International Organisation for Industrial Emergency Services Management

Joiff

JOIFF Training Policy

Accredited competency based training for emergency response personnel within High Hazard Industries is one of the three pillars of JOIFF. JOIFF Accredited Training is regarded as Good Industry Practice and is based on continuous reviewing and updating of current levels of knowledge and competence.

JOIFF Training has been developed to demonstrate that a well-trained and properly organised Emergency Response Team comprises members who are thoroughly familiar with their own site/facility/response area and its particular problems and are able to competently respond to the incidents that occur within the site/facility/response area Emergency Response Plan. It is an essential legal/safety requirement that each member of the Team receives training which will enable them to perform their duties safely, efficiently and in a competent manner that does not pose a hazard to themselves or to other persons.

The purpose of the development of approved training courses/programmes by JOIFF is not only to enable its members to meet their minimum legal requirements but also to demonstrate, by competency based certification, their intent to maintain a consistent level of expertise and knowledge amongst their Emergency Service personnel through their ongoing participation in JOIFF accredited training and maintenance of competence courses/programmes.

JOIFF Training is divided into five distinct phases:

  1. Initial training: “Acquisition” – to gain the attitude, knowledge, competency skills and understanding identified for a particular role, before being permitted to engage in emergency operations;
  2. Continuous training: “Application” – to consolidate, practice and apply the knowledge, skills and understanding developed during initial training to the workplace;
  3. Refresher training – a revision of fundamental knowledge and skills;
  4. Conversion training – designed to familiarise whenever changes in procedures and/or technology are introduced, and/or new hazards are identified in the work environment;
  5. Re-validation training – to up-date and develop new techniques and/or to enhance the skills learnt in earlier training.

JOIFF believes that site/facility/response area training programmes must reflect the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are required to maintain competence to site/facility/response area requirements. It should be noted that it is the responsibility of both the employer and the employee to demonstrate that competencies are being maintained and training should be as frequent as necessary to ensure that members of emergency response teams can perform their duties in a safe, efficient and competent manner that does not pose a hazard to themselves or to other persons.

Competence:

A person shall be deemed to be competent where, having regard to the task that s/he is required to perform and taking account of the size and/or hazards of the undertaking or establishment in which s/he undertakes work, s/he possesses sufficient training, experience and knowledge appropriate to the nature of the work to be undertaken.

 

Continuous Professional Development

JOIFF training is competency based, designed to provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Students. The fundamental reasons for carrying out CPD are:

  • To demonstrate that existing knowledge and skills are being regularly refreshed in order to maintain existing competence;
  • To acquire new knowledge and develop more skills necessary to keep up with developments in firefighting and other emergency response techniques;
  • To acquire new underpinning knowledge and skills that may be necessary for career development.

After initial training has been satisfactorily completed, competency based training certification can only be maintained by the augmentation and regularity of a robust onsite training programme. For the ongoing safety and efficiency of emergency response personnel who are full-time or part-time responders it is considered essential that competence in practical firefighting and in the correct use of Breathing Apparatus (B.A.) is maintained at least according to the following minimum guidelines:

  • Practical Firefighting: training on approved fire scenarios at least once every 12 months.
  • A. Wearer: worn at least once in every 6 months and assessed as competent at least once every 12 months.

It is critical that whether full time or part time, members of emergency response teams expected to carry out the same duties must have the same amount and type of competency based training.

JOIFF Accredited Training Establishments

To obtain JOIFF accreditation, an examination is necessary of the three pillars that make up effective provision of training:-

  • Establishment/organisation including facilities, Safety Management Systems and procedures;
  • Instruction and
  • Courses/programmes.

JOIFF accredited training establishments are chosen because of their compliance with the 3 pillars – excellence of their facilities, instructors and instructional techniques and the courses/programmes provided. A list of the current JOIFF accredited Training Establishments is on another page of this website.

JOIFF accredited Establishment have Safety Management systems in place that show that the Establishment has effective policies, protocols and procedures that allow for a safe system of work, that the facilities and practices are regularly risk assessed, that the courses/programmes being presented are consistently safe and appropriate and that there are adequate and appropriate resources/facilities to allow the training to be carried out.

JOIFF accredited instructors are experienced in the instructional ability of continual student assessment in the subject matter being dealt with. They also have current and first-hand knowledge of the Industry for which they will be providing training and provide credible and relevant instruction on the courses/programmes to which they are assigned.

JOIFF accredited courses/programmes are robust, challenging and relevant to the potential accidents/incidents on or off the site/facility/response area  to which the emergency responder may be required to respond within the Site Emergency Response Plan.

Each person who satisfactorily completes a JOIFF accredited training course/programme receives a JOIFF certificate of competence. JOIFF certificates of competence have expiry dates because in order to prove retention of competency, revalidation is required on a regular basis – this requirement can also be met by continual demonstration of currency of competence.

The JOIFF Career Path

JOIFF has accredited a number of competency based e-learning programs that cover competences relevant to emergency response from core competences to officer level of management. They are:

  • JOIFF Diploma
  • JOIFF Technician
  • Leadership 1 (Team Leader)
  • Leadership 2 (Officer)

Contact Joiff

For more information on JOIFF training contact the JOIFF Secretariat email: [email protected]