Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 1:33 AM AWST
22/07/2026 1:33 AM 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.
Contribute to environmental health operations
Contribute to environmental health operations
Unit of competency
National Code
DEFPH001A
DEFPH001A
State Code
AVV63
AVV63
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 contribute to field environmental health operations within the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Provide support to environmental health planning
- 1.1 Planning briefs and activities are attended and participated in, to contribute to the team planning task.
- 1.2 Information in support of environmental health planning is gathered and communicated to team leader.
2. Provide environmental health advice
- 2.1 Health support assessment is reviewed and clarified to ensure advice is based on full consideration of health threats identified in local operating area.
- 2.2 Research related to environmental health advice is conducted to ensure advice is technically correct and is based on organisational policies and procedures.
- 2.3 Need to seek the assistance of dedicated environmental health assets is identified and acted on to ensure the best service is provided according to the circumstances.
- 2.4 Environmental health measures are identified through consideration of health threats and review of resources available to apply in the provision of environmental health measures.
- 2.5 Environmental health advice is formulated and discussed with stakeholders to fully develop environmental health measures and to ensure coordination with other local activities.
- 2.6 Environmental health advice is provided in accordance with professional and ethical guidelines to gain support and acceptance of environmental health measures.
3. Implement environmental health measures
- 3.1 Personal hygiene facilities are established to ensure personnel have the means to maintain personal hygiene and clothing cleanliness.
- 3.2 Establishment of field waste facilities is supervised to ensure collection and disposal of field waste, and to prevent pollution of food and water sources, and the breeding of flies and other pests.
- 3.3 Quality of field water supply is monitored via application of water quality measures to ensure availability of water supply to support the local area organisation.
- 3.4 Quality of food supply is monitored via application of food quality measures to ensure availability of food supply to support local area organisation.
- 3.5 Environmental injury control measures are implemented to reduce the risk of injury and to equip commanders with the information to make informed decisions regarding physical activity levels, water consumption and acclimatisation.
- 3.6 Work health and safety (WHS) policy and practices are promoted to promote a safe working environment and to prevent occurrence of occupational injury or illness.
4. Monitor environmental health measures
- 4.1 Personnel health is monitored to identify the spread of illness to enable early intervention of disease transmission and to limit the impact on the organisation.
- 4.2 Line managers are assisted with physical health inspections.
- 4.3 Outbreak of disease is detected to enable early intervention and implementation of control measures.
- 4.4 Outbreak of disease is responded to, to limit the spread of disease and to protect the health of the organisation.
- 4.5 Reports and returns are compiled and submitted to relevant persons to assist with health surveillance at the organisational level.
- 4.6 Feedback is sought from stakeholders regarding effectiveness and acceptance of environmental health measures to enable continuous improvement and better integration of environmental health measures with organisational processes.
- 4.7 Implemented environmental health measures are monitored for effectiveness and are adjusted to ensure optimal 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.
Planning briefs and activities may include:
Briefs/debriefs
Course of action analysis
Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace
Mission analysis
Orders
War gamming
Information in support of environmental health planning may include:
Characteristics of the intended operating environment:
civilian population
climate/weather
flora and fauna
terrain
Force disposition:
function of the group
organisational structure of the group
size of the group
Task appreciation:
assessing range of tasks against identified health threats
environmental health assets required to support tasks
prioritising and sequencing of tasks
Health support assessment may include:
Strengths:
communication capability
control measures
health status of activity participants
organisational structure
Weaknesses:
chain of supply
limited means of evacuation
Opportunities:
linking into local community supply chain
staging health support close to activity to reduce the risk posed by limited means of evacuation
Threats:
ability to cope with multi trauma
remoteness of activity site
Health threats may include:
Environment health threats:
animal
disease
terrain
vegetation
weather
Occupational health threats:
industrial injury
road traffic accident
Operational health threats:
chemical/biological injury
combat injury
psychiatric injury
Research may include:
Accessing information from the ADF intranet
Consulting civil health authorities
Consulting health and ADF doctrine
Consulting senior ADF health representative
Referencing organisational policy manuals
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 Australian Standards
Relevant Commonwealth Acts
Workplace safety guidelines
Environmental health measures may include:
Application of the permethrin/DEET repellent system
Assessment and development of a health support plan
Contributing to the conduct of health surveillance
