Assessor Resource

MSS024001A
Work and communicate effectively as an environmental technician

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit of competency is applicable to environmental technicians working in a range of industry sectors, such as:

environmental services (e.g. sampling and monitoring of air quality, water, soil and noise

environmental compliance, auditing and inspection

groundwater and clean water (e.g. catchments, supply and environmental flows)

water treatment, storm and wastewater management

solid and hazardous waste management, and site remediation

management of contaminated sites

geotechnical services and civil engineering

natural resource management.

This unit of competency covers the induction of an employee into an enterprise to undertake environmental technical work. It includes working within Australia’s framework for environmental management and the culture of the enterprise, and the need to interact effectively with a large range of people in many industry and community settings.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

Not applicable.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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

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 covered in this unit of competency in new and different situations and contexts. Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include:

following workplace procedures to complete environmental/technical tasks within the required timeframe

efficiently organising own daily work

accepting responsibility for quality of own work.

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:

MSS024004A Process and present environmental data

MSL952001A Collect routine site samples.

The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team.

Resources may include:

relevant documentation, such as enterprise procedures, legal/regulatory requirements and codes of practice

relevant equipment and materials

organisational charts and flow diagrams showing links between enterprise functions and/or production processes

employment, training and career information.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

observation of candidate performing a range of environmental/technical tasks

feedback from peers and supervisors

oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of Australia’s environmental management framework and enterprise procedures

review of workplace documentation completed by the candidate.

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


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

Required skills include:

using personal protective clothing, equipment and facilities as required

following work instructions to complete tasks within the required timeframe

working ethically

working efficiently when alone and with others

maintaining required quality of work outputs

complying with legislative and enterprise requirements in everyday work

seeking advice when issues/problems are beyond scope of competence/responsibility

working safely for the protection of self and others

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

relevance of environmental legislation and codes of practice to the enterprise and own work

enterprise business objectives, product and/or service range

enterprise structure and reporting lines

role of environmental function within the enterprise

own role, rights, responsibilities and key tasks

workplace procedures that govern personal work, health, safety and environment

basic ethical values and principles, such as respect for the law, responsibility, courtesy, diligence and confidentiality

use and names of equipment, materials and other resources relevant to work function

relevant health, safety and environment requirements

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

Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Legislation, standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:

international conventions, such as World Heritage Listing, RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Significance

federal legislation, such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

state/territory government legislation and local government by-laws, policies, regulations and plans dealing with land use, cultural/heritage sites, vegetation management, biodiversity management, water management, pollution and contaminated sites

Australian and international standards, such as:

AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set

Australian Dangerous Goods Code ADG7

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986

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)

Business ethics

Business ethics may include:

following enterprise policy and procedures

behaving honestly and openly

respecting others and treating them with courtesy and impartiality

working diligently and responsibly

ensuring confidentiality of information, including client identification, data and results

Enterprise sites

Enterprise sites may include:

head office functions

supplier services and consultancy services

production or processing plants

survey/catchment/construction/mining sites

laboratories

Key functions

Key functions may include:

consultancy services

policy

inspection/auditing and compliance

community liaison

production

packaging, warehouse and distribution

quality assurance

purchasing, sales and marketing

human resources (personnel, training and employee relations)

Sources of workplace information

Sources of workplace information may include:

noticeboards, public address or paging systems

standard operating procedures, manuals, work instructions, signs and notices

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

telephone or contract details, email systems and websites

emergency exits, routes and collection points

enterprise recording and reporting procedures, quality manuals, equipment and operating/technical manuals

sampling and test methods (validated and authorised)

schematics, workflows, site layouts and production and laboratory schedules

Enterprise agreements, policies and procedures

Enterprise agreements, policies and procedures may include:

industrial awards, enterprise bargaining agreements and individual contracts

emergencies, accidents and incidents

incident and accident/injury reports

health, safety and environment

quality assurance

customer services

Legislative requirements

Legislative requirements may include:

environmental protection

OHS

workers compensation

equal employment, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment

ethics, copyright, intellectual property and privacy

Sustainable energy principles and work practices

Sustainable energy principles and work practices may include:

examining work practices that involve excessive use of electricity, gas and/or water

switching off equipment when not in use

regularly cleaning filters

recycling and reusing materials wherever feasible

minimising waste

Environmental technical services

Environmental technical services may include:

routine site sampling of water, air, soil and noise

packaging, labelling, storing and transporting samples

routine site measurements that involve a narrow range of variables and/or easily recognised acceptable ranges

straightforward field surveys

entering of data into enterprise databases, checking of data quality and reporting results

cleaning of equipment and/or vehicles

housekeeping of work areas

Equipment and resources

Equipment and resources will vary according to:

the scope and nature of the enterprise’s environmental/technical functions and services, location and products

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

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Demonstrate broad knowledge of how governments, legislation, policies, codes of practice and Australian standards provide a framework of environmental protection measures in Australia 
Perform all work activities in accordance with relevant environmental management requirements, including sustainable energy principles and work practices 
Demonstrate broad knowledge of enterprise business goals, ethics, products and/or environmental services 
Identify key enterprise sites and/or functions and personnel 
Locate key workplace information and apply it correctly 
Follow enterprise policy and procedures relating to employment, security, confidentiality and reporting lines 
Identify workplace roles and responsibilities of personnel working within the environmental function 
Identify typical tasks and calendar of events in work area 
Recognise and locate the equipment and resources required for everyday work 
Interpret work instructions correctly and seek clarification, if necessary 
Follow work instructions to perform environmental/technical tasks safely and efficiently 
Maintain own work area, equipment and materials in a safe and organised manner according to enterprise policy and procedures 
Assess and prioritise workload according to level of responsibility 
Advise supervisor if additional resources or support are required to improve performance 
Undertake duties in a positive manner to enhance workplace cooperation and efficiency 
Listen actively and use appropriate language when communicating with other people 
Respond appropriately to verbal and written messages 
Record and convey information so that it is clearly understood 
Respect the values, concerns and diverse views of people involved in, or impacted by, enterprise activities 
Resolve conflict through meaningful negotiation and compromise, where necessary 
Redirect inquiries or disputes beyond own area of responsibility to relevant personnel for action 
Adhere to site agreements and protocols in order to maintain credibility and trust 
Monitor and adjust work practices to ensure that the quality of outputs is maintained 
Identify and report opportunities for improvements in procedures, processes and equipment in work area 
Identify career options and training opportunities in the enterprise 
Consult appropriate personnel to identify own learning needs for future work requirements and career aspirations 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSS024001A - Work and communicate effectively as an environmental technician
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

MSS024001A - Work and communicate effectively as an environmental technician

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: