoring and debris removal
• using ropes, anchors and rigging systems
• using systematic approach when undertaking rescue from a partial structural collapse
• wearing personal protective clothing and equipment
• working autonomously and/or as part of a team and within the responsible organisation or agency’s command and control structure

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

• hazard identification and risk management
• medical considerations and patient packaging for partial structural collapse casualties
• nature of incident resulting in structural instability and partial collapse
• operational briefing and debriefing procedures
• organisational documentation, policies and procedures including maintaining post incident records
• organisational incident command and control systems
• participating in briefings and contributing to debriefings
• personal protective clothing and equipment
• personnel roles and responsibilities
• powered tools including cutting equipment, hydraulic tools, lifting equipment, pneumatic equipment, stabilising equipment, winches and ropes and ladders
• principles and practices of structural collapse operations
• rescue equipment capabilities and limitations
• rescue equipment including atmosphere monitoring equipment, buckets, chain saws, communications equipment, drills, electrical detectors, generators, hand tools, lifting and hauling equipment, lighting, medical equipment, ropes, shoring and building stabilisation and wheel barrows
• rescue equipment used to extricate casualty including fire protection equipment, glass management kit, hand tools and lighting equipment
• rescue scene assessment
• stabilisation techniques including controlling entry and entry points, cribbing, removing debris and using temporary and permanent shoring
• systematic approaches to rescues
• task information including environmental and other hazards, nature, cause and location of incident, occupancy, type and magnitude of incident, type and number of casualties, vehicles and type of structure
• treating hazards including eliminating hazard, isolating area or source, stabilising overhead hazards and using personal protective clothing and equipment
• types of evidence identifying casualties within a collapsed structure
• types of hazards including biological hazards including body fluids and tissue, untreated sewage, damaged utilities and infrastructure including electricity, gas, water, rubble and debris, hazardous materials and atmospheres, mobile hazards including traffic and wild or domestic animals and situational and environmental hazards including adverse weather, insufficient light, difficult terrain, heights and still and moving bodies of water
• Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements including risk mitigation

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 must occur in workplace operational situations where it is appropriate to do so; where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in organisationally approved simulated workplace operational situations that replicate workplace conditions.

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.

Resources for assessment must include access to

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations involving structural instability and rescue
• relevant and appropriate materials, rescue tools, rescue equipment and personal protective clothing and equipment used in industry including

• equipment, personnel, faculties appropriate to a range of incidents
• structural collapse rescue or simulation of a structural collapse incident

• applicable documentation including organisational procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operations manuals.