Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
23/07/2026 11:56 PM AWST
23/07/2026 11:56 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Manage environmental health operations
Manage environmental health operations
Unit of competency
National Code
DEFPH012A
DEFPH012A
State Code
AVV74
AVV74
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
Field of Education
061303 - Environmental Health
Original Release Date
Nominal Hours
0
Description
This unit covers the competency required to manage environmental health operations within the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Issue tasking for environmental health teams
- 1.1 Environmental health support plan is reviewed, interpreted and where necessary, clarified with relevant personnel to fully ascertain the support required to be delivered.
- 1.2 Recommendations regarding the scope and type of support considering the current environment and availability of environmental health assets are made to relevant personnel.
- 1.3 Tasking schedule is determined considering the best use of environmental health assets, time and the availability of dependent organisations.
- 1.4 Key performance indicators are determined through consultation with relevant personnel and team leaders to provide a measure of performance achievement.
- 1.5 Resources are allocated within tasking schedule to ensure teams are equipped to achieve objectives.
- 1.6 Workplace safety is considered within tasking schedule to ensure tasks may be completed free from preventable injury or illness.
- 1.7 Tasking is issued to team leaders in accordance with organisational policy and procedure.
2. Supervise environmental health team operations
- 2.1 Liaison with dependent organisations is performed to set expectations about the service being provided and to establish a common understanding of the team performance and interaction.
- 2.2 Factors affecting the deliveryof environmental health support are identified through consultation with team leaders and organisations receiving support.
- 2.3 Measures to improve the delivery of environmental health support are identified and implemented across all teams to improve workflow across the formation.
- 2.4 Technical guidance is provided to team leaders to ensure correct performance of environmental health measures.
- 2.5 Under or over utilisation of environmental health assets is identified to allow adjustment to tasking schedule to ensure efficient use of all resources.
- 2.6 Work records are maintained to allow reference and tracking of workflow to dependent organisations.
- 2.7 Reports and returns are compiled and submitted in accordance with organisational policy and procedure.
- 2.8 Technical advice relating to environmental health is communicated to relevant personnel.
3. Monitor effectiveness of environmental health support
- 3.1 Ongoing liaison is performed with team leaders and dependent organisations to gauge the acceptance, reception and benefits of environmental health support.
- 3.2 Information sources on environmental health performance are reviewed to monitor the effectiveness of environmental health support being delivered to the formation.
- 3.3 Changes in the environment are monitored to continually adapt tasking schedule to the current situation.
- 3.4 Adjustment to team composition, tasking schedule and asset allocation are made as required based on the assessment of environmental health support effectiveness.
The Range Statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.
ADF activities may include:
ADF exercise in Australia or overseas
ADF operational deployment
Civil aid to the community task
In a field or urban setting
Training activities
Relevant personnel may include:
Activity commander
Area commander
Coordinating personnel
Environmental health officer
Organisational commander
Senior health officer
Team leader
Environmental health assets may include:
Environmental health platoon
Environmental health team
Health assessment teams
Vector control team
Tasking may include:
Applying the permethrin protection system
Assisting in the ongoing health threat assessment and health surveillance
Collecting water samples for laboratory analysis
Contributing to epidemiologic quick assessment of disease
Contributing to organisational compliance with work health and safety and industrial hygiene policy/procedure
Coordinating field waste management
Implementing strategies to control the transmission of disease
Inspecting and monitoring water distribution for safe water handling practices
Monitoring food hygiene and preventing the transmission of disease via ingested sources
Operating pesticide dispersal equipment
Performing a water quality survey of an established water distribution point
Performing chlorine dosing of water at the point of supply
Dependent organisation may include:
Brigade sized group
Deployed ADF team
Own organic organisation
Task force
Organisational policies and procedures may include:
Clinical standards (state/territory and national)
Codes of ethics
Codes of practice
Environmental health policy
Health and hygiene guidelines
Health surveillance policy documents
Industry professional body standards
Industry standards (state/territory and national)
Organisational health policy directives
Pesticides manual
Relevant Commonwealth Acts
Relevant Australian Standards
Workplace safety guidelines
Factors affecting the delivery of environmental health support may include:
Availability of resources
Customer acceptance
Information
Operational issues
Terrain
Weather
Workload
Measures to improve the delivery may include:
Building internal capability
Closer liaison and consultation
Education
Flexible scheduling of tasking
Prepositioning assets
Preventative maintenance programs
Process mapping and control
Reallocating resources
Technical guidance may include:
Providing guidance on the technicalities of:
disease vector control
epidemiology
field sanitation
food sanitation
occupational hygiene
waste management
water purification
Work records may include:
Daily occurrence register
Incident reports
Resource usage register
Service feedback record
Tasking log
Reports and returns may include:
Maintenance demand
Post activity report
Stores request
Tasks completed
Tasks pending
Usage register
Information sources on environmental health performance may include:
Attendance records for medical treatment
Epidemiologic quick assessment report
Service feedback record
Team leader reports and returns
