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Elements and Performance Criteria

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include

interpreting legislativeregulatory requirements and relevant audit standards policies procedures and plans

planning organising and evaluating environmental reviewaudit activities

clearly explaining environmental performance requirements and reviewaudit procedures

communicating effectively with site personnel and encouraging their active participation

working systematically with close attention to detail

analysing information and drawing logical evidencebased conclusions

clearly documenting results required actions and options for improvements

seeking advice when issuesproblems are beyond scope of competenceresponsibility

providing accurate complete and timely reports and briefings

recognising hazards assessing risks and working safely

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

environmental protectionmanagementaudit terminology concepts principles and relevant examples of best practice

legislativeregulatory requirements and compliance strategies

key aspects of enterprise environmental management systemspoliciesproceduresplans

procedures for conducting environmental performance reviewaudit activities

procedures for site sampling environmental monitoring and testing and reporting of results

hazards and risks relevant to reviewaudit activities and specified control measures

correct use of reviewaudit tools eg performance criteria checklists and benchmarks

common examples of environmental nonconformancenoncompliance and correctivepreventative actions and strategies for improving environmental performance

common issues and problems that may arise when conducting environmental reviewaudit activities and the recommended actions in each case

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

following relevant standards andor enterprise procedures for reviewaudit activities

consulting effectively with interested parties and keeping them informed about the reviewaudit process

obtaining sufficient information to draw valid conclusions about environmental performance and providing sound recommendations

providing clear timely reports that enable effective action to be taken

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.

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

Resources may include

background information for site

current site documentation

relevant legislation codes standards enterprise environmental management policies plans and procedures

enterprise reviewaudit procedures and tools

access to site personnel

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

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of results of reviewaudit activities and the supporting documentation prepared by the candidate

feedback from site personnel lead auditor or manager that the candidate follows relevant audit standards and procedures

oralwritten tests involving environmental management terms principles and quantities and enterprise procedures for reviewaudit activities

analysis of case studies involving environmental performance issuesproblems within scope of responsibility

observation of the candidate interacting with site personnel during reviewaudit activities

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 AS/NZS ISO 19011:2003 Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management systems auditing EMS, site plan and information about applicable legislative requirements and approval requirements information about site processes and work schedules information about emergency preparedness and response monitoring 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
Scope of review/audit activities	Scope of review/audit activities may include: components of an initial environmental review (IER) prior to establishing an EMS periodic inspection against environmental management plan requirements for: monitoring and measurement materials and energy usage materials storage and handling, and spills wastewater management air emissions management noise management chemical waste management solid waste management scheduled review/internal audit of site, section, function or work area scheduled review/ internal audit of components of an enterprise EMS, such as: non-conformity, corrective/preventative actions competence, training and awareness programs control of records supplier or contractor performance emergency preparedness and response adequacy of environmental management for new or changed operations, processes and work activities investigation of a complaint, environmental incident or suggested improvements
Information	Information may include: enterprise environmental management policies, procedures, plans and actions enterprise work instructions background information, such as: previous internal review/audit reports previous external audit reports records of complaints, incidents, non-conformance/non-compliance and the corrective and/or preventative actions taken site documentation, such as: minutes of meetings log books, records of environmental monitoring and test results, and regular performance reports records of equipment use, calibration and maintenance records of training instructions for contractors and suppliers external reports (e.g. external experts and regulator) records of observations, inspections and interviews
Review/audit results	Review/audit results may include: observations findings examples of best practice non-conformances/non-compliances with options for corrective and preventative actions, and improvements
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