Commonly referred to as the Warden, Chief Warden and Extinguisher Use course, these units apply to individuals who may be required to make decisions about the safety of occupants of a facility during an emergency and to give instructions on the priority order for responding to an emergency incident, including command, control and coordination of facility emergency response procedures and concluding the facility emergency incident. They may also be required to act as the primary liaison with emergency services. Individuals who undertake this role will generally be members of an Emergency Control Organisation (ECO), acting as chief wardens, deputy chief wardens and communications officers.
Furthermore, it also involves the skills and knowledge required to confine small emergencies in a facility and it applies to individuals who are required to have first attack firefighting skills. It includes preparing for emergency situations, identifying and assessing an emergency, safely confining emergencies, using initial response equipment and reporting on the facility's emergency response.
Small emergencies in a facility include incidents such as small fires that can be controlled using a fire extinguisher; chemical spills that can be controlled using facility personal protective clothing and equipment and a spill kit; or a vehicle accident where there is no significant injury or damage.
The course has been developed to cover a broad range of emergencies and facilities as considered in Australian Standard 3745 and Australian Standard 4083. It applies to employees in the workplace within all industries and in all contexts.
Participants in this course will also learn how to effectively:
- Apply Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
- Assist occupants who may require assistance
- Assist with post-emergency response activities
- Contribute to facility emergency planning
- Give clear directions to occupants and visitors
- Implement safe work practices
- Initiate and control initial emergency response
- Take on a leadership role within emergency control organisation and/or a deputy role for other emergency control organisation positions
- Undertake pre-emergency planning
- Use communications systems
- Wear required emergency control organisation identification
- Brief emergency services personnel
- Command, control and coordinate facility emergency response procedures
- Comply with legislation, industry standards, codes of practice and regulations concluding facility emergency
- Give clear directions and keep others informed throughout the emergency in accordance with the facility emergency plan
- Identify evacuation assembly areas
- Implement facility emergency response procedures
- Interpret information displayed on emergency control indicator equipment including fire indicator panel, building management system and security management system
- Respond to emergency signals and warnings appropriately
- Communicate with occupants, emergency personnel and stakeholders
- Confine emergencies safely
- Identify and act to avoid or control any associated hazards
- Identify and assess an emergency
- Report facility emergency response
- Restow initial response equipment
- Use initial response equipment
- Utilise risk management processes
