Control measure
Air quality cell function
Control measure
Air quality cell function
Control measure knowledge
If major air pollution occurs at an incident, the environmental agencies and public health organisations will set up an air quality cell. This will include other organisations, including the Met Office, Solutions from HSE, the Airborne hazards emergency response (AHER) service in Scotland and local authorities.
A joint understanding of risk and shared situational awareness should be developed by the members of the air quality cell. The fire and rescue service should provide the air quality cell with updates on the development of the incident and the operational response, to inform the monitoring and review of the potential impact on public health. This should also be used when carrying out operational risk assessments and developing tactical plans.
The air quality cell will co-ordinate air monitoring and provide air quality information. Public health organisations use this information to provide health advice to emergency responders and the public. For more information refer to Foundation for environmental protection - Air quality risk assessment.
Strategic actions
Fire and rescue services should:
Ensure relevant personnel understand how to obtain and apply the information provided by the air quality cell
Tactical actions
Incident commanders should:
Consider requesting that an air quality cell is set up
Develop a joint understanding of risk and shared situational awareness with the air quality cell
Use air quality cell information to inform operational risk assessments and tactical plans
Monitor and review the potential impact of the incident and operational response on public health with the air quality cell
TRAINING SPECIFICATION
Knowledge and understanding
| Control measure element | Learning outcome |
|---|---|
Establishing an air quality cell |
Understand:
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Joint understanding of risk and shared situational awareness |
Understand:
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Role of the air quality cell |
Understand:
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NOS knowledge and understanding
| You need to know and understand: | |
|---|---|
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Health and safety 2976 |
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K
Safe working practices of your organisation K
Guidelines, legislation and standard operating procedures that apply when dealing with hazardous materials and decontamination K
Your organisation's systems, tools and procedures for recording information and how to use them K
Types and sources of information about hazardous materials and decontamination and how to access these K
Lines and methods of communication and reporting in the workplace K
Roles, responsibilities and limits of authority of self, others and other agencies in the workplace K
Different types of evidence relevant to hazardous materials incidents |
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Health and safety |
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K 1
Safe working practices of your organisation |
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Organisational |
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K 6
Guidelines, legislation and standard operating procedures that apply when dealing with hazardous materials and decontamination K 7
Your organisation's systems, tools and procedures for recording information and how to use them K 8
Types and sources of information about hazardous materials and decontamination and how to access these |
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Personal and Interpersonal |
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K 13
Lines and methods of communication and reporting in the workplace K 14
Roles, responsibilities and limits of authority of self, others and other agencies in the workplace |
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Technical |
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K 18
Different types of evidence relevant to hazardous materials incidents |
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You need to know and understand: 2920 |
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K
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others during fire and rescue operational incidents K
Fire service or other legislation relevant to carrying out search, rescue and casualty care K
Record systems specific to your role and their use K
Sources and availability of information K
Methods and techniques for communicating with others K
The importance of treating others with respect and consideration, taking account of, and accepting, diversity K
How to recognise and support people in distress K
Lines and methods of communication and reporting in the workplace K
Roles, responsibilities and limits of authority of self, others and other agencies in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K
Personal protective and operational equipment used in fires and other operational incidents including their capabilities, limitations and safe use K
How to select personal protective and operational equipment appropriate to type of fires and operational incidents K
Roles and responsibilities within incident command systems K
Methods and techniques to control and extinguish fires K
Causes, effects and behaviour of fire K
Different fire types and fire classes K
Different active and passive fire protection systems K
Building fire protection systems, features and facilities that contribute to firefighter safety while responding to incidents K
Building features and facilities that can cause risk to firefighters when responding to incidents K
How different building construction and design can affect fire development K
How to identify safe means of egress in the built environment K
The importance of identifying and preserving evidence at fire and rescue incidents K
Different types of evidence relevant to fire and rescue incidents K
How to preserve evidence at operational incidents K
How to gain access, effect entry and maintain exit routes at fire and rescue incidents K
The importance of limiting damage to property and the environment when resolving fire and rescue incidents |
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Health & Safety |
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K 1
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K 2
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K 3
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others during fire and rescue operational incidents |
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Organisational |
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K 4
Fire service or other legislation relevant to carrying out search, rescue and casualty care K 5
Record systems specific to your role and their use K 6
Sources and availability of information |
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Personal and Interpersonal |
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K 7
Methods and techniques for communicating with others K 8
The importance of treating others with respect and consideration, taking account of, and accepting, diversity K 9
How to recognise and support people in distress K 10
Lines and methods of communication and reporting in the workplace K 11
Roles, responsibilities and limits of authority of self, others and other agencies in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents |
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Technical |
