Google Links

Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Confirm environmental management responsibilities
  2. Develop and maintain positive relations with site personnel and stakeholders
  3. Provide environmental management information and training
  4. Assess environmental impacts and risks
  5. Ensure environmental monitoring and management plans are implemented
  6. Respond to environmental non-conformances and incidents
  7. Keep management informed about environmental performance
  8. Maintain environmental records

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

accessing interpreting and applying relevant legislativeregulatory requirements standards codes guidelines and manuals

regularly reassessing siteproject environmental risks and impacts

monitoring the implementation of environmental management plans policy and procedures and specified work methods

analysing siteproject environmental data and verifying and reporting results

developing and maintaining a range of useful contacts and networks

consulting and communicating with a wide range of people about environmental issues

clearly explaining environmental management concepts principles and procedures to others

responding effectively to complaints and requests for information

resolving issuesconflicts constructively with site personnel and stakeholders

solving complex technical problems

seeking advice when issuesproblems are beyond scope of competenceresponsibility

providing accurate complete and timely reports briefings and handovers

maintaining records

working safely and monitoring the safety of others

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

environmental protectionmanagement terminology concepts and principles

siteproject characteristics nature of activities conducted at site environmental management values environmental issues and risks and impacts

environmental legislativeregulatory requirements and responsibilities relevant to siteproject

enterprise environmental management plans procedures control measures and management actions for siteproject

enterprise procedures for identifying assessing environmental risks and impacts managing stakeholder relations responding to complaints culturalheritage finds and other environmental incidents and record management and reporting

interpersonal communication negotiation and conflict resolution techniques

problemsolving techniques

relevant health safety and workplace emergency response procedures

Evidence Required

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

gathering and interpreting environmental management information relevant to siteproject

explaining environmental management information clearly to site personnel

collecting analysing and reporting environmental data

monitoring effective implementation of siteproject environmental management plans

assessing environmental risks and impacts arising from siteproject activities

recognising investigating and rectifying environmental management issues within scope of responsibility

keeping management fully informed about siteproject environmental performance and issues

maintaining siteproject environmental records in accordance with legislativelicensingenterprise requirements

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 candidates workplace

This unit of competency may be assessed with

MSSA Apply environmental legislation codes and standards

MSS027002A Apply environmental legislation, codes and standards

other MSS series units dealing with specific environmental management activities

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

Resources may include

siteproject history

relevant legislation codes standards enterprise environmental management policies plans actions procedures and checklists

physical resources required for coordination activities such as maps laptop computer digital camera and monitoring and sampling equipment

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of environmental monitoring results records and reports generated by the candidate

review of environmental information developed by the candidate

feedback from peers managers andor stakeholder representatives that the candidate is able to safely coordinate environmental management activities for siteproject

oralwritten tests involving environmental management terms principles and quantities setup calibration and basic maintenance of monitoring equipment selection and use of safety equipment and personal protective equipment

analysis of case studiesreports of relevant environmental management issues and incidents

observation of the candidate representing the enterprise at stakeholder meetings or providing environmental management information and instruction to other personnel

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 worklike environment

Guidance information for assessment


Range Statement

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

environmental management plan, site information about applicable legislative requirements and approval requirements

information about site processes, work schedules

information about emergency preparedness and response

monitoring/inspection procedures and management actions to prevent/control environmental impacts or risks

sampling and in-situ measurement procedures (e.g. water, air, noise and soils)

job hazard analyses

safe work procedures and work method statements

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

Environmental information and training

Environmental information and/or training may include:

enterprise environmental management policy

content and purpose site/project environmental management plan

legislative responsibilities

licensing/permit/compliance requirements

due diligence and duty to notify

lines of communication

introduction to site/project and environmental considerations, and sources of environmental information

environmental management actions and checklists, methods/procedures for specific activities

incident management and reporting

Provision of environmental information and training

Provision of environmental information and training may include:

site induction (environmental component)

task specific training (e.g. spill management)

toolbox talks (regular, ‘as required’ and topic specific)

daily, pre-start meetings with supervisors/team leaders about specific issues (e.g. hazards and working in close proximity to known fauna habitats)

posters and reading materials displayed in common areas and noticeboards

supervisor notices and daily bulletins about specific environmental issues

response to community complaints

Site personnel and stakeholders

Site personnel and stakeholders may include:

enterprise employees

contractors and subcontractors

consultants, such as environmental scientists, planners, engineers and external auditors

suppliers and service providers

community representatives and landowners

visitors or members of the public

government/regulator representatives and inspectors

Reports

Reports may include:

non-conformance report form

hazard near miss report form

site/project incident investigation report

weekly environmental report

monthly environmental report

regulatory agency reports (where required by permit, approval or licence conditions)

Site/project records

Site/project records may include:

digital photographs

environmental monitoring data

internal quality/environmental audit reports

records required by permit, approval or licence conditions

records of training

records of monitoring equipment purchase, calibration, inspection, maintenance and service

records of complaints and government requests

records of environmental non-conformances, incidents or significant impacts

contractor and supplier information

electronic/hard copy correspondence

records of approved expenditure and orders

Environmental issues and incidents

Environmental issues and incidents may include:

finding or disturbing an actual/potential cultural heritage item or site

community or stakeholder complaint

failure of erosion or sediment controls

spill or release of chemical, hydrocarbon or other hazardous material

decline in water quality due to site/project activities

decline in air quality due to dust, SOX and NOX

unacceptable noise levels

environmental harm to protected habitat or species

transport of prohibited materials to/from site (e.g. pests, weeds and contamination)

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