Elements and Performance Criteria

Context
This unit of competency includes all items of equipment that are required for emergency response.

Emergency response equipment may include:
fire extinguishers
fire hoses
fire blankets
pumps
branches, fittings and nozzles
foam equipment/units
personal protective clothing
breathing apparatus
deluge/safety showers.

Required functions include:
inspections:
visual
mechanical
servicing:
lubrication
pressure checks
refilling
communication:
maintenance
external authorities.

This competency covers process manufacturing plants which may involve:
Workplace hazards such as:
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.

Emerging incidents may include:
accidents
fires
chemical or oil spills
gas leak or vapour emission
utilities failure
bomb scares.

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.

Assessment context and methods
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant. 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.

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

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

Critical aspects
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate action. The emphasis should be on the ability to minimise the affect of an emergency situation.

Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
early warning signs of equipment in need of servicing are recognised
equipment is always 'made ready'
equipment is always stored in the designated location at all times when not in use
access to equipment is available at all times when not in use.

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/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 plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities (e.g. HAZOP) and similar sources.

Resource implications
Assessment will require access to an operating plant 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.

Other assessment advice
In all plants 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:
PMAOHS200 - Participate in workplace safety procedures.

Essential knowledge
Knowledge and understanding of the emergency response procedures and equipment, sufficient to recognise standard and non-standard situations, with regards to the equipment used and then determine the appropriate action which is consistent with operating guidelines.

Knowledge of the relevant OHS and environmental requirements, and enterprise standard operating procedures is required along with an ability to implement them in a manner that is relevant to emergency response practices.

Competence includes the ability to:
apply and explain procedures for:
assembling and operating various pieces of emergency response equipment
servicing various pieces of emergency response equipment
storing various pieces of emergency response equipment.

Evidence of knowledge of all relevant workplace procedures will include:
principles of operation of the emergency response equipment
hazards policies and procedures
emergency, fire and accident procedures
procedures for the use of personal protective clothing and equipment
enterprise standard operating procedures (SOPs).