Apprenticeship training course

Specialist rescue operative (level 4)

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Information about Specialist rescue operative (level 4)

Efficiently and safely completing rescue operations from confined spaces including at height or underground.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • The importance and reasons for legal and regulatory compliance
  • An understanding of the importance of following policies, procedures and work instructions. These will include but will not be limited to: health and safely policy including signed statement. The hazard identification and risk assessment process aligned to the ability to implement controls to reduce the risk to an acceptable level
  • The procedures and processes for responding to and conducting emergency rescue operations
  • The operational and technical aspects of working at height, confined space entry and specialist rescue operations in underground mines, heights and confined spaces (see sub sector section above).This will require the specialist rescue operative to ensure those entering it are competent. Working at height hazards and a detailed understanding of operations being undertaken at height including and understanding of maintaining safe systems coupled to a backup (fall arrest) requirement
  • Working at height recovery and retrieval systems
  • Requirements of suitable and effective anchor point to provide a safe point to commence work or rescue from height
  • The operations being undertaken within the confined space. This will provide information to the rescue teams as to the likely equipment required to facilitate a successful rescue. This service is required by those entering confined spaces, or other similar space in which there is a reasonably foreseeable specified risk
  • The hazards and risks associated with working at height, confined space and underground environments and how to control them to an acceptable level
  • The operation of equipment that will be utilised in providing an effective rescue. This will include access and egress equipment, environmental monitors, respiratory protective devices, compressed air escape breathing apparatus, chemical oxygen breathing apparatus, compressed air breathing apparatus, long duration oxygen regenerative (4 hr) breathing apparatus, extraction equipment, advanced first aid, resuscitation equipment, pain relief equipment
  • The legal and regulatory maintenance and servicing requirements of rescue equipment
  • How to train others in health and safety requirements to operate in a confined space and in an underground mine
  • An acknowledgement that different people learn in different ways and have the ability to change teaching methods to adapt to this
  • The importance of reporting and evaluation of all potential work hazards and site-specific hazards, including near misses and dangerous occurrences
  • When it may be necessary not to rescue an injured person
  • How to fight fires and when not to fight fires
  • How fire spreads and how to fight fires in the underground and confined space environments
  • How to save and preserve an endangered life
  • How to identify the risks of activities using approved assessment processes, such as research into the history of the confined space or underground mine, hazard identification, risk assessment, control measures to ensure that the level of risk is at an acceptable level. Examples would be knowing how to maintain an atmosphere at an acceptable (safe) level; monitoring a trend of gases within a confined space or underground mine and understanding results; monitoring atmospheric pressure and understanding impact on a confined space and underground mine
  • Risk assessments, legislation, regulations (such as working at height, mines act, confined space, PUWER, first aid, LOLER), safe systems of work, and limits of responsibility
  • The reporting lines in both day-to-day and emergency situations
  • How to communicate effectively and how to develop and maintain effective working relationships
  • Inclusive teaching and learning approaches and how to use them
  • Ways to create an inclusive teaching and learning environment
  • Training aids including visual, Aural, Reading, Writing and kinaesthetic
  • Individual learning styles and how to assess them
  • Plan, prepare, deliver and assess training

  Skills

  • Operate as part of an effective and efficient rescue team to the required company standards, safe systems of work and current regulations such as Confined Spaces and Mines Regulations
  • Train and assess competence of others in the environments they themselves are deemed competent in. (a mine, a confined space and at height)
  • Conduct rescue operations in multiple environments and hazardous situations, such as at height, oxygen deficient, toxic and hot atmospheres, and carry out rescues involving casualty entrapment. Examples would be confined spaces, heights or underground mines with complex entry and exits with various options for ventilating the confined space or underground mine. These complex confined spaces and underground mines would or may have multiple operations being undertaken simultaneously
  • Fight different types of fires in both above ground and underground environments that may contain various gasses and other underground hazards
  • Preserve an endangered life, conduct a rescue if possible
  • Remain calm and objective under pressure
  • Transport trapped people through an irrespirable atmosphere
  • Transport casualties to a place of safety and further assistance
  • Fault find, test, maintain and service/re-service all rescue equipment
  • Minimise the effect of emissions from fire, fumes or other gases in the confined space or underground environment
  • Conduct routine and reactive maintenance of all equipment and breathing apparatus in accordance with company policy, procedures and manufacturers specifications
  • Use materials, fluids, gases and lubricants required for everyday operations and maintenance in accordance with company policy, procedures, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health data (COSHH) and manufacturers specifications
  • Plan and arrange equipment and resources and complete required rescue standby tasks in line with company key performance indicators and measures and record progress against them.
  • Plan the work required, follow the plan and look for and implement improvements in this plan as well as future work plans
  • Plan inclusive teaching and learning incorporating people learning styles
  • Deliver inclusive teaching and learning
  • Evaluate the delivery of inclusive teaching and learning, modifying delivery where required
  • Assess learners using a range of methods, against competency requirements and skills matrices

  Behaviours

  • Assess own level of competence and know when to seek advice from colleagues
  • Actively delegate actions effectively in emergency or hazardous situations
  • Recognise, accept and continue duties when it may have been necessary not to rescue a severely injured person
  • Critically identify own development needs and take action to meet those needs
  • Use own knowledge and expertise to help others
  • Actively maintain levels of knowledge and skills through continuing professional development, maintain CPD records
  • Pro-actively communicate with operational team effectively ensuring information is passed clearly and promptly using a range of methods
  • Accept responsibility for own behaviours, actions and standards of work
  • Take ownership of issues in an emergency situation and deal with appropriately
  • Actively promote a positive health, safety and environmental culture through situational awareness and by personal example, taking appropriate actions if others are acting in an unsafe manner
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Protective services
• Qualification level: 4; Equal to higher national certificate (HNC)
• Course duration: 18 months
• Maximum funding: £16,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.

View more information about Specialist rescue operative (level 4) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.