PUAOPE026A - Provide strategic safety advice at an incident
Assessor Resource
PUAOPE026A Provide strategic safety advice at an incident
Assessment tool
Version 1.0 Issue Date: May 2024
This unit applies to a person who is appointed to the role of Safety Advisor and is required to provide strategic advice to an Incident Controller in relation to safety, health and welfare risks, issues and requirements at an incident.
The authorisation and authorities to perform this role are subject to organisational policies and procedures.
Note: Safety Advisors may be appointed to a Level 2 or Level 3 Incident Management Team (IMT). Strategic safety issues or potential problems affecting one or more sections of the incident need to be raised and discussed at the IMT as early as practicable.
This unit covers the competency required to provide advice to the Incident Controller on issues related to safety, health and welfare at an incident.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Evidence Required
List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
conduct an assessment of the emerging hazards and risks at an incident and identify issues relating to the safety, health and welfare of personnel and actions required to mitigate those risks
analyse operational plans for potential to compromise safety
record observations and recommendations and report regularly on safety issues to the Incident Controller and members of the IMT
manage people, information and resources.
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated over time in a range of actual or simulated workplace environments.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Context of assessment
Competency should be assessed in an operational environment or in an industry-approved multi-agency simulated workplace environment.
Specific resources for assessment
Access is required to:
incidents or simulation of incidents, in a multi-agency workplace environment
risk management and safety tools and systems used to support the role of the Safety Advisor such as aide memoirs, technical data sheets, databases
deployment of technical or industry specialists to scene
proforma checklists - action, briefing and safety
Method of assessment
In a public safety environment assessment is usually conducted via direct observation in a training environment or in the workplace via subject matter supervision and/or mentoring, which is typically recorded in a competency workbook.
Assessment is completed using appropriately qualified assessors who select the most appropriate method of assessment.
Assessment may occur in an operational environment or in an industry-approved simulated work environment. Forms of assessment that are typically used include:
direct observation
interviewing the candidate
journals and workplace documentation
third party reports from supervisors
written or oral questions
Submission Requirements
List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here
Assessment task 1: [title] Due date:
(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)
Assessment Tasks
Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.
Required Skills
apply relevant legislation, codes, policies, procedures and systems
conduct risk management under severe time constraints
delegation
ensure administrative requirements for the Safety Unit are met
identify potential issues and maintain a strategic focus
identify safety risks
maintain focus on safety under conditions of high operational demand
manage the Safety Unit's workload (including numbers and type of staff needed)
practise leadership and management strategies
provide briefings to the IMT
supervise staff
Required Knowledge
agency workplace policies, practices and procedures
Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) structure and principles
general OH&S principles, in particular the principle that each individual, as well as the organisation, has a shared responsibility for workplace safety
methods of monitoring safe work practices at incidents such as:
establishment of staging area and check-in procedures
assessment of strategies and tactics
operational procedures, practices and implementation
organisational policies and procedures (such as relevant legislation; operational, corporate and strategic plans; operational performance standards; operational policies and procedures; organisational personnel and occupational health and safety practices and guidelines; organisational quality standards; organisation's approach to environmental management and sustainability)
protocols to be observed when present on an incident ground
relevant OH&S legislation
risk management process
roles of Safety Unit members
safety event investigation during incidents
span of control
work requirements of AIIMS sections, units and risks associated with their activities
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.
Initial briefing may include:
Current situation
Objectives and strategies
Potential OH&S issues
Potential public health and environmental risks
Procedures may include:
Communication and warning systems
Risk management procedures
Skills and training of personnel prior to deployment to any task or role at an incident
Appropriate supervision of all personnel working in and around the incident
Incident and safety information provided to incident personnel
IAP development process
Reporting of accidents and near-misses
Suitability of protective clothing and equipment prior to deployment
Internal auditing of systems
Relevant personnel may include:
Incident Controller
IMT
Line supervisor
Officers representing other agencies and support organisations
Operational personnel
Personnel involved in, or affected by a health, safety or welfare incident
Section managers
Unit managers/leaders
Meetings may include:
IAP planning meetings
IMT meetings
Incident Action Plan may include:
Accommodation and welfare arrangements
Communications Plan
Incident control structure, including establishment of sectors and divisions
Incident objectives
Information on alternative or fallback strategies
Information Plan for dissemination of information to all stakeholders
Information regarding the necessary logistical arrangements
Management structure if established
Maps or site plans of the incident
Medical Plan and consideration of occupational health and safety issues
Resources to be allocated to each division and sector
Statement of current situation and predictions of the incident's likely development (including key risk exposures)
Strategies to achieve defined incident objectives
Timings of meetings and changeovers
Traffic management
Reviewing relevant sections of the Incident Action Plan includes:
Ensuring IAP can be implemented effectively while catering for the health, safety and welfare requirements of the incident
Monitoring the effectiveness of mitigations
Reporting to the Incident Controller and other appropriate members of the IMT on safety issues and investigations
Specific plans may include:
Catering plans
Communication plans
Division and Sector plans
Facilities plans
Fatigue management plans
Medical plans
Recovery plans
Resource management plans
Traffic and transport plans
Safety event may include:
Accident
Breach of safety requirements/procedures
Near miss/hit
OH&S incident including accidents, injuries and near-misses
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.
