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Elements and Performance Criteria

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

applying enterprise procedures and communication protocols when providing environmental advice to clients identifying and assessing the risks involved

analysing and prioritising client requests for environmental advice

locating analysing and synthesising relevant information from a range of sources

taking notes summarising and organising environmental information in a logical sequence

explaining complex environmental management concepts principles and procedures and legislativeregulatory requirements clearly

listening actively and asking questions to clarify a clients understanding

formulating advice that is accurate valid and meets the clients needs

presenting environmental advice using a format style and language that suits the client and is in accordance with enterprise requirements

providing and receiving constructive feedback

seeking advice when issuesproblems are beyond scope of competenceresponsibility

maintaining securityconfidentiality of information in accordance with enterprise procedures

maintaining records

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

common sources of environmental information relevant to job role

environmental protectionmanagement terminology concepts and principles

environmental legislativeregulatory requirements and responsibilities relevant to siteprojectprogram

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

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

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

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

describing actions taken to develop and maintain their specialist environmental knowledge

following enterprise procedures for providing environmental advice to clients

obtaining and analysing sufficient information to formulate environmental advice that is accurate uptodate and meets the clients needs

providing authorised information using language style and format that is readily understood

communicating advice within the expected timeframe and confirming the clients understanding

obtaining and using feedback to improve the provision of environmental advice to clients

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 Coordinate environmental management activities

MSS027001A Coordinate environmental management activities

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

siteprojectprogram history

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

access to a computer internet data sets enterprise reports published case studies and research

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of environmental advice and the supporting documentation prepared by the candidate for a range of clients

feedback from manager and clients that the candidate consistently provides timely advice that meets their needs

oralwritten tests involving environmental management terms and principles legislativeregulatory requirements enterprise environmental management plans policies and procedures

analysis of case studies requiring advice about issuesproblems within scope of responsibility

observation of the candidate presenting advice to clients

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 and 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 issues and problems	Environmental issues and problems may include: identifying and addressing cultural heritage issues managing site amenity and access issues designing/conducting environmental monitoring baseline studies and social risk/impact assessments managing expectations and addressing community concerns about impacts, community development and local employment opportunities responding to community or stakeholder complaints responding to environmental exceedances (e.g. noise, dust and water quality) and adverse audit findings investigating/responding to environmental non-conformance, non-compliance and incidents informing interested parties about changes to site/project/program operations involving interested parties in site/project/program closure planning developing and coordinating a site rehabilitation program developing environmental management strategies (e.g. for water use, wastewater, energy, waste and sustainability)
Information	Information may include: legislation, regulations, guidelines, standards, codes of practice, licence conditions and approval processes environmental management case studies, research findings and models of good practice enterprise environmental management plans, policies, strategies and procedures site/project initial advice statements and risk/impact assessments records of site consultations with interested parties site/project environmental reports (e.g. weekly and monthly monitoring) environmental data sets, such as satellite imagery and remote sensing data geophysical, geochemical, geological, hydrological and meteorological data ecological data, such as distribution of vegetation, fauna and pests social science data, such as demographic and census information land use data, zoning and property classifications historical records and photographs community surveys maps (road and topographical) and aerial photos site utilities/services (e.g. water, sewer, electricity and gas) government reports articles (e.g. online, academic, newspaper and journal)
Sources of information	Sources of information may include: government departments and agencies (e.g. environment, climate change, agriculture and mining) regulatory authorities universities, cooperative research centres utility authorities/companies (e.g. water, gas and electricity) land title office and Valuer General local government records Geoscience Australia Australian Social Science Data Archive companies providing environmental services internet, library/archive collections, annual reports and community newsletters
External expert opinion	External expert opinion may include: government regulators environmental consultants contractors solicitors environmental scientists, engineers and planners professional groups and organisations community leaders tribal elders
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