FPIHAR4204B
Plan and coordinate fire salvage operations

This unit describes the outcomes required to assess, plan and coordinate salvaging trees of a commercially viable size, immediately after a forest fire, before degradation and insect infestation occur. The unit includes directing tree fellers and trimmersGeneral workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publicationThis unit replaces FPIHAR4204A Plan and coordinate fire salvage operations

Application

The unit involves planning and coordinating fire salvage operations in a forest or farm forest setting

The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare for salvage operations

1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental, legislative and organisational requirements relevant to planning and coordinating fire salvage operations are identified and followed

1.2. Local authority is contacted and salvage approval obtained

1.3. Work order is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel

1.4. Equipment is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations

1.5. Communication with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements

2. Plan salvage operations

2.1. Location including map and grid references are checked, land ownings are obtained and boundaries established

2.2. Topography including slope, elevation, contours and soil type are investigated and reported

2.3. Operational activities including site preparation, environmental considerations and access are planned

2.4. Environmental protection measures for the landscape, soil and drainage are planned and instigated

2.5. Extent ofdamage caused by fire is assessed and reported

2.6. Estimation of commercialviability of tree harvest and extraction is calculated and reported

2.7. Clearing, trimming and felling operations are planned and communicated to harvesting personnel

3. Coordinate salvage operations

3.1. Schedule for salvaging is produced, checked and communicated

3.2. Track builders are directed to form access in line with the salvage schedule and plan

3.3. Clearing of burnt scrub and dangerous limbs is directed and monitored

3.4. Movement and whereabouts of personnel is monitored and work modified to be in line with OHS regulations

3.5. Tree, location and stability are assessed for conditions likely to affect safety of felling activities

3.6. Fellers are directed to fall designated trees in line with the salvage plan and OHS regulations

3.7. Use of mechanical equipment is monitored to minimise carbon emissions

3.8. Logs are hauled from site and landscape is left in a safe and tidy condition to allow regeneration to occur

Required Skills

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

Required skills

Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment; effectively assess salvage operation requirements including fire damage

Communication skills sufficient to use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques with colleagues and others

Literacy skills sufficient to accurately record and report workplace information, and maintain documentation

Problem solving skills sufficient to identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Required knowledge

Applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices relevant to the full range of processes for planning and coordinating fire salvage operations

Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material, the recycling and re-use of timber with defects and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment

Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for planning and coordinating fire salvage operations

Sustainable forest management and the role of fire salvage operations in the recovery of fire damaged forests

Environmental risks and hazards of fire damaged forests

Characteristics of trees and timber defects

Assessment of fire damaged trees

Fire salvage operations and strategies

Harvesting and extraction

Established communication channels and protocols

Problem identification and resolution strategies and common fault finding techniques

Types of tools and equipment and procedures for their use, operation and maintenance

Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks

Procedures for recording and reporting workplace records and information

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently plan and coordinate fire salvage operations within organisational requirements

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to, and satisfy, all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:

following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to planning and coordinating fire salvage operations

following organisational policies and procedures relevant to planning and coordinating fire salvage operations

planning and coordinating fire salvage operations in line with community expectations and operational requirements

coordinating personnel to follow planning, communications and scheduling for fire salvage operations

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace

Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints

Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context

Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements

The following resources should be made available:

workplace location or simulated workplace

materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit

specifications and work instructions

Method of assessment

Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package

Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge

Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills

Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge

Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process

Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances

Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English

Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment

Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role


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.

Salvage

is the process of removing commercially viable trees from a site which has been damaged by fire

and includes:

minimising the impact of mechanical equipment on the environment

leaving the site in a tidy and environmentally protected state ready for regeneration

OHS requirements:

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:

personal protective equipment and clothing

safety equipment

first aid equipment

fire fighting equipment

hazard and risk control

fatigue management

elimination of hazardous materials and substances

safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire

manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying

Environmental requirements may include:

legislation

organisational policies and procedures

workplace practices

Legislative requirements:

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:

award and enterprise agreements

industrial relations

Australian Standards

confidentiality and privacy

OHS

the environment

equal opportunity

anti-discrimination

relevant industry codes of practice

duty of care

Organisational requirements may include:

legal

organisational and site guidelines

policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility

quality assurance

procedural manuals

quality and continuous improvement processes and standards

OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures

ethical standards

recording and reporting requirements

equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements

environmental management requirements (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

Work order is to include:

instructions for trimming and felling

despatch of salvaged, felled trees from the work site

and may include:

type

size

length

quantity

grade

instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures

environmental care requirements relevant to the work

Appropriate personnel may include:

supervisors

suppliers

clients

colleagues

managers

local authorities

Equipment may include:

basic assessment equipment

computers

safety attire

and is to include:

procedures for equipment lock-out such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine

Communication may include:

verbal and non-verbal language

constructive feedback

active listening

questioning to clarify and confirm understanding

use of positive, confident and cooperative language

use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences

control of tone of voice

body language

Land ownings

is the process of notifying and obtaining owner approval to commence harvesting operations

Boundaries

are designated forest allotments owned privately, by Government or by the forestry organisation and fall within survey pegs for the land allocated

Topography

is a map of the designated area showing terrain levels, contours, elevations, slopes, gullies and adjoining land parcels

Operational activities may include:

coupe map details

site preparation

streamside buffers

filter strips

contours

gullies

crossing points

habitat protection

rainforest protection

flora and fauna protection

landscape protection

soil and water protection

excluded areas

rubbish removal

permanent roads

temporary roads

landings

dumps

snig tracks

forwarding tracks

adjoining land

wet weather restrictions

fire protection requirements

Environmental protection measures may include:

ground growth

canopy

general forest lean

wind speed and direction

fallen trees

density of trees

ground slope

soil and water protection

ground hazards

obstacles

contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions

Extent of damage is to include:

impact fire has had on a forest region

how fire has affected the trees

what fire has done to underlying scrub

how safe the forest is to enter

Fire may include:

fires caused by:

arson

accident

lightning strike

wildfires

Commercialviability

is the assessment of trees to determine their physical stability and worth as useable logs for further production activities

Harvest and extraction

are the methods of felling and removing felled logs from the work site with mechanical equipment, considering site conditions and specific log location

Schedule

is the plan, timeline and list of events to take place in conducting fire salvage operations

Stability

is the assessment of a tree to determine if it is safe to fall, based on how badly affected by fire damage it is

Regeneration

is the return of an area to a revegetated state, protecting its landscape, soil and drainage


Sectors

Unit sector

No sector assigned


Competency Field

Harvesting and Haulage


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills


Licensing Information

Refer to Unit Descriptor