Application
This unit applies to individuals with supervisory responsibilities for managing work health and safety (WHS) in the workplace who contribute to the implementation of procedures for responding to emergencies. The unit assumes that expert advice will be available in identifying potential emergencies and in formulating response plans.
The focus of this unit is on implementation of procedures already developed for short-term emergency responses.
The unit applies to people who work in a range of WHS roles across all industries and who apply a substantial knowledge base and well-developed skills in a wide variety of WHS contexts.
NOTE: The terms Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Work Health and Safety (WHS) are equivalent and generally either can be used in the workplace. In jurisdictions where the National Model WHS Legislation has not been implemented RTOs are advised to contextualise the unit of competency by referring to the existing State/Territory OHS legislative requirements.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Identify potential emergencies | 1.1 Apply knowledge of WHS hazards and relevant standards to identify causes of potential emergencies 1.2 Seek input of stakeholders in identifying potential emergencies 1.3 Identify and liaise with appropriate specialist advisors and emergency agencies to identify causes of potential emergencies 1.4 Develop a risk register to identify potential emergencies and their causes |
2. Identify options for initial response | 2.1 Categorise major types of potential emergencies 2.2 Identify actions required to contain or limit potential emergencies 2.3 Identify actions required to limit impact on personnel, property and the environment 2.4 Identify requirements for liaison with emergency agencies 2.5 Prioritise actions to be taken during emergencies |
3. Plan initial response procedures | 3.1 Identify resources available and required for immediate response 3.2 Check emergency equipment to ensure serviceability, accessibility, cleanliness and correct location 3.3 Document actions required for a range of major types of emergency, taking account of standards, current industry practice, specialist advice and input by emergency agencies 3.4 Identify training needs and appropriate providers |
4. Implement initial response procedures | 4.1 Document and display actions for initial response 4.2 Outline own role in emergency response 4.3 Follow appropriate procedures |
5. Contribute to post-event activities | 5.1 Identify and support other personnel in the second response phase 5.2 Make contributions to debriefing processes |
6. Monitor emergency response and address deficiencies | 6.1 Monitor responses to emergencies for efficiency and timeliness, in consultation with stakeholders and, as appropriate, specialist advisors and agencies 6.2 Document, and promptly and appropriately report, results of monitoring to appropriate persons 6.3 Identify areas for organisational and personal improvement and make recommendations for improvement in response to analysis of response taken |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to communicate with people from a range of backgrounds and with a range of abilities
information technology skills to access and download internal and external information and data on WHS
interpersonal skills to issue instructions in an authoritative manner during emergencies
literacy skills to prepare reports for a range of target groups, including health and safety committees, health and safety representatives, managers, supervisors, and persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBUs) or their officers
observation skills to evaluate the impact characteristics and composition of the workforce have on managing WHS
organisational and time-management skills to sequence tasks and meet timelines
research and data analysis skills to:
analyse relevant workplace information and data
assess resources required to systematically manage WHS
evaluate interactions between workers, their activities, equipment, environment and work systems.
Required knowledge
basic emergency prevention controls typically installed in a workplace:
emergency alerting systems
emergency protection systems
smoke alarms, fire alarms and fire extinguishers
required safety wear
security systems
enterprise physical site and work areas
enterprise reporting procedures in an emergency
essential actions of self and others in an emergency
hazards and precautions to be taken during an emergency
hazards arising from evacuation
information needs of emergency response personnel during reporting, arrival and response to an emergency
internal and external sources of WHS information and data, and how to access them
organisational and workplace WHS policies and procedures
organisational structure, roles and responsibilities contributing to the implementation of emergency procedures
powers of safety representatives and other authorised WHS personnel to cease work immediately if an immediate danger to WHS exists
principles and priorities for evacuation, checking and accounting for people
principles of fire protection and emergency response
relevant commonwealth and state or territory WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, standards and guidance material contributing to the implementation of emergency procedures
roles and responsibilities of WHS personnel
types of emergency responses typically used in workplaces
WHS information needs of work unit or work team.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: identifying potential emergencies contributing to the implementation of procedures for preparing and responding to an emergency evaluating the effectiveness of implementation strategies knowledge of basic emergency prevention controls typically installed in a workplace. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: office equipment and resources workplace documentation and actual workplaces. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios demonstration of procedures implemented in response to an emergency situation direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of information needs of emergency response personnel during reporting, arrival and response to an emergency review of risk register developed to identify potential emergencies and their causes written examples of reports on responses to emergency situations review of documentation submitted to managers, supervisors, PCBUs or their officers, and key personnel outlining monitoring of emergency response. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: other BSB07 WHS units. |
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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.
WHS hazards may include: | sources of potential harm in terms of human injury, ill health, damage to property, damage to the environment or a combination of these, such as: biological chemical environmental mechanical and/or electrical nuclear physical psychosocial radiological. |
Relevant standards may include: | Australian standards industry-specific standards international standards. |
Potential emergencies may include: | evacuation explosion and bomb alerts external emergencies and natural disasters, such as: explosion fire flood hazardous chemical spill storm traffic accident internal emergencies, such as: loss of power loss of water supply structural collapse security emergencies, such as: armed robberies intruders disturbed persons serious injury events. |
Stakeholders may include: | community contractors and subcontractors duty holders as specified in WHS Acts, including: PCBUs or their officers workers other persons at a workplace health and safety representatives health and safety committees workers. |
Specialist advisors may include: | internal or external advisors in: chemicals emergency response engineering safety security. |
Emergency agencies may include: | ambulance fire and emergency services government departments hazardous materials response teams (HazMat) police WHS authorities. |
Risk register may include: | lists of hazards location of hazards outcomes of any risk assessment or risk ranking range of possible scenarios or circumstances under which an emergency could occur, including natural disasters. |
Resources may include: | emergency response personnel and equipment fire and emergency services personnel first aid personnel and equipment. |
Emergency equipment may include: | clothing items, such as coloured hats and vests communication equipment evacuation alarms evacuation equipment, especially for people with a disability fire extinguishers and equipment torches. |
Second response phase may include: | actions required if building cannot be re-occupied containment of personnel in evacuation area first aid support/counselling of personnel involved or affected. |
Appropriate persons may include: | managers or supervisors PCBUs or their officers. |
Sectors
Regulation, Licensing and Risk – Work Health and Safety
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.