Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to provide essential rescue and containment services in a helideck incident.
This unit of competency applies to people operating in support of helicopter operations at a remote location or specialised helideck landing facility. In event of an incident the operator would be required to identify the course of action to be taken and undertake a front line role in rescue operations and damage control.
In a typical scenario, a person would facilitate the safe loading and unloading of personnel and cargo prior to or at the conclusion of a helicopter operation. With the occurrence of an emergency landing or aborted take-off the person would provide essential rescue and containment services.
This unit of competency applies to an individual working alone or as part of a team or group and working in liaison with other shift team members. During an incident response they would respond to the incident team leader. At all times they would be cooperating with other members of the incident response team.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Respond to the incident | 1.1 | Raise the alarm |
1.2 | Identify hazards and personal injury risks associated with the incident | ||
1.3 | Take immediate action to initiate deluge system to provide for fire suppression, if appropriate | ||
1.4 | Ensure blades and rotors have stopped moving before approaching the aircraft | ||
1.5 | Look for signs of movement in the aircraft and actions to initiate escape from the fuselage | ||
1.6 | Identify the safest path to and from the aircraft | ||
2 | Evacuate persons from the aircraft | 2.1 | Select equipment to facilitate evacuation and rescue |
2.2 | Act to assist persons trying to exit the aircraft | ||
2.3 | Direct or assist persons to a safe area in accordance with the emergency response plan | ||
2.4 | Use rescue techniques and equipment to release entrapped persons | ||
2.5 | Assist rescued persons to the safe area | ||
3 | Provide assistance to evacuees | 3.1 | Ensure assistance is sought for evacuees |
3.2 | Assist to extinguish any burning clothing or equipment, such as damaged life jackets | ||
3.3 | Assist to move evacuees as directed by the incident team leader or medical officer | ||
4 | Conclude incident activities | 4.1 | Assist team members to contain any fires or spillage |
4.2 | Search for and alert the incident team leader of any collateral damage. | ||
4.3 | Assist with recovery of any debris that poses a threat to safety; moving components as little as possible in the process | ||
4.4 | Seek personal medical attention or support as necessary | ||
4.5 | Assist to secure the site to facilitate investigation of the circumstances surrounding the incident | ||
5 | Complete incident debrief | 5.1 | Record any damage inflicted on the aircraft in rescuing personnel |
5.2 | Complete an incident report in accordance with organisational procedures | ||
5.3 | Participate in debriefing sessions conducted by the organisation's or external authority representatives | ||
5.4 | Identify any problems in equipment or process of responding to the incident | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include the ability to:
quickly and accurately assess incident situation, related hazards, actions and priorities
raise an alarm/alert others and seek assistance from others according to procedures and as circumstances permit
select and use incident response and rescue equipment (where required)
assess the immediate needs of persons requiring evacuation and provide assistance and/or seek assistance as required
assist in making the incident area safe and securing the site to facilitate investigation
complete written and verbal reports and workplace documentation.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
organisational procedures, including those covering:
safety, hazards and hazard control
incident, fire and accident
helideck emergency procedures
personal protective equipment (PPE)
emergency response plans
hazards that may arise in the job/work environment and appropriate risk controls
types and application of PPE relevant to job/work environment
type of aircraft and its construction
aircraft hazards
fire-fighting strategies and tactics for aircraft incidents
muster points and safe areas for evacuees
preserving site for investigation.
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be achieved before performing this work unsupervised. Therefore this unit will typically be assessed off the job. Where assessment is undertaken on the job appropriate supervision and safety precautions must be provided.
The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.
The collection of performance evidence:
should provide evidence of the ability to perform over the range of situations which might be expected to be encountered including typical disruptions to normal, smooth work conditions
must include a simulated incident, the use of appropriate tools, equipment and safety gear requiring demonstration of preparation, operation, completion and responding to problems
may use industry-based simulation particularly where safety, lack of opportunity or significant cost is an issue.
Off-the-job assessment must sufficiently reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment in a simulated environment should use evidence collected from one or more of:
walk-throughs
demonstration of skills
industry based case studies/scenarios
‘what ifs’.
Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence (provided a record is kept) or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
In addition, the assessor or anyone acting in subject matter expert role in assessment must demonstrate both technical competency and currency. If the assessor cannot demonstrate technical competency and currency they must assess with a subject matter expert who does meet these requirements.
Technical competence can be demonstrated through one or more of:
relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment
appropriate workplace experience undertaking the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions
appropriate workplace experience supervising/evaluating the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions
Currency can be demonstrated through one or more of:
being currently employed undertaking the type of work being assessed
being employed by the organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed and having maintained currency in accordance with that organisation’s policies and procedures
having consulted/had contact with an organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed within the last twelve months, the consultation/contact being related to assessment
conducting on-the-job training/assessments of the type of work being assessed
being an active member of a relevant professional body and participating in activities relevant to the assessment of this type of work
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Regulatory framework | The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used, and include one or more of the following: legislative requirements, including work health and safety (WHS) industry codes of practice and guidelines environmental regulations and guidelines Australian and other standards licence and certification requirements All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory 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. |
Procedures | All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, and include one or more of the following: emergency procedures work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements (SWMS) formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant |
Hazards | Hazards include one or more of the following: heat, smoke, darkness, dust or other atmospheric hazards electricity gas gases and liquids under pressure structural hazards structural collapse equipment failures industrial (machinery, equipment and product) equipment or product mass noise, rotational equipment or vibration plant services (steam, condensate and cooling water) limited head spaces or overhangs working at heights, in restricted or confined spaces, or in environments subjected to heat, noise, dusts or vapours flammability and explosivity hazardous products and materials unauthorised personnel sharp edges, protrusions or obstructions slippery surfaces, spills or leaks extreme weather other hazards that might arise |
Tools and equipment | Tools and equipment include one or more of the following: rescue equipment specialised tools for cabin entry fixed fire-fighting systems deluge systems portable fire-extinguishers personal protective equipment (PPE) |
Problems in equipment or process | Problems in equipment or process include one or more of the following: defective or inoperable equipment inappropriate or confused response to the incident injury to helideck operator |
Sectors
Competency Field
Incident readiness and response