Google Links

Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Identify fire emergency and raise alarm.
   • Evaluate and communicate the location, nature and extent of the fire emergency in a timely and appropriate manner.
   • Determine first response requirements in order to evaluate the need to attack the fire emergencies or evacuate the affected areas.
2. Initiate basic fire responses.
   • Maintain personal safety at all times in accordance with OHS guidelines.
   • Put on appropriate protective clothing in accordance with organisation procedures.
   • Select appropriate extinguishing agents based on knowledge of fire and fuel types.
   • Operate basic fighting equipment safely, according to manufacturer specifications and organisation procedure, in order to contain the fire emergency.
   • Observe changing conditions at the fire and their effects on fire behaviour are noted and reported.
3. Notify responsible authorities.
   • Follow emergency reporting procedures.
   • Identify appropriate authorities and notify.
   • Clearly and unambiguously communicate information concerning the emergency in a timely manner.
4. Undertake safe evacuation.
   • Evacuate area in a safe and controlled manner when first response has failed to control the fire emergency, or has proven inappropriate.
   • Secure immediate area of the emergency to ensure no further loss occurs to people, equipment, process and environment.

Required Skills

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

Knowledge and understanding of the process sufficient to recognise fire situations and then determine an action that is appropriate within operating guidelines and the scope of their responsibilities and competencies It would be expected that a person would have skills in fire identification assessment and application of control measures and be able to demonstrate the use and application of a range of first response fire fighting safety equipment

A person undertaking this competency must be able to demonstrate knowledge of

site specific alarm procedures

characteristics of fire and fuel types

composition and uses of extinguishing agents

basic fire fighting equipment

site or organisation emergency procedures and response plans

site specific isolation procedures

liaison techniques with third parties

procedures to isolate pipeline sectors

Language literacy and numeracy requirements

This unit requires the ability to identify different fire fighting media and different fuels

Writing is required to the level of completing required workplace reportsforms

Numeracy is required to interpret and report relevant data

Evidence Required

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria required skills and knowledge the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package

Overview of assessment

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

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit These may include the ability to

recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action

implement appropriate corrective action

The emphasis should be on the ability to minimise the effects of the critical situation

Consistent performance should be demonstrated For example look to see that

identification of different types of fires

selection and use of appropriate extinguishing agent

application of defensive fire fighting tactics and techniques

selection and use of appropriate protective clothing

These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarioscase studieswhat 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 improbable situations which may have been generated from the past incident history of the workplace incidents on similar plants around the world hazard analysis activities eg HAZOP and similar sources

Assessment method and context

Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant or in a manufacturing environment

Assessment will occur using a simulated fire and will be undertaken in a worklike environment

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

This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what if scenarios both in the workplace during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations and off the job

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 PMPOHS Work safely

Specific resources for assessment

Assessment will require access to an operating plant or manufacturing environment over an extended period of time or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations A bank of scenarioscase studieswhat ifs will be required as will a bank of questions that will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions

---

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.

Context

Those persons working, operating or who regularly travel within an onshore or offshore installation or facility would require this competency.

This unit could be applied to any of the following installation or facilities:

factories and production plants

onshore/offshore rig/installation

island based facility

floating production vessel or platform

onshore production, processing pipeline systems and/or storage facilities

pipeline easements

maintenance bases.

Procedures

All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.

Procedures include all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards.

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.

Tools and equipment

This competency includes use of equipment and tools such as:

personal protective equipment

such as breathing apparatus

hand held extinguishers

hose reels

fire blankets

smoke or self rescue respirators

mobile and portable equipment

First Aid equipment

pipeline repair clamps

lamb air movers

barricades and signage

communications equipment: two-way radios, mobile and satellite phones and pagers

fire extinguishing media, including water, foam, extinguishing powder, gaseous extinguishing agents, vapourising liquids, other fire extinguishing substances.

Hazards

Typical hazards include:

smoke, darkness and heat

electricity

gas

structural hazards

structural collapse

industrial - machinery, equipment, product

hazardous products and materials

unauthorised personnel.

Problems

'Respond to routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems'.

Variables

Key variables to be monitored include:

failure to control fire with first response methods

adverse change in weather conditions

change in flame colour and size

change in smoke colour

fire spread and/or other material becoming involved in fire

signs of structural collapse.

Tactics

Fire fighting tactics may include:

direct attack

indirect attack

combination attack

exposure protection

but does NOT include internal/offensive attacks.

External personnel

External personnel may include:

police

fire brigade

ambulance.

---