Enforcing WHS policy and practices
Enforcing vaccination regimes
Promoting and monitoring personal hygiene
Providing environmental health advice
Providing environmental injury control measures
Providing field waste facilities
Providing field water supply
Stakeholders may include:
Activity coordinators
Activity participants
Allied health agencies
Health support personnel
Other supporting agencies
Personal hygiene facilities may include:
Hand washing facilities
Laundry facilities
Shower facilities
Field may include:
On an ADF exercise in Australia or overseas
On ADF operational deployment
On civil aid task
On training activity
Field waste facilities may include:
Biohazardous waste:
central collection point
Dry waste:
central collection point
inclined plane incinerator
Human waste:
pan latrine
portaloo
shallow/deep bore latrine
shallow/deep trench latrine
shallow trench urinal
trench latrine
trough/funnel urinal
Waste (grey) water:
absorption trench
evaporating pans
grease trap
herringbone drains
soakage pit
Field waste may include:
Biohazardous waste
Dry waste
Grey water
Human waste
Wet waste
Water quality measures may include:
Approving the use of alternative water distribution equipment during extreme emergencies
Ensuring water sources have been surveyed
Ensuring water distribution equipment is regularly surveyed by health personnel
Organising regular waterpoint survey by appropriate personnel
Recommending procedures for the maintenance of water potability
Food quality measures may include:
Applying the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach to food control
Assessing food handling procedures (preparation, storage, distribution)
Assessing the environment for suitability for food preparation
Assessing the suitability and adequacy food storage
Contributing to inspection of a food preparation facility
Monitoring the hygiene practices of personnel during food consumption
Environmental injury may include:
Dehydration
Frost nip/bite
Heat injury
Hyperthermia
Hypothermia
Prickly heat
Sunburn
Trench foot
Environmental injury control measures may include:
Acclimatisation
Advising appropriate clothing attire
Advising appropriate work/rest regime
Distribution of and access to sunscreen
Educating personnel on environmental injury prevention and early detection
Ensuring balanced nutrition with adequate intake of salt
Maintaining good means of communication to alert personnel of increasing hazard level
Monitoring the hazard level posed by environmental conditions
Promoting hydration
Providing easy access to potable water supply
Scheduling physical activity during cooler times of the day
Training personnel in the first aid of environmental injury
Monitoring personnel health may include:
Assessing personnel attending primary health care clinics
Consulting with personnel in the workplace
Identifying trends from health complaints that may indicate an outbreak of disease
Investigating suspected outbreak of disease
Physical health inspections may include:
An inspection conducted by line managers involving a visual inspection of personnel and questioning to identify:
blisters or skin problems
parasite infestation
presence of sunburn
swollen joints
state of morale
An opportunity to educate personnel on the importance of personal hygiene and good health
Control measures may include:
Identifying the source and removing or isolating it, to avoid transmitting the disease to others
Breaking the path of transmission by the use of pesticides, hygiene procedures, masks or removing the habitat of the disease vector
Protecting the target of disease with inoculation, prophylactic medication, pest repellent, clothing impregnation
Relevant persons may include:
Activity commander
Environmental health officer
Team leader
Technical supervisor
Health surveillance may include:
Collecting health care information
Continually assessing the operating environment
Identifying health threats
Providing information to control health threats
Planning briefs and activities may include:
Briefs/debriefs
Course of action analysis
Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace
Mission analysis
Orders
War gamming
Information in support of environmental health planning may include:
Characteristics of the intended operating environment:
civilian population
climate/weather
flora and fauna
terrain
Force disposition:
function of the group
organisational structure of the group
size of the group
Task appreciation:
assessing range of tasks against identified health threats
environmental health assets required to support tasks
prioritising and sequencing of tasks
Health support assessment may include:
Strengths:
communication capability
control measures
health status of activity participants
organisational structure
Weaknesses:
chain of supply
limited means of evacuation
Opportunities:
linking into local community supply chain
staging health support close to activity to reduce the risk posed by limited means of evacuation
Threats:
ability to cope with multi trauma
remoteness of activity site
Health threats may include:
Environment health threats:
animal
disease
terrain
vegetation
weather
Occupational health threats:
industrial injury
road traffic accident
Operational health threats:
chemical/biological injury
combat injury
psychiatric injury
Research may include:
Accessing information from the ADF intranet
Consulting civil health authorities
Consulting health and ADF doctrine
Consulting senior ADF health representative
Referencing organisational policy manuals
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 Australian Standards
Relevant Commonwealth Acts
Workplace safety guidelines
Environmental health measures may include:
Application of the permethrin/DEET repellent system
Assessment and development of a health support plan
Contributing to the conduct of health surveillance