Vector surveillance report
Working day lost reports
Changes in the environment may include:
Change in the enemy situation:
communicable disease in enemy forces
enemy public health capabilities
enemy sanitation levels
immunisation status
level of field sanitation training
nuclear biological and chemical capabilities
Change in the friendly situation:
operational situation
potable water quality/quantity
preventive medicine resources equipment
status of preventive medicine - individual and unit supplies
types of rations used
unit preventive medicine readiness
Change in the characteristics of dependent organisation:
acclimatisation
clothing and equipment
fatigue/resistance to disease
immunisation status
numbers
organisational structure
presence of disease
status of nutrition
Change in the characteristics of the operating area:
climate and weather
flora and fauna
local population
terrain
ADF activities may include:
ADF exercise in Australia or overseas
ADF operational deployment
Civil aid to the community task
In a field or urban setting
Training activities
Relevant personnel may include:
Activity commander
Area commander
Coordinating personnel
Environmental health officer
Organisational commander
Senior health officer
Team leader
Environmental health assets may include:
Environmental health platoon
Environmental health team
Health assessment teams
Vector control team
Tasking may include:
Applying the permethrin protection system
Assisting in the ongoing health threat assessment and health surveillance
Collecting water samples for laboratory analysis
Contributing to epidemiologic quick assessment of disease
Contributing to organisational compliance with work health and safety and industrial hygiene policy/procedure
Coordinating field waste management
Implementing strategies to control the transmission of disease
Inspecting and monitoring water distribution for safe water handling practices
Monitoring food hygiene and preventing the transmission of disease via ingested sources
Operating pesticide dispersal equipment
Performing a water quality survey of an established water distribution point
Performing chlorine dosing of water at the point of supply
Dependent organisation may include:
Brigade sized group
Deployed ADF team
Own organic organisation
Task force
Organisational policies and procedures may include:
Clinical standards (state/territory and national)
Codes of ethics
Codes of practice
Environmental health policy
Health and hygiene guidelines
Health surveillance policy documents
Industry professional body standards
Industry standards (state/territory and national)
Organisational health policy directives
Pesticides manual
Relevant Commonwealth Acts
Relevant Australian Standards
Workplace safety guidelines
Factors affecting the delivery of environmental health support may include:
Availability of resources
Customer acceptance
Information
Operational issues
Terrain
Weather
Workload
Measures to improve the delivery may include:
Building internal capability
Closer liaison and consultation
Education
Flexible scheduling of tasking
Prepositioning assets
Preventative maintenance programs
Process mapping and control
Reallocating resources
Technical guidance may include:
Providing guidance on the technicalities of:
disease vector control
epidemiology
field sanitation
food sanitation
occupational hygiene
waste management
water purification
Work records may include:
Daily occurrence register
Incident reports
Resource usage register
Service feedback record
Tasking log
Reports and returns may include:
Maintenance demand
Post activity report
Stores request
Tasks completed
Tasks pending
Usage register
Information sources on environmental health performance may include:
Attendance records for medical treatment
Epidemiologic quick assessment report
Service feedback record
Team leader reports and returns
Vector surveillance report
Working day lost reports
Changes in the environment may include:
Change in the enemy situation:
communicable disease in enemy forces
enemy public health capabilities
enemy sanitation levels
immunisation status
level of field sanitation training
nuclear biological and chemical capabilities
Change in the friendly situation:
operational situation
potable water quality/quantity
preventive medicine resources equipment
status of preventive medicine - individual and unit supplies
types of rations used
unit preventive medicine readiness
Change in the characteristics of dependent organisation:
acclimatisation
clothing and equipment
fatigue/resistance to disease
immunisation status
numbers
organisational structure
presence of disease
status of nutrition
Change in the characteristics of the operating area:
climate and weather
flora and fauna
local population
terrain
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
determine a tasking schedule which is achievable and makes best use of available resources
coordinate tasking of at least two teams, of no less than three personnel in each team, to achieve desired outcomes
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated on a minimum of two occasions.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Context of assessment
Competency should be assessed in an actual workplace situation or in a simulated situation or scenario.
Specific resources for assessment
Access is required to:
appropriate equipment and stores
dependent personnel (team leaders and team members)
range of operational situations based on recent and historical experience, to tailor tasking
relevant organisational policies and procedures
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
determine a tasking schedule which is achievable and makes best use of available resources
coordinate tasking of at least two teams, of no less than three personnel in each team, to achieve desired outcomes
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated on a minimum of two occasions.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Context of assessment
Competency should be assessed in an actual workplace situation or in a simulated situation or scenario.
Specific resources for assessment
Access is required to:
appropriate equipment and stores
dependent personnel (team leaders and team members)
range of operational situations based on recent and historical experience, to tailor tasking
relevant organisational policies and procedures
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBB93 | DEFPHL012 | Manage environmental health operations | Unit of competency |
