Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What may dairy waste include?
It may include manure, urine, cow hair, mucus, milk, yard and plant washing water, storm water, detergent and chemical residues, soil, suspended solids, stones, string, hay, and pasture.

What actions can be taken to minimise or eliminate OHS risks?
Systems and procedures for:
outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation
safe livestock handling, using calm and positive actions to avoid alarming stock
operating high pressure cleaners
protection from hazardous noise
preventing zoonotic infection
selection, use and maintenance of personal protective clothing and equipment
the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees under the relevant State and workplace OHS legislation.
Codes of practice for:
working with livestock
manual handling
the control of workplace hazardous substances
OHS requirements for the safe use of chemical and biological agents.
The safe operation of farm vehicles, machinery and equipment, including Australian Standards for:
guards for agricultural tractor PTO drives
agricultural wheeled tractors - Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS) in service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.

What personal protective equipment (PPE) may be relevant to this standard?
This may include boots, helmet, overalls, gloves, protective eyewear, hearing protection, respirator or face mask, and sun protection (sun hat, sunscreen).

What are some of the methods used to apply untreated dairy waste directly to the land?
Methods such as application by sump, pump and sprinkler, pump and movable hose, or manure tanker.

What factors influence the amount of dairy waste produced by a herd?
Such factors as the age and weight of animals in the herd, whether animals are fed during milking, level of disturbance during milking, stock treatment prior to yarding and milking, time spent by the herd in laneways and yards, slope and size of yards, volume of water used in the cleaning system, and milking management.

What methods might be used to treat and store dairy waste before it is applied to the land?
Such methods as two ponds, a single storage pond, turkey nest storage pond, or a pump to a remote pond system.

How might dairy waste be applied to the farm to ensure a rate that allows efficient use by the environment?
Through systems such as direct flood irrigation, pressure irrigation (sprinkler or drip irrigation), hand moved flexible hose, a mixture of waste water with irrigation water, a manure spreader and incorporating the waste with the soil.

What are some methods of conveying dairy waste to treatment or storage areas?
They include an open drain or gravity pipe flow, a pumping system with pump, sump and rising main pipe, a diversion bank, a siphon discharge, or a scraper.

What further considerations must be made when applying dairy waste to the land?
They include animal health and environmental issues associated with applying raw manure, urine and milk to pastures, storage of waste, i.e., leakage from ponds, location of water courses in relation to storage and effect of soil types, disposal of waste, i.e. location of water courses, rivers, bores, irrigation areas, residential areas, and the effect of waste, particularly milk, on rivers.

What is meant by an environmental duty of care?
Environmental duty of care may include an awareness of legislative and regulative requirements, codes of practice, established guidelines, organisations environmental plan including any State based environmental and local government regulations for dairy waste storage and disposal.

What relevant information might be recorded and reported, and in what form might it be documented?
Dates, times and periods of operation and maintenance, chemicals and other substances used including quantities and methods, and readings from temperature and flow-rate gauges. Record keeping systems used may be either paper-based or digital, and information will be recorded into logbooks or other records.

What may dairy waste include?
It may include manure, urine, cow hair, mucus, milk, yard and plant washing water, storm water, detergent and chemical residues, soil, suspended solids, stones, string, hay, and pasture.

What actions can be taken to minimise or eliminate OHS risks?
Systems and procedures for:
outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation
safe livestock handling, using calm and positive actions to avoid alarming stock
operating high pressure cleaners
protection from hazardous noise
preventing zoonotic infection
selection, use and maintenance of personal protective clothing and equipment
the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees under the relevant State and workplace OHS legislation.
Codes of practice for:
working with livestock
manual handling
the control of workplace hazardous substances
OHS requirements for the safe use of chemical and biological agents.
The safe operation of farm vehicles, machinery and equipment, including Australian Standards for:
guards for agricultural tractor PTO drives
agricultural wheeled tractors - Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS) in service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.

What personal protective equipment (PPE) may be relevant to this standard?
This may include boots, helmet, overalls, gloves, protective eyewear, hearing protection, respirator or face mask, and sun protection (sun hat, sunscreen).

What are some of the methods used to apply untreated dairy waste directly to the land?
Methods such as application by sump, pump and sprinkler, pump and movable hose, or manure tanker.

What factors influence the amount of dairy waste produced by a herd?
Such factors as the age and weight of animals in the herd, whether animals are fed during milking, level of disturbance during milking, stock treatment prior to yarding and milking, time spent by the herd in laneways and yards, slope and size of yards, volume of water used in the cleaning system, and milking management.

