COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
CEO INSTRUMENT OF APPROVAL NO. 58 OF 2000
CUSTOMS ACT 1901
I, LIONEL BARRIE WOODWARD, Chief Executive Officer of Customs, pursuant to sections 4A and 219RAD of the Customs Act 1901, approve the attached statement as a description of the training in the operation of the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector.
CEO Instrument of Approval No. 54 of 2000 is hereby revoked.
The statement takes effect on and from gazettal.
Dated: 29 November 2000
L B WOODWARD
Chief Executive Officer
Statement related to specified training for
the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector
The Australian Customs Service has developed a training course for Customs officers to ensure the competent use of the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector.
The course consists of eight elements. A Customs officer must successfully complete training in each of the competencies related to each element before the CEO may authorise the officer to use the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector (Iconscan).
The elements and the competencies related to each element are as follows:
ELEMENT | COMPETENCIES |
Narcotic Identification | - Participants are aware of the narcotics that the Ionscan is programmed to detect.
- Participants can describe the safe handling principles for dealing with narcotics.
|
Ionscan Occupational Health & Safety Issues | - Participants can demonstrate correct occupational health and safety principles in the set-up and use of the Ionscan.
- Participants can demonstrate how to check and change Dierite in the Ionscan.
|
Basic Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) Principles | - Participants are aware of the IMS principles used in the Ionscan.
|
Ionscan Set-up and Start-up Procedure | - Participants can demonstrate the correct procedures for setting up an Ionscan in a Customs environment.
- Participants can access and navigate Ionscan Manager software to enable use of the Ionscan unit.
- Participants can demonstrate how to conduct and save the Ionscan verification procedure.
- Participants can demonstrate how to conduct the Ionscan autocalibration procedure.
|
Sample Analysis and Techniques | - Participants can describe the contamination check list and demonstrate how to eliminate contamination where necessary.
- Participants can correctly use various Ionscan sampling methods.
- Participants can demonstrate how to correctly analyse an Ionscan sample, including procedures to be followed in the event of an “alarm”.
|
Ionscan Front Panel LCDO | - Participants can navigate the non-password-protected features of the Ionscan.
|
Plasmagram Interpretation | - Participants can demonstrate how to navigate the various plasmagrams under the “View” menu.
- Participants can interpret the information on the Ionscan plasmagram.
|
Reporting and Evidence Procedures | - Participants can complete the various documents, forms associated with Customs Ionscan usage.
- Participants can demonstrate the correct method for recording Ionscan analysis information for evidential purposes.
|
Overview
The Customs Act 1901, enacted by the Australian Parliament, serves to regulate and facilitate international trade and travel through the management of customs and excise duties. The Customs Act 1901 was introduced to address the need for a comprehensive legal framework governing customs procedures and operations, ensuring efficient border control, revenue collection, and enforcement of trade laws. One of the key legislative instruments under this Act is CEO Instrument of Approval No. 58 of 2000, which was established by Lionel Barrie Woodward, the Chief Executive Officer of Customs. This instrument aims to ensure that Customs officers are properly trained in the operation of the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector, a critical tool in detecting illicit substances. By stipulating a detailed training program consisting of eight elements, the instrument seeks to standardise the competency of Customs officers in utilising this advanced technology effectively and safely.
Scope and Application
The Legislative Instrument F2006B11628, approved under the Customs Act 1901, pertains specifically to the training of Customs officers in the operation of the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector, a device used for detecting narcotics. The Act applies to Customs officers within the Australian Customs Service who are required to operate the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector as part of their duties. The legislation mandates that these officers must complete a comprehensive training course comprising eight distinct elements, each with specific competencies that they must demonstrate before being authorised to use the device. This ensures that officers are competent and knowledgeable in the safe handling, operation, and interpretation of the Ionscan results. The geographic reach of this legislation is national, as it applies across the Commonwealth of Australia. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within the legislation itself; however, the application and scope may be further defined through subordinate instruments, which could provide additional regulations or guidelines to complement the training requirements outlined in the Act.
Key Provisions
The CEO Instrument of Approval No. 58 of 2000 under the Customs Act 1901 establishes a training course for Customs officers to operate the Barringer Ionscan Trace Detector, also known as Ionscan. This approval outlines the necessary competencies for each of the eight elements of the training course (section 1). The main sections of the legislation specify the competencies required in each element, including awareness of narcotics detection, occupational health and safety principles, basic ion mobility spectrometry principles, and the correct setup and use of the Ionscan (section 2). Customs officers must successfully complete training in each competency related to these elements before they can be authorised to use the Ionscan (section 3).
The Act imposes specific obligations on Customs officers who are required to complete the training. They must be aware of the narcotics that the Ionscan is programmed to detect and understand the safe handling principles for dealing with these substances (section 4). Additionally, officers must demonstrate correct occupational health and safety principles during the setup and use of the Ionscan, including the ability to check and change Dierite (section 5). Officers are also required to be familiar with the principles of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) used in the Ionscan and must be able to correctly set up and start the device, navigate the Ionscan Manager software, and conduct verification and autocalibration procedures (section 6).
Failure to comply with the training requirements or to adhere to the competencies outlined in the Act may result in consequences. While the legislation does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance, unauthorised use of the Ionscan by officers who have not completed the required training could potentially lead to civil or criminal consequences. Such consequences might include disciplinary action by the Australian Customs Service, as well as potential legal ramifications if the improper use of the Ionscan leads to errors in detection or handling of narcotics, resulting in broader legal issues (section 7).