Elements and Performance Criteria

Codes of practice
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements
Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
federal legislation, such as
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Australian Heritage Council Act 2003
Native Title Act 1993
state/territory government legislation and regulations and local government by-laws, policies, and plans dealing with:
land use, acquisition, planning and protection
environmental protection
cultural/heritage protection
vegetation management
nature conservation and wildlife/plant protection
water and water management
soil conservation
pollution and contaminated sites
fisheries, forestry and mining operations
Australian and international standards, such as:
AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set
AS 5667 Set:1998 Water quality sampling
state and territory regulator sampling and testing manuals and guidelines (e.g. Environmental Protection Authority (EPA))
Australian Dangerous Goods Code ADG7
occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice
enterprise environmental management plans and procedures for specific sites and/or activities (e.g. sampling, monitoring, construction and mining)
Background information
Background information may include:
site or project history
client history
records of consultations with stakeholders
emergency plans and safety procedures
site access protocols and permits
maps (road and topographical)
existing databases (e.g. vegetation, topography, soils and regional ecosystem maps)
legislative/regulatory requirements
enterprise environmental management plans for site
enterprise, regulatory or standard methods/procedures for environmental sampling, monitoring or in-field testing
manufacturer information or manuals for environmental equipment
relevant case studies and good practice models
Environmental project work
Environmental project work will be consistent with the roles and responsibilities of an environmental officer and may include collecting and presenting data related to:
outdoor air quality
water quality
noise
surface water, environmental flows, groundwater and catchment studies
hydrological surveys
occupational hygiene (e.g. air quality, noise and radiation)
ecology studies
soil surveys
geotechnical surveys
contaminated site management (with appropriate risk analysis and supervision)
land management
coastal management
wetland management
stormwater management
energy technologies and services
waste management
Environmental measurements
Environmental measurements could involve real or simulated work activities and may include:
in-field sampling and testing
conducting flora and/or fauna surveys
conducting soil surveys and soil profiling at a site
commissioning or modifying field equipment or instruments
establishing or modifying environmental monitoring stations
growth of species of environmental interest under controlled conditions
remediation trials
laboratory testing of environmental samples
Project plan
Project plan may include:
scope
objectives
work breakdown structure
sampling/testing/monitoring/survey methods
available resources (e.g. equipment and personnel)
specific roles and responsibilities of participants
budget and cost estimates
data quality requirements and assurance procedures
risk analysis and control measures
safety requirements and related work procedures
stakeholders and consultation procedures
milestones
output/project deliverables and their acceptance criteria
project management procedures covering planning, risk analysis, communications and reporting
project management software and tools, such as Gantt and program and evaluation review technique (PERT) charts, critical path method, and records of costs and inputs
Risks and hazards
Risks and hazards may include:
exposure to solar radiation, dust and noise
exposure to severe weather conditions
personnel getting lost
manual handling of heavy objects
injuries caused by power tools, generators and moving machinery
vehicle and boat handling in rough/remote conditions
presence of hazardous materials on site and/or exposure to harmful radiation, contamination and microorganisms
accidents, emergencies and incidents, such as snake, insect or animal bites
Safety procedures and control measures
Safety procedures and control measures may include:
use of personal protective equipment, such as sunscreen, hats, safety glasses, gloves, coveralls and safety boots
‘stay with vehicle’ and other survival techniques
regular communication schedule
global positioning system (GPS), maps and aerial photos
handling, storage and disposal of all hazardous materials/waste in accordance with MSDS, labels, enterprise procedures, codes and regulations
use of specified safe work procedures for tasks
Mathematical/statistical/graphical methods and software
Mathematical/statistical/graphical methods and software may include:
determination of linear, logarithmic, exponential and power relationships
regression lines and correlation coefficients
uncertainty calculations
frequency and probability plots
parametric statistical tools, such as t-test, z-test, binomial and analysis of variance (ANOVA)
non-parametric statistical tools, such as Chi-square test
spreadsheets and databases
Project documentation
Project documentation may include:
sampling, monitoring, survey or in-field test data and results
records of equipment use
records of time spent and approved expenditure
emails and correspondence
records of consultations
progress reports
final reports/briefings
OHS and environmental management requirements

OHS and environmental management requirements:
all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time
all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied
where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

Overview of assessment
Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently apply the skills in this unit of competency in new and different situations and context. Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include:
researching background information for the project to inform selection of sampling/test/measurement methods and project methodology
complying with relevant legislative/regulatory requirements and enterprise procedures
analysing project requirements and conducting trials to develop a feasible, cost-effective and efficient plan
using available project management procedures and tools to develop plans and monitor/report progress
seeking advice/assistance when difficulties are beyond scope of responsibility or technical competence
working safely
providing quality deliverables on time
evaluating project process and outputs.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment.
Assessment should emphasise a workplace context and procedures found in the candidate’s workplace.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
environmental monitoring units, such as the MSS024000A and MSS025000A series units of competency.
The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team.
Resources may include:
site/project history
legislative/regulatory requirements
specified sampling and testing methods/procedures
relevant enterprise project management procedures, tools and software
physical resources required for work activities, such as map, laptop computer, digital/video camera, sampling and monitoring, survey and testing equipment and instruments.
Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of project plans/trials, records, outcomes and reports prepared by the candidate
feedback from managers and project team members about the candidate’s ability to plan and conduct environmental project work effectively
questioning/interview to assess the candidate’s understanding of project management principles and their ability to plan and conduct projects and deal with unforseen challenges
observation of the candidate’s interactions with project team members
presentation of project plan, objectives, process and outputs, and lessons learned to an appropriate audience.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work-like environment.
Guidance information for assessment