Observation Checklist
Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice
Yes
No
Comments/feedback
Initial briefing and regular updates are obtained from Incident Controller.
Safety Unit priorities are obtained and confirmed with Incident Controller throughout an incident.
Requirements for safety, health and welfare in incident management are identified.
Safety, health and welfare of operational and other associated personnel is monitored and reviewed throughout an incident.
Information relating to safety, health and welfare is collected, collated and analysed.
Predictions and forecasts are made about the safety, health and welfare environment of an incident and components contributing to that environment are identified.
Mitigation strategies for risks that may not have been controlled elsewhere in the planning process are identified and developed.
Extant and potential safety roles are identified.
Overview of the adequacy of procedures related to safety is maintained.
Meetings and briefings are monitored for adequacy of safety and health information.
Relevant personnel are immediately informed of any action or condition that has the potential to place any person's life or safety at risk.
Mitigation actions are recommended as appropriate, where actions or conditions have the potential to place any person's life, safety, health or welfare at risk.
Work is undertaken with relevant personnel to ensure safety, health and welfare issues are considered and addressed.
Occupational health and safety (OH&S) advice is provided and outcomes of that advice are documented.
Incident Controller is alerted to unsafe work practices and alternative strategies/mitigations are suggested.
Safety Unit is established in accordance with Incident Controller's direction and the perceived risk profile of the incident.
Structure of the Safety Unit is adjusted during the incident to meet the predicted and actual safety demands of the incident.
Log of activities is maintained.
Performance of the Safety Unit is designed, activated and monitored in accordance with the requirements of the organisation and the demands of the incident.
Operational plans are produced for the Safety Unit and Safety Unit members are briefed on their responsibilities in meeting the outcomes of the plan.
Work undertaken by Safety Unit members is supervised, monitored and reviewed.
Demobilisation of the Safety Unit is planned.
Handover briefings are prepared and delivered.
Meetings, briefings and debriefing sessions are attended and participated in as required.
Liaison is undertaken with the IMT to produce a safe operational plan.
Safety related input is provided to the development of the Incident Action Plan (IAP) in relation to incident safety.
Relevant sections of the IAP are contributed to and/or reviewed as they are developed.
Participation in the development and dissemination of specific plans is undertaken as required.
Initiation of initial investigation/analysis of safety event is ensured.
Interaction is maintained with relevant personnel during/following a safety event.
Monitoring of safety, health and welfare requirements across an incident is maintained to ensure routine requirements are being met and to ensure unusual or unexpected situations or circumstances are not missed in the preparation and implementation of incident plans.
Passing on of information to the Incident Controller in relation to safety event investigations that take place on the incident ground and any impact investigations may have on operations is ensured.
Information relating to safety event cause and immediate and future mitigations is passed on to Incident Controller, Section and/or Unit Leader/s as appropriate.
Hazards and risks associated with the safety event are analysed to determine if appropriate control strategies have been identified and adequate mitigations have been put in place.
Development and submission to management of initial safety event report and recommendations for the prevention of similar occurrences is ensured.
Inclusion of any appropriate follow up actions required for safety events in demobilisation and recovery plans is ensured.
Implementation of safety recommendations arising out of a safety event investigation are implemented.
Forms
Assessment Cover Sheet
PUAOPE026A - Provide strategic safety advice at an incident
Assessment task 1: [title]
Student name:
Student ID:
I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.
Student signature:
Result: Competent Not yet competent
Feedback to student
Assessor name:
Signature:
Date:
Assessment Record Sheet
PUAOPE026A - Provide strategic safety advice at an incident
Student name:
Student ID:
Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent
(add lines for each task)
Feedback to student:
Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent