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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Recognise a hazardous materials incident
  2. Identify and assess hazards
  3. Assist with the development of a plan for the mitigation of a HAZMAT incident
  4. Assist with the implementation of the plan for mitigation of a HAZMAT incident
  5. Assist with the review of the plan

Required Skills

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

Required Skills

don operate in decontaminate and remove personal protective clothing and equipment

follow instructions and procedures

interpret safety and hazard information

use response equipment

work as member of a team

Required Knowledge

decontamination principles and procedures

legislation relevant to the organisation

methods of identifying hazardous materials

mitigation confinementcontainment techniques

nature and properties of hazardous materials

organisational policies and procedures

PPE procedures

principles of incident control

scene control and site isolation

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

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

Assessment must confirm the ability to

implement appropriate standard operating guidelines

comply with relevant legislation

demonstrate safe working practices

identify hazardous materials

assist in the establishment of action plan

undertake mitigation techniques

undertake decontamination procedures

Consistency in performance

Competency should be demonstrated over a period of time across a range of situations appropriate to organisational role

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Competency should be assessed in simulations or exercises andor a series of tasks which may involve setting scenarios to be completed either individually or as a member of a team

Specific resources for assessment

Access is required to

relevant PPE transport communication

response equipment

Method of assessment

This unit may be assessed with the following units

PUAFIRB Employ personal protection at a hazardous materials incident

PUAFIR308B Employ personal protection at a hazardous materials incident.

In a public safety environment assessment is usually conducted via direct observation in a training environment or in the workplace via subject matter supervision andor mentoring which is typically recorded in a competency workbook

Assessment is completed using appropriately qualified assessors who select the most appropriate method of assessment

Assessment may occur in an operational environment or in an agencyapproved simulated work environment Forms of assessment that are typically used include

direct observation

interviewing the candidate

journals and workplace documentation

third party reports from supervisors

written or oral questions


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.

Organisational procedures and guidelines must include:

government organisational procedures

organisational procedures

workplace health and safety practices and procedures

and may also include:

Australian Standards and manufacturers’ guidelines

company organisational procedures

external organisation assistance

Identification of hazardous materials must include:

awareness of physical, chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) properties and behaviour of hazardous materials including signs and symptoms of CBR agents

chemical names

dangerous goods class labels

definition of hazardous materials, hazardous substance, dangerous goods, non-dangerous goods, toxic substance, and goods too dangerous to be transported

emergency information panels/emergency information signs

HAZMAT information/initial information/site manager

identification and location of dangerous goods class labels

occupancies including site/use/manufacture location and transport

packing groups

placarding

product names or trade names

proper shipping names

United Nations numbers

visual signs and material indicators

storage manifests

transport documents

and may also include:

containers including transport and storage

environment

fixed site or community emergency response plans

identification of the material/s and their properties through onsite analytical testing

physical, chemical, biological and radiological properties, behaviour and effects of hazardous materials including signs and symptoms of CBR agents

prediction of hazardous material behaviour, for example hazard prediction modelling

toxicology and entry routes of toxins

Range of sources must include

CHEMDATA (HAZMAT Action Guides)

emergency procedures guides

emergency response guide books

HAZCHEM Emergency Action Codes

material safety data sheets (MSDSs) or safety data sheets (SDSs)

technical specialist

and may also include:

electronic databases

European/Accord Dangereuse Routiers (ADR) hazard identification numbers

external organisation assistance

legislation/codes/standards – workplace health and safety, transport, storage and handling information, environment

National Fire Protection Association Codes

reference texts

site and community emergency response plans

Detection and confinement/containment strategies must include:

defensive and offensive strategies for example:

over-packing including recovery drums or original containers

rescue

retention, absorbent materials and neutralisation of acids/bases

vapour suppression/blanketing and diking/diversion

ventilation and dispersion

and may also include:

damming – using booms, pads, overflow and underflow dams

defensive and offensive strategies that may include:

external organisation assistance

field product transfer including gases/liquids using both closed and open loop methods

flaring

freeze (ice) patching

grounding and bonding

neutralisation of other materials, adsorption, gelation, emulsification and other chemical methods

plugging and patching

venting or vent and burn

Organisations required to assist with operations may include:

ambulance

companies

emergency services

government departments

local government

police

Hazard control zones must include:

area of likely contamination (hot zone)

area of operations (warm zone)

controlled exits, entrances, refuges and emergency exits

criteria applied to determine the extent of hazardous areas

support zone (cold zone)

Decontamination must include:

decontamination plan and corridors

emergency decontamination

emergency mass decontamination

technical decontamination

Decontamination may include:

alternative water decontamination techniques

alternative wet decontamination techniques

detection strategies applied for decontamination

dry decontamination techniques

external organisation assistance