This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to manage, inspect and assess a mobile property fire to determine origin and cause. For the purposes of this unit mobile property includes aircraft, farm machinery, caravans, campervans, marine craft, motor vehicles, trains, trams, trucks and buses.

The unit focuses on developing and applying a systematic approach to fire investigations in a mobile property context. It includes coordinating mobile fire investigations, securing fire scenes, preserving evidence, conducting analysis of evidence and making informed fire cause determinations and is applicable to fire investigators who are required to determine the origin and cause of a mobile property fires.

The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or organisations that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Coordinate mobile propertyfire investigation

1.1

Cooperation with multi-organisational/agency personnel is consistent with designated roles and responsibilities and is in accordance with organisational procedures

1.2

Information required by fire investigators from multi-organisation/agency personnel is identified

1.3

Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) procedures are followed, in accordance with organisational procedures

2

Secure fire scene and preserve evidence

2.1

Legal obligations of fire scene investigators are determined and adhered to throughout the investigation

2.2

Methods of scene security prior to examination are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.3

Procedures to monitor and log access to a fire scene are identified and applied, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.4

Strategies for locating, collecting, preserving and processing evidence are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures

3

Conduct scene investigation

3.1

Investigation activities are coordinated with Incident Controller, in accordance with organisational procedures, when active fire management operations are still occurring in relation to the incident

3.2

External and internal survey of scene is conducted to identify hazards and action is taken to mitigate risk

3.3

Scene is investigated to determine areas of interest and to record observations on origin, cause or development of the fire

3.4

Burn patterns and effects of fire suppression are identified and assessed

3.5

Areas or items of evidence that have a potential bearing on origin, cause or development of fire are identified

3.6

Effects of construction and other factors that impact fire development and spread are identified

3.7

Nature, combustibility and reactivity of materials involved in fire cause are identified

3.8

Indicators of fire spread are identified in conjunction with other sources of evidence

3.9

Effects of environmental conditions are recorded

3.10

Evidence is assessed and prioritised for further review

3.11

Fire origin and cause is determined and reported, in accordance with organisational procedures

4

Collect and analyse evidence from a fire scene

4.1

Appropriate sampling areas and items are identified using sampling equipment and resources

4.2

Appropriate collection techniques are applied including eliminating contamination and loss of evidence

4.3

Integrity and continuity of collected exhibits is maintained, in accordance with organisational procedures

4.4

Evidence from fire scene is analysed and processed using a range of recording and digital multimedia

4.5

Product recall and safety data sheet databases are researched, as required

4.6

Fire origin and cause determination theories are developed and assessed

4.7

Findings are reported and documented, in accordance with organisational procedures

4.8

Evidence is secured for subsequent action, in accordance with organisational procedures

4.9

Investigation report is completed and forwarded to relevant authorities and stakeholders, in accordance with organisational procedures

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

origin and cause determination must include

analysing

identification of origin

interpretation

processing

Fire

Fire