Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to manage and maintain availability of effective communication systems during an incident.
This unit of competency applies to operators who are required to identify stakeholders and their communication needs, plan for disruptions to communications, provide required communications systems, establish the communication channels, and prioritise needs and availability of resources.
This unit of competency applies to an individual working alone or as part of a team or group and working in liaison with other incident response team members, and the incident coordinator/commander or incident manager, as appropriate.
In a typical scenario the person may estimate the communication needs and set about to provide them. Depending on the nature of the incident, this may include a wide range of communication processes. It could, for instance, include the provision of a telephone centre to handle media requests, inquiries from families, and secure lines of communication between the incident centre and outside authorities.
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 | Check existing communications systems | 1.1 | Check that the available communications systems are operable |
1.2 | Ensure that personnel are available and trained to use the existing facilities | ||
1.3 | Ensure that recording systems are in place to enable accurate recording of data | ||
2 | Provide necessary communications systems | 2.1 | Identify stakeholders in the incident management process |
2.2 | Identify the communication needs of these stakeholders | ||
2.3 | Plan for the acquisition and deployment of the systems necessary to provide the communication needs | ||
2.4 | Acquire, set up and put into operation the communications systems as required | ||
2.5 | Allocate and train personnel, as required, to support the communication systems provided | ||
3 | Prepare contingency plans | 3.1 | Review the incident information available to estimate possible future communication requirements |
3.2 | Prepare contingency plans for communication requirements, including all equipment, facilities, resources and people | ||
3.3 | Manage the contingency plan to ensure that systems are provided, as required | ||
3.4 | Review and update the requirements throughout the incident | ||
4 | Keep a record of the incident | 4.1 | Maintain a chronological record of the incident, the needs, resources and solutions as the incident progresses |
4.2 | Prepare a report, including recommendations for the future, at the conclusion of the incident | ||
5 | Control hazards concerned with the communications systems | 5.1 | Identify hazards in the work environment |
5.2 | Assess the risks arising from those hazards | ||
5.3 | Implement measures to control those risks in line with procedures and duty of care | ||
6 | Respond to problems | 6.1 | Identify possible problems in equipment or process |
6.2 | Determine which problems need action | ||
6.3 | Determine possible fault causes | ||
6.4 | Rectify problems using solutions within area of responsibility | ||
6.5 | Follow through items initiated until final resolution has occurred | ||
6.6 | Report problems outside area of responsibility to designated person | ||
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:
identify hazards and risks and implement risk controls
manage and coordinate human and physical resources to meet communications needs
plan for contingencies, monitor communication requirements and availability, and implement contingency plans as required
prioritise and respond to communications requests and requirements
react appropriately under stress
complete written records
provide written and verbal reports
evaluate the communications systems, activities and resources after an incident and make recommendations for the future.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
organisational procedures, including those covering:
incident, fire and accident
communication systems
emergency response plans
skills development and training
acquisitions and purchasing
reporting requirements
internal and external stakeholders and their typical incident communication needs
types of communication equipment and systems and their application
problem-solving techniques
hazards that may arise in the job/work environment and:
their possible causes
potential consequences
risks
appropriate risk controls
contingency planning.
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: intrinsically safe equipment internet security and hacking threats heat, smoke, darkness, dust or other atmospheric hazards electricity equipment failures flammability and explosivity hazardous products and materials unauthorised personnel extreme weather other hazards that might arise Identifying risks requires consideration of specific hazards and: what level of harm can occur how harm can occur (various chains of events that could result in harm from the hazard) the likelihood that harm will occur |
Communication systems | Communication systems include one or more of the following: telephone equipment, such as handsets, switchboards, satellites and lines mobile phones texts and messaging fax machines video conferencing messaging/paging options computers internet Facebook, Twitter and other social media radio systems (HF and VHF) printers, copiers and supplies |
Problems | Problems include one or more of the following: damage to existing infrastructure lack of availability of equipment and resources lack of specialised and/or trained people volume of communications being received |
Sectors
Competency Field
Incident readiness and response