Enforcing WHS policy and practices
Enforcing vaccination regimes
Promoting and monitoring personal hygiene
Providing environmental health advice
Providing environmental injury control measures
Providing field waste facilities
Providing field water supply
Stakeholders may include:
Activity coordinators
Activity participants
Allied health agencies
Health support personnel
Other supporting agencies
Personal hygiene facilities may include:
Hand washing facilities
Laundry facilities
Shower facilities
Field may include:
On an ADF exercise in Australia or overseas
On ADF operational deployment
On civil aid task
On training activity
Field waste facilities may include:
Biohazardous waste:
central collection point
Dry waste:
central collection point
inclined plane incinerator
Human waste:
pan latrine
portaloo
shallow/deep bore latrine
shallow/deep trench latrine
shallow trench urinal
trench latrine
trough/funnel urinal
Waste (grey) water:
absorption trench
evaporating pans
grease trap
herringbone drains
soakage pit
Field waste may include:
Biohazardous waste
Dry waste
Grey water
Human waste
Wet waste
Water quality measures may include:
Approving the use of alternative water distribution equipment during extreme emergencies
Ensuring water sources have been surveyed
Ensuring water distribution equipment is regularly surveyed by health personnel
Organising regular waterpoint survey by appropriate personnel
Recommending procedures for the maintenance of water potability
Food quality measures may include:
Applying the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach to food control
Assessing food handling procedures (preparation, storage, distribution)
Assessing the environment for suitability for food preparation
Assessing the suitability and adequacy food storage
Contributing to inspection of a food preparation facility
Monitoring the hygiene practices of personnel during food consumption
Environmental injury may include:
Dehydration
Frost nip/bite
Heat injury
Hyperthermia
Hypothermia
Prickly heat
Sunburn
Trench foot
Environmental injury control measures may include:
Acclimatisation
Advising appropriate clothing attire
Advising appropriate work/rest regime
Distribution of and access to sunscreen
Educating personnel on environmental injury prevention and early detection
Ensuring balanced nutrition with adequate intake of salt
Maintaining good means of communication to alert personnel of increasing hazard level
Monitoring the hazard level posed by environmental conditions
Promoting hydration
Providing easy access to potable water supply
Scheduling physical activity during cooler times of the day
Training personnel in the first aid of environmental injury
Monitoring personnel health may include:
Assessing personnel attending primary health care clinics
Consulting with personnel in the workplace
Identifying trends from health complaints that may indicate an outbreak of disease
Investigating suspected outbreak of disease
Physical health inspections may include:
An inspection conducted by line managers involving a visual inspection of personnel and questioning to identify:
blisters or skin problems
parasite infestation
presence of sunburn
swollen joints
state of morale
An opportunity to educate personnel on the importance of personal hygiene and good health
Control measures may include:
Identifying the source and removing or isolating it, to avoid transmitting the disease to others
Breaking the path of transmission by the use of pesticides, hygiene procedures, masks or removing the habitat of the disease vector
Protecting the target of disease with inoculation, prophylactic medication, pest repellent, clothing impregnation
Relevant persons may include:
Activity commander
Environmental health officer
Team leader
Technical supervisor
Health surveillance may include:
Collecting health care information
Continually assessing the operating environment
Identifying health threats
Providing information to control health threats
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
assess a range of common health threats within the field environment and determine the most appropriate method of control for each
communicate technical information relating to environmental health to non-health personnel to gain their support of environmental health activities
operate as a member of a small planning team and be responsive to the team leader
coordinate a range of environmental health measures in a practical field setting
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated on a minimum of two occasions during exposure to three common health threats that could be expected in a field setting.
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
range of notional health threats based on recent and historical experience
relevant organisational policies and procedures
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
assess a range of common health threats within the field environment and determine the most appropriate method of control for each
communicate technical information relating to environmental health to non-health personnel to gain their support of environmental health activities
operate as a member of a small planning team and be responsive to the team leader
coordinate a range of environmental health measures in a practical field setting
Consistency in performance
Competency should be demonstrated on a minimum of two occasions during exposure to three common health threats that could be expected in a field setting.
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
range of notional health threats based on recent and historical experience
relevant organisational policies and procedures
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBD12 | DEFPHL001 | Contribute to environmental health operations | Unit of competency |
