3.2.12 Contribute to the investigation of explosives safety incidents

Key Role
Test & Evaluation (trials)
Unit
12
Reference
2.12
Overview

This standard identifies the competences you need to assess an organization's safety management system.

Your responsibilities will require you to gather and validate relevant information and confirm the intended use, operation/functioning of the explosive substance or article and its intended environments. You need to implement your responsibilities in accordance with the investigation plan, identify and interview those people involved in or affected by the incident, obtaining valid information
and evidence from which to substantiate your findings objectively. You need to establish the likely root cause of the incident and make practicable recommendations for improvement. You will be working with all those involved i.e. management, colleagues, witnesses and experts, individually and collaboratively. You will be carrying out assurance audits in relation to facilities, people, processes and documentation. You will be required to report any problems with the explosive safety management activities that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority to the relevant people. You will be expected to work to verbal/written instructions and standard operating procedures with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you and your team carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work and will enable you to adopt an informed approach to understanding the purpose of the explosives safety management system and best practice within it, the relevance of any explosives-related activities and how these might affect the incident, the organization's explosives-related structure and
systems relevant to the investigation, the competence of the personnel involved in the incident, sources of information that might inform your investigation and the potential effects of the incident. You will have an understanding of the attributes and behaviours required for working safely in adequate depth to provide a sound background for carrying out the safety management activities to the required specification.

You will understand the precautions required when carrying out the safety management activities for explosive substances and articles. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.

This activity is likely to be undertaken by someone whose work role involves Weapons, Ordnance, Munitions or Explosives work activities. This includes individuals working as explosives safety supervisors.

Performance Criteria

P1 work safely at all times, complying with health and safety, environmental and other relevant regulations, legislation and guidelines
P2 implement your responsibilities in accordance with the investigation plan
P3 identify those people who should be interviewed in accordance with the investigation plan
P4 interview those involved in or affected by the incident in accordance with the plan and your organization's procedures
P5 obtain valid information and evidence in accordance with the plan and your organization's procedures
P6 substantiate your findings from an objective analysis of the available evidence
P7 establish the likely root cause(s) of the incident in accordance with your role in the investigation plan
P8 make practicable recommendations for improvement
P9 report the results of your investigation in the appropriate format

Knowledge and Understanding

K1 the health, safety and environmental and other statutory legislation, regulations and safe working practices and procedures governing explosives and their implications for your area of work
K2 the relevance of personal protective equipment (PPE)
K3 the nature, characteristics, hazards and risks of the explosive substances and/or articles
K4 the actions to be taken in response to an unplanned event
K5 the purpose of the explosives safety management system for explosive substances and/or articles
K6 best practice in explosives safety management
K7 the relevance of any explosives-related activities an how these might affect the incident
K8 the organization's explosives-related structure and systems relevant to the investigation
K9 the competence of the personnel involved in the incident
K10 sources of information that might inform your investigation and how to access them
K11 the process being operated when the incident occurred
K12 the potential effects of the incident
K13 reporting lines and procedures

Scope and Range

1 Those involved: management; colleagues; witnesses; experts
2 Scope of the investigation: individually; collaboratively