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K 12
Personal protective and operational equipment used in fires and other operational incidents including their capabilities, limitations and safe use K 13
How to select personal protective and operational equipment appropriate to type of fires and operational incidents K 14
Roles and responsibilities within incident command systems K 15
Methods and techniques to control and extinguish fires K 16
Causes, effects and behaviour of fire K 17
Different fire types and fire classes K 18
Different active and passive fire protection systems K 19
Building fire protection systems, features and facilities that contribute to firefighter safety while responding to incidents K 20
Building features and facilities that can cause risk to firefighters when responding to incidents K 21
How different building construction and design can affect fire development K 22
How to identify safe means of egress in the built environment K 23
The importance of identifying and preserving evidence at fire and rescue incidents K 24
Different types of evidence relevant to fire and rescue incidents K 25
How to preserve evidence at operational incidents K 26
How to gain access, effect entry and maintain exit routes at fire and rescue incidents K 27
The importance of limiting damage to property and the environment when resolving fire and rescue incidents |
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Practical application
| Control measure element | Learning outcome |
|---|---|
Consider requesting that an air quality cell is set up |
Demonstrate the ability to:
|
Develop a joint understanding of risk and shared situational awareness with the air quality cell |
Demonstrate the ability to:
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Use air quality cell information to inform operational risk assessments and tactical plans |
Demonstrate the ability to:
|
Monitor and review the potential impact of the incident and operational response on public health with the air quality cell |
Demonstrate the ability to:
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NOS performance criteria
| You must be able to: | |
|---|---|
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You must be able to - TO BE ARCHIVED 2947 |
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P
Agree with relevant others your tasks and duties at an incident in line with your role and responsibilities P
Identify risks which may affect the safety of other people or property in line with your organisation's risk assessment guidance P
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures P
Work with others including colleagues and other agencies in line with your organisation's communication procedures P
Provide support to others at the incident in ways which promote calm, compassion and consideration for others P
Operate safely within your agreed role, responsibility and level of expertise and in line with your organisation's procedures |
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Minimise damage to the environment from hazardous materials |
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P 1
Agree with relevant others your tasks and duties at an incident in line with your role and responsibilities |
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Support operational incidents |
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P 15
Identify risks which may affect the safety of other people or property in line with your organisation's risk assessment guidance P 16
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures P 17
Work with others including colleagues and other agencies in line with your organisation's communication procedures P 18
Provide support to others at the incident in ways which promote calm, compassion and consideration for others |
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For the whole standard |
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P 19
Operate safely within your agreed role, responsibility and level of expertise and in line with your organisation's procedures |
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Respond to fire and rescue incidents |
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P 1
Confirm with relevant others your tasks and duties in relation to fire and rescue incidents in line with your role and responsibilities P 2
Establish key factors about fire and rescue incidents and inform others in line with your organisation’s procedures, including:
P 3
Establish risks affecting fire and rescue incidents in line with your organisation’s risk assessment procedures P 4
Use agreed methods and techniques to control and reduce fire in line with your agreed tasks and duties at an incident P 5
Operate within appropriate risk control measures in line with your organisation's procedures P 6
Use resources, equipment and personal protective equipment at fire and rescue incidents in line with their limitations, safety and operating instructions |
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Respond to fire and rescue incidents 2889 |
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P
Use agreed methods and techniques to control and reduce fire in line with your agreed tasks and duties at an incident P
Operate within appropriate risk control measures in line with your organisation's procedures P
Use resources, equipment and personal protective equipment at fire and rescue incidents in line with their limitations, safety and operating instructions P
Provide support to others at incidents in ways which promote calm, compassion and consideration for others P
Restrict the view of incidents to avoid additional suffering in line with your organisation's procedures P
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures P
Operate in a safe manner within your agreed level of responsibility and expertise P
Work with others in ways that:
P
Preserve evidence to meet the needs of investigations in line with your organisation's procedures P
Inform relevant others when people's possessions and property are identified P
Return equipment and resources after use and make sure they are secured and stored in line with your organisation's procedures P
Keep accurate records and provide these to others in line with your organisation's requirements |
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Support people involved in an operational incident |
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P 7
Provide support to others at incidents in ways which promote calm, compassion and consideration for others P 8
Restrict the view of incidents to avoid additional suffering in line with your organisation's procedures P 9
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures |
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For the whole standard |
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P 10
Operate in a safe manner within your agreed level of responsibility and expertise P 11
Work with others in ways that:
P 12
Preserve evidence to meet the needs of investigations in line with your organisation's procedures P 13
Inform relevant others when people's possessions and property are identified P 14
Return equipment and resources after use and make sure they are secured and stored in line with your organisation's procedures P 15
Keep accurate records and provide these to others in line with your organisation's requirements |
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- Control measureControlled burning: Environmental considerations
- HazardPhysical damage to the environment