Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
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
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
Australian and international standards such as:
AS 1678 Emergency procedure guide - Transport
AS ISO 17025-2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set
AS/NZS 4501 Set:2008 Occupational clothing set
Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP)
Australian Dangerous Goods Code
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice
calibration procedures
data quality procedures
enterprise sampling and monitoring protocols
equipment manuals and warranties, supplier catalogues and handbooks
equipment operating manuals
field protocols, procedures, note books and log books
general maintenance and repair procedures
government policy (e.g. sustainable development and impact assessment)
incident/accident/injury report forms
instrument fault finding procedures
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
national environment protection measures
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines
national measurement regulations and guidelines
occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice
principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)
remote-sensing monitoring protocols
requirements related to protection of the environment
site-specific requirements
specific environmental standards
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1009
Remote-sensing monitoring activities
Remote-sensing monitoring activities may include:
meteorology (e.g. temperature, humidity and wind)
geology/mining (e.g. movement of structures, vibration and blast shock waves)
hydrology (water flow and water depth in catchment)
environmental (e.g. air quality, water quality and noise)
civil engineering (e.g. temperature, displacement and/or hydrostatic pressure on structures and movement of ions in structures)
Communication and/or consultation strategies
Communication and/or consultation strategies may include:
face-to-face
telephone
written documents
meetings
Purpose of field monitoring activities
Purpose of field monitoring activities may include:
single or multiple site monitoring
component of enterprise environmental management plan
remote-sensing monitoring of physical/chemical and mechanical/geotechnical parameters
monitoring of consolidation of soils, foundations
monitoring the durability of structures (e.g. roads)
requirement to comply with statutory requirements
requirement to comply with industry sampling/monitoring protocols/codes of practice
Related plans and procedures
Related plans and procedures may include:
risk assessments
safety and accident/injury plans
emergency plans and procedures, and access to nearest medical services
environmental impact assessment procedures
pollution prevention procedures
first aid and survival procedures
Hazards
Hazards may include:
solar radiation, dust and noise
personnel getting lost
accidents, emergencies and incidents, such as snake, insect or animal bites
exposure to severe weather conditions
manual handling of heavy objects
power tools, generators and moving machinery
vehicle and boat handling in rough/remote conditions
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
Administrative requirements and appropriate approvals
Administrative requirements and appropriate approvals may include:
travel requisitions
authority for use of vehicles and equipment
permits
insurance
Instruments and equipment
Instruments and equipment may include:
navigation and communication equipment (e.g. compass, maps, GPS, two-way radio and mobile phone)
sampling and autosampling equipment for air, water, storm water, waste water and sewage
instruments that measure air pollutants (e.g. oxides of carbon, oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates (PM10, PM2.5 total suspended, ozone))
instruments that measure water quantity and/or hydrological parameters (e.g. flow, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, nitrates, phosphates and temperature)
instruments that measure meteorological parameters (e.g. pressure, minimum and maximum temperature, wet and dry bulb temperatures, humidity, rainfall, and wind speed and direction)
instruments that measure sound pressure levels (e.g. noise or sound pressure meter)
instruments that measure displacement or durability of civil engineering structures, consolidation (e.g. load cells, inclinometers, pieziometers, strain gauges and accelerometers)
Occupational health and safety (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

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
demonstrate understanding of purpose and objectives of the monitoring, including:
information and analysis required
end users of information
significance of outcomes for broader programs
communicate effectively and efficiently with staff and other relevant parties
identify and interpret statutory requirements accurately
confirm type, quantity and quality of data needed for defined monitoring activity
demonstrate ability to assemble test, operate and close down a field-based, remote-sensing monitoring system under laboratory/field conditions
undertake reconnaissance and evaluate monitoring sites
identify and establish a secure field monitoring site according to defined criteria
demonstrate ability to appropriately package and transport supplies, equipment and instruments into the field
negotiate with staff and stakeholders and reach satisfactory agreements, where possible
respond effectively to changed or unforeseen circumstances.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL935004A Maintain instruments and equipment.
Resources may include:
vehicles, monitoring and communication equipment, consumables and manuals
work program, enterprise procedures, codes of practice and field protocols.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
review of data and results obtained by the candidate
feedback from supervisors and peers
observation of work carried out under laboratory conditions with a focus on:
automatic and manual sampling and instrument calibration procedures
assembling, checking and operation remote-sensing monitoring systems
recording, storing, analysing and presenting basic monitoring data
observation of work carried out in the field with a focus on:
identification of monitoring site according to defined criteria
identification and recording of required services and security requirements for the site
identification and recording of potential environmental impacts associated with operation of a defined monitoring site
simulation exercises with a focus on:
accident and emergency situations
basic environmental impact assessment of a field site
loss of communication system and implementation of alternative procedures
demonstration of calibration, use, and general maintenance of monitoring equipment
oral and/or written questions to assess underpinning knowledge.
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.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
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.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided the case study below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Environmental
A report by an environmental consultant indicates that a major regional city requires two remote-sensing air quality monitoring stations to adequately meet its air quality monitoring objectives. In conjunction with senior staff, a senior technical officer is instructed to relocate the existing monitoring station in the central business district, as it does not meet the new Australian standard for locationing and siting of such a monitoring station and to develop a new station in an outer suburban area.
The two remote-sensing monitoring stations must meet all siting and location standards, operate unsupervised for up to seven days, produce data in a form suitable for direct inclusion into the Territory's State of Environment Report, and meet all statutory and enterprise requirements. The technical officer is required to clearly identify and document the above requirements, negotiate with all relevant authorities regarding siting, supply of services, access and security, as well as design, assemble and establish the remote-sensing monitoring system. Ongoing operation, maintenance and annual evaluation are also the responsibility of the senior technical officer in conjunction with senior staff.