AHCBER402
Carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest


Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to carry out field surveillance for a specific emergency disease or plant pest.

The unit applies to personnel who have been appointed or engaged as part of a field surveillance team to undertake a role within an emergency disease or plant pest incursion response. Field surveillance teams work under instructions from the control centre.

This unit applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others within known parameters. They use discretion and judgement in the selection, allocation and use of available resources.

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


Elements and Performance Criteria

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1. Look for signs of a specific emergency disease or plant pest

1.1 Receive and confirm work instructions from surveillance coordinator or other appropriate authority

1.2 Identify signs of an emergency disease or plant pest, collect appropriate samples for testing, and gather evidence to support a diagnosis according to relevant standards and protocols

1.3 Access appropriate available expertise to assist in diagnosis

1.4 Collect, handle, package and dispatch diagnostic samples according to relevant standards and protocols

2. Respond to an emergency disease or plant pest

2.1 Alert surveillance coordinator when signs of an emergency disease or plant pest are found

2.2 Take appropriate measures to immediately contain emergency disease or plant pest according to instructions from control centre and relevant guidelines

2.3 Collect information relevant to management of emergency disease or plant pest outbreak and report to surveillance coordinator

2.4 Give directions and warnings to property owners or persons in charge about suspected emergency disease or plant pest

2.5 Conduct personal decontamination and, where appropriate, equipment and vehicle decontamination according to relevant standards and protocols for emergency disease or plant pest

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

undertake field surveillance for specific disease or plant pest as directed

report findings of specific disease or plant pest along with samples and evidence to support find

follow relevant standards and protocols to identify and report findings

use appropriate available expertise to assist in identification and diagnosis

follow relevant standards and protocols in collection, handling, packaging and despatch of samples

contain emergency disease of plant pest as directed by control centre and relevant guidelines

collect and report information relevant to management of outbreak to surveillance coordinator

give directions and warnings to property owners or person in charge re the suspected presence of emergency disease or plant pest

decontaminate self and where appropriate equipment and vehicles.


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

standards, guidelines and protocols for the emergency disease or plant pest

signs of specific disease or plant pest which is the subject to surveillance

emergency disease or plant pest surveillance procedures for:

collecting and handling samples and supporting evidence of diagnosis

reporting findings and information that may help in control response

containment of outbreak

personal and general decontamination

process for locating expertise

communication principles for providing direction and warnings to property owners and managers, liaising with disease or plant pest experts, and reporting to surveillance coordinator.


Assessment Conditions

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.


Foundation Skills

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.


Range Statement


Sectors

Emergency Response (BER)