Assessor Resource

MSS024006A
Perform sampling and testing of water

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


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

environmental services

environmental compliance, auditing and inspection

clean water (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 ability to sample natural, polluted and process water for both chemical and microbiological parameters and perform field measurements.

Note that this unit does not cover the sampling and field testing of groundwater, which is addressed in MSS025006A Collect and evaluate groundwater data. Nor does it cover laboratory analysis of water which is addressed in MSL974003A Perform chemical tests and procedures and MSS025012A Perform environmental microbiological tests.

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.

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:

planning and preparing for sample collection

interpreting and correctly applying sampling, testing and data quality procedures

demonstrating correct and safe use of field instruments and/or equipment, including field calibration

obtaining reliable, representative water samples

obtaining valid and reliable field test data

preparing calibration graphs and calculating results using appropriate units and precision

identifying atypical results as out-of-normal range or an artefact

completing sampling records using enterprise procedures

working safely and follow relevant legislative requirements for the disposal of waste and the preservation of the environment.

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:

MSS024003A Apply an understanding of environmental principles to site issues

MSL974003A Perform chemical tests and procedures

MSL974007A Undertake environmental field-based monitoring.

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

Resources may include:

vehicles, survey equipment, water sampling and monitoring equipment, cameras, consumables and manuals

work program, enterprise procedures, codes of practice, maps and field protocols.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

inspection of water samples collected by the candidate

review of water sampling and testing records completed by the candidate

feedback from peers and supervisors that the candidate consistently follows enterprise procedures, sampling/testing procedures and works safely

oral and written questioning to check underpinning knowledge of water sampling and testing procedures, use of equipment and normal ranges

review of other 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:

planning and preparing for field activities

site observational and descriptive skills

researching and summarising existing data and reports

communicating effectively and writing/compiling concise and accurate reports

field sampling and monitoring procedures, including pre-treatment, containers, preservation, storage, labelling and traceability

demonstrating correct and safe use, of field instruments and/or equipment under laboratory and field conditions, including field calibration

identifying and rectifying basic instrument faults

collecting representative samples in accordance with a sampling plan

using appropriate techniques to preserve the integrity of samples

identifying atypical materials and samples and taking appropriate action

maintaining sampling equipment

completing sampling records

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

working safely for the protection of self and others

following requirements for the disposal of waste and the preservation of the environment

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

appropriate scientific terminology for water chemistry, biology and microbiology

the hydrologic cycle

fundamentals of aquatic chemistry, including:

physical and chemical properties of water

chemical equilibria in natural, polluted and process waters

biogeochemical processes in freshwater and marine systems

water analytical environmental chemistry

environmental contaminants in water (fate, transport and bioaccumulation)

fundamentals of hydrobiology, including:

aquatic and benthic flora and fauna

aquatic microorganisms

marine, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems

stratification and eutrophication in water bodies

aquatic microbiology

principles of representative sampling

principles and procedures for random, systematic and stratified sampling, including consistency of sampling procedures

preservation of the integrity of samples

maintaining identification of samples relative to their source

enterprise and/or legal traceability requirements

cost-effectiveness of sampling

common characteristics of water to be sampled and likely contaminants

links between quality control, quality assurance, quality management systems and sampling procedures

enterprise procedures dealing with legislative requirements for the handling, labelling and transport of hazardous goods

links between correct occupational health and safety (OHS) procedures and personal and environmental safety particularly at high risk sites

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 ISO 14050:1999 Environmental management - Vocabulary

AS/NZS ISO 14000 Basic Set:2007 Environmental management basic set

AS/NZS 2031:2001 Selection of containers and preservation of water samples for microbiological analysis

AS 3550 series - Water analysis

AS/NZS 4276 series - Water microbiology

AS/NZS 5667 series - Water quality: sampling

US Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Methods and guidance for the analysis of water

American Public Health Association (APHA) Standard methods for the examination of waters and wastewaters

