PUAEMR023
Assess emergency risk

This unit describes the outcomes required to identify, analyse and evaluate risk to determine which risks need treatment and the treatment priorities.No licencing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application

This unit applies to workers undertaking an emergency risk assessment with a community or part of a community. Such assessments are conducted at local, regional or state level by local governments, emergency management committees, public safety agencies, major event managers or other organisations that need to understand emergency risk to a community.


Prerequisites

PUAEMR022 Establish context for emergency risk assessment


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify risk

1.1 Sources of risk are identified by considering the interaction of hazards, communities and the environment.

1.2 Elements at risk are identified.

1.3 Stakeholders are consulted throughout the risk assessment process.

1.4 Risk statements describing consequences are generated.

2. Analyse risk

2.1 Risks are analysed by considering the likelihood of particular consequences occurring.

2.2 The vulnerability of communities and/or environments is determined by analysing their susceptibility and resilience to risks.

2.3 Risks are rated in accordance with agreed risk criteria.

3. Evaluate risk

3.1 Risks requiring additional analysis or treatment are determined.

3.2 Tolerability and acceptability of risks are agreed with stakeholders.

3.3 Risk treatments are prioritised using agreed risk criteria.

4. Monitor and review

4.1 Evaluated risks are monitored in accordance with standards and guidelines.

4.2 Evaluated risks are reviewed in accordance with standards and guidelines.

Required Skills

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

Required Skills

research skills to identify sources of risk to the social, built, economic and natural environments

analysis skills for qualitative and quantitative risk analysis

workshop facilitation skills

identification of stakeholders

negotiation with stakeholders

problem definition

risk analysis

use emergency risk modelling processes to estimate risk

Required Knowledge

emergency risk management concepts and principles included in the current National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines

risk identification tools

format of risk statements and risk register

structure of risk criteria and the application of scenario dynamics (how a hazard creates consequences)

concepts of ‘credible consequence level’, likelihood rating, confidence rating, ‘as low as reasonably practicable’ principle

application of spatial analysis techniques

jurisdiction or organisational emergency risk management principles and guidelines

problem solving and decision making techniques

research, demographic and economic analysis techniques

Evidence Required

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

Learners must demonstrate that they can apply an appropriate method to identify risk, produce meaningful risk statements and apply risk criteria in consultation with stakeholders.

Consistency in performance

Candidates should be expected to present evidence from at least two different contexts, one of which may be simulated.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Context of assessment

Evidence of competence in this unit may be collected in a simulated environment and real environment, often as part of a larger project with concurrent assessment of other emergency risk management competencies.

Specific resources for assessment

For the demonstration of competence in this unit it will be necessary to participate a real life project.

Underpinning knowledge may be assessed through written assignments, project reports, debriefings and action learning projects in real or simulated environments.

Guidance information for assessment

This unit contains many transferable skills, such as communication, consultation, research and analysis skills that can be applied in the emergency risk management context. Assessors should use formative assessment strategies in a simulated environment to contextualise underpinning knowledge. Summative assessment requires application of the unit in a real-life project, often in an action-learning context.

This unit may be assessed with other units that address the whole emergency risk management process.


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 in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.

Sources of risk may include

commercial and legal relationships

economic systems and relationships

human behaviour

natural events

built environment failures

disease (plant, animal or human)

political circumstances

technology/technical issues, management activities and controls

The environment may include

social environment (individuals, families and common interest groups that form whole communities)

build environment (human-made assets that underpin the functioning of a community)

economic environment

natural environment

Elements at risk may include

people

buildings and civil engineering works

infrastructure

economic activities

public services

natural environment

Stakeholders may include

staff

client groups

decision makers

members of the public

community groups

industry groups

public and private sector organisations

non-government organisations

elected officials

Risk criteria may include

the nature and types of causes and consequences that can occur and how they will be measured

how likelihood will be defined

the timeframe(s) of the likelihood and/or consequence(s)

how the level of risk is to be determined

the views of stakeholders

the level at which risk becomes acceptable or tolerable

whether combinations of multiple risks should be taken into account and, if so, how and which combinations should be considered

Standards and guidelines may include

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009, Risk management—Principles and Guidelines

HB 327:2010, Communicating and consulting about risk

ISO Guide 73:2009, Risk management—Vocabulary

National Emergency, Management Committee (2010), National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines

jurisdictional or organisational emergency risk management policies and procedures


Sectors

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

Not applicable.