What methods might be used to treat and store dairy waste before it is applied to the land?
Such methods as two ponds, a single storage pond, turkey nest storage pond, or a pump to a remote pond system.

How might dairy waste be applied to the farm to ensure a rate that allows efficient use by the environment?
Through systems such as direct flood irrigation, pressure irrigation (sprinkler or drip irrigation), hand moved flexible hose, a mixture of waste water with irrigation water, a manure spreader and incorporating the waste with the soil.

What are some methods of conveying dairy waste to treatment or storage areas?
They include an open drain or gravity pipe flow, a pumping system with pump, sump and rising main pipe, a diversion bank, a siphon discharge, or a scraper.

What further considerations must be made when applying dairy waste to the land?
They include animal health and environmental issues associated with applying raw manure, urine and milk to pastures, storage of waste, i.e., leakage from ponds, location of water courses in relation to storage and effect of soil types, disposal of waste, i.e. location of water courses, rivers, bores, irrigation areas, residential areas, and the effect of waste, particularly milk, on rivers.

What is meant by an environmental duty of care?
Environmental duty of care may include an awareness of legislative and regulative requirements, codes of practice, established guidelines, organisations environmental plan including any State based environmental and local government regulations for dairy waste storage and disposal.

What relevant information might be recorded and reported, and in what form might it be documented?
Dates, times and periods of operation and maintenance, chemicals and other substances used including quantities and methods, and readings from temperature and flow-rate gauges. Record keeping systems used may be either paper-based or digital, and information will be recorded into logbooks or other records.

Competence in operating a dairy recycling system requires evidence that dairy waste is recycled cleanly and efficiently resulting in minimal impacts on the surrounding environment.
The skills and knowledge required to operate a dairy recycling system must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, across the range of shed types and disposal systems in place in the organisation.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

the purpose of dairy waste management systems
procedures for installing dairy waste management systems
components of dairy shed and yard waste
the nutrient and chemical status of the different types of waste
advantages and disadvantages of reusing treated and untreated waste
methods of reducing the amount of waste
methods of applying untreated waste to the land
methods of treating and storing waste before applying to the land
methods of applying treated waste to the land
relevant legislation and regulations relating to the use, treatment and storage of dairy waste
OHS obligations regarding the operation of dairy waste management systems.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

operate dairy waste management systems in accordance with OHS and environmental legislation, regulations and codes of practice
maintain and monitor gauges and instruments that control the dairy waste recycling system
implement dairy waste management plans
read and interpret cost sheets, production information, target statistics, quantities of feed and other inputs, job performance audits, and Material Safety Data Sheets
prepare and present production and other information in a manner that is readily accessible for both management and operators
observe, identify and react appropriately to environmental implications and OHS hazards.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

the purpose of dairy waste management systems
procedures for installing dairy waste management systems
components of dairy shed and yard waste
the nutrient and chemical status of the different types of waste
advantages and disadvantages of reusing treated and untreated waste
methods of reducing the amount of waste
methods of applying untreated waste to the land
methods of treating and storing waste before applying to the land
methods of applying treated waste to the land
relevant legislation and regulations relating to the use, treatment and storage of dairy waste
OHS obligations regarding the operation of dairy waste management systems.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

operate dairy waste management systems in accordance with OHS and environmental legislation, regulations and codes of practice
maintain and monitor gauges and instruments that control the dairy waste recycling system
implement dairy waste management plans
read and interpret cost sheets, production information, target statistics, quantities of feed and other inputs, job performance audits, and Material Safety Data Sheets
prepare and present production and other information in a manner that is readily accessible for both management and operators
observe, identify and react appropriately to environmental implications and OHS hazards.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

Communicating ideas and information
With licensing authorities, farm management and other employees. (2)

Communicating ideas and information
With licensing authorities, farm management and other employees. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
To ensure environmentally responsible dairy waste handling. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
To ensure environmentally responsible dairy waste handling. (2)

Planning and organising activities
In undertaking the preparation activities for maintaining and monitoring the system. (2)

Planning and organising activities
In undertaking the preparation activities for maintaining and monitoring the system. (2)

Working with others and in teams
To safely remove dairy waste from the unit and manage disposal. (2)

Working with others and in teams
To safely remove dairy waste from the unit and manage disposal. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
In monitoring gauges and maintaining appropriate flow rates in the system. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
In monitoring gauges and maintaining appropriate flow rates in the system. (2)

Solving problems
In ensuring that any hazards present are dealt with effectively and promptly. (2)

Solving problems
In ensuring that any hazards present are dealt with effectively and promptly. (2)

Using technology
To maximise long-term environmental sustainability of the system. (2)

Using technology
To maximise long-term environmental sustainability of the system. (2)