ANZECC Guidelines for fresh and marine water quality

Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting

enterprise sampling and monitoring protocols

equipment manuals and warranties, supplier catalogue and handbooks

government policy (e.g. sustainable development and impact assessment)

occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

site-specific requirements

specific environmental standards

Common field test parameters

Common field test parameters may include:

pH

electrical conductivity

dissolved oxygen

salinity

temperature

turbidity

Secchi disk depth

Laboratory test parameters

Laboratory test parameters (many of which may also be measured in the field) may include:

total suspended solids

volatile suspended solids

nitrogen (nitrate, organic, ammonia and Kjeldahl)

phosphorus (total and soluble reactive)

chlorophyll and phaeophytin

total organic carbon (TOC)

biological oxygen demand (BOD)

chemical oxygen demand (COD)

silica

metals (total and dissolved)

organic and inorganic pollutants

microorganisms

Enterprise procedures for field activities

Enterprise procedures for field activities may include:

use of field notebooks or log books

standard operating procedures covering fieldwork, sampling and testing

equipment operating manuals, calibration procedures, instrument fault-finding procedures and general maintenance and repair procedures

emergency, first aid and survival procedures

requirements related to protection of the environment

incident/accident/injury report forms

Equipment

Equipment may include:

navigation and communication equipment (e.g. compass, maps, global positioning system (GPS), two-way radio and mobile phone)

survey equipment

sampling equipment and containers, and animal cages

parameter specific meter or multi-probes (e.g. dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, nitrates, phosphates and temperature)

field test kits to determine such parameters as dissolved gases, chemical anions and cations, heavy metals, E. coli and BOD

portable colorimeters and field microscopes

filters and sieves

soil monitoring kits

data loggers

first aid equipment

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

vehicle and boat handling in rough/remote conditions

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
Confirm the sampling location, number and type of samples, and timing and frequency of sampling from the enterprise or client’s sampling plan 
Check that all sampling and testing procedures are in accordance with client or enterprise requirements, relevant standards and codes 
Identify site and sampling hazards and review enterprise safety procedures 
Liaise with relevant personnel to arrange site access and, if appropriate, all necessary clearances and/or permits 
Select sampling equipment and conditions to achieve representative samples and preserve sample integrity during collection, storage and transit 
Ensure all reagents, solutions, standards and blanks (as appropriate) are obtained and/or prepared ready for field use 
Select field test equipment/instruments and check operation and calibration, as required, in accordance with procedures and manufacturer instructions 
Assemble and check all sampling equipment, field test equipment, materials, containers and safety equipment 
Arrange suitable transport to, from and/or around site as required 
Locate sampling sites and, if required, services at the site 
Conduct representative sampling in accordance with sampling plan and defined procedures for field and/or laboratory testing, as required 
Ensure all controls, blanks and replicate samples are properly integrated into the sampling process 
Record all information and label samples in accordance with traceability requirements 
Record environmental conditions and any atypical observations made during sampling that may impact on sample representativeness or integrity 
Transport all samples back to base according to enterprise procedures and relevant codes 
Distribute samples/sub-samples to required destinations for testing, maintaining sample integrity, traceability and chain of custody requirements, as necessary 
Obtain sample or sub-sample for designated field test, or locate testing location for in-situ testing 
Check equipment/instruments set-up and reagents and calibrate, as necessary, to ensure safe operation and valid results 
Run quality control (QC) samples to check method validity 
Operate equipment/instruments in accordance with test method requirements 
Perform tests/procedures/observations on all samples, and standards, if appropriate, in accordance with specified methods 
Record all field observations and results and ensure that they are accurately transferred to enterprise information database 
Use defined safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of others 
Minimise the generation of waste 
Rehabilitate sampling site to render it safe and minimise environmental impacts 
Clean all equipment, containers, work area and vehicles according to enterprise procedures 
Check serviceability of all equipment before storage 
Ensure the safe collection of all hazardous wastes for appropriate disposal 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSS024006A - Perform sampling and testing of water
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

MSS024006A - Perform sampling and testing of water

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: