Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

MSS027002A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Apply environmental legislation, codes and standards

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency MSS027002A - Apply environmental legislation, codes and standards
Description This unit of competency covers the ability to interpret and apply the environmental legislation, codes and standards that are relevant to the work area, site, project or program. Personnel are required to access, review and interpret complex legal and technical documents; develop site or project-specific environmental management procedures if required, explain the implications of these documents to site personnel, monitor work activities to ensure compliance, and to prepare reports. They work under the supervision of an environmental scientist or engineer, site manager or enterprise environmental manager. Note that the ability to respond to environmental non-conformances and incidents is covered in MSS027001A Coordinate environmental management activities.
Employability Skills Not applicable.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit of competency is applicable to environmental site coordinators, environmental managers and senior environmental officers working in a range of industry sectors, such as:environmental monitoring, sampling and field testing (e.g. air, water, soil and noise)geotechnical servicesnatural resource managementoccupational hygiene monitoring (e.g. air, noise and radiation)water supply and treatment, storm and wastewater managementsolid and hazardous waste managementsite remediation or rehabilitationresource efficiency (e.g. energy, water, waste auditing).Note that the term ‘manager’ is used to refer to management of a function, project and /or program and does not necessarily imply line management.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Not applicable.
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities 		Slides
PPT 		Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Access and interpret relevant legislation, codes and standards
  • Review legislative, regulatory and licensing requirements and approvals that apply to site/project
  • Analyse the broad significance of these requirements for the enterprise, key job roles and specific work activities
  • Identify legal accountability, obligations and consequences of non-compliance
  • Obtain advice from appropriate personnel about environmental law matters that impact on work area and are outside own scope of knowledge
  • Clarify own scope of responsibility/authority for achieving specific environmental outcomes
       
Element: Ensure project or site specific environmental management procedures comply with requirements
  • Review relevant enterprise environmental management policies, plans and procedures in conjunction with legislative requirements
  • Assess the need for project or site-specific environmental management procedures in consultation with manager
  • Draft new or revised procedures to address any gaps or deficiencies
  • Provide draft documentation to appropriate personnel for review and/or approval prior to use
       
Element: Promote compliance by site personnel
  • Distribute clear information about the environmental management roles and responsibilities of site personnel
  • Provide clear information about enterprise environmental management policies, plans and procedures and work instructions
  • Explain the implications of non-compliance to all site personnel in work area
  • Empower site personnel through coaching and mentoring to manage their own environmental responsibilities
       
Element: Ensure that work activities meet compliance requirements
  • Plan work activities to ensure environmental compliance
  • Recognise when current or planned activities may require changes to existing licences/approvals and notify appropriate personnel
  • Implement environmental management policies, plans and procedures to ensure compliance and achieve environmental objectives and key performance indicators
  • Collect and collate environmental data to support preparation of required reports and compliance information
  • Review environmental data for completeness/accuracy and identify opportunities for improving compliance
  • Complete reporting requirements in accordance with enterprise procedures and legislative requirements
       
Element: Maintain knowledge of legislative requirements
  • Monitor sources of information for changes to relevant legislation codes and standards
  • Regularly update information for site personnel and explain changes to legal requirements that impact on work area
       


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:

researching, interpreting and applying relevant environmental legislative requirements, codes and standards to the site, project or program activities

explaining environmental management roles, responsibilities, obligations and compliance requirements to site personnel

writing clear and concise site or project-specific environmental management procedures or work instructions

monitoring and promoting environmental compliance in work area

identifying opportunities for improving compliance in work area

keeping up-to-date with changes in compliance requirements for the site, project or program.

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:

MSS027001A Coordinate environmental management activities

other MSS027000 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:

site/project history

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

laptop computer and access to enterprise information management system.

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of environmental records and reports generated by the candidate

review of environmental information developed by the candidate and provided to site personnel

feedback from peers and managers that the candidate is able to consistently apply relevant environmental compliance requirements to site/project/program activities

oral/written tests involving compliance requirements and environmental management terms, principles and procedures

analysis of case studies/reports of relevant environmental compliance issues

observation of the candidate 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 work-like environment.

Guidance information for assessment

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, 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:

accessing, interpreting and applying relevant legislative/regulatory requirements, standards, codes and guidelines

analysing and reviewing enterprise environmental management plans, policies, procedures and work instructions for legislative compliance

writing site, or project-specific environmental management procedures and/or work instructions in plain English

clearly explaining environmental management concepts, principles and procedures to others

monitoring the implementation of environmental management plans, policy and procedures, and work instructions by site personnel

analysing site/project environmental data and compliance information, and verifying and reporting results

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

providing accurate, complete and timely reports

maintaining compliance records

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

common legal terminology, such as statute, acts, regulations and ordinances

common sources of environmental legal information

relevant responsible bodies at federal and state/territory levels

major features of federal and state/territory environmental legislation, regulations and local government by-laws, policies and plans that apply to the site, project or program

enterprise environmental management plans, policies, procedures and work instructions that apply to the site, project or program

enterprise procedures for the development, revision and improvement of environmental management policies, plans, procedures and work instructions

enterprise environmental reporting requirements for the site, project or program and reporting procedures

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

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice

Australian Dangerous Goods Code ADG7

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

environmental management plans, policies and procedures

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)

Major features of legislation, codes and standards

Major features of legislation, codes and standards may include:

scope of application, objectives and policies

assessment procedures

works approval procedures

permits

regulation of activities

licensing procedures, terms and conditions

environment protection notices, offences and penalties

notification requirements

auditing requirements

powers of investigation

courts, enforcement provisions and sentencing options

Site personnel

Site personnel may include:

enterprise employees

contractors and subcontractors

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

suppliers and service providers

government/regulator representatives and inspectors

visitors, members of the public, community representatives and landowners

Reports

Reports may include:

weekly environmental reports

monthly environmental reports

regulatory agency reports as required by permit, approval or licence conditions

Sources of information about changes to legislative requirements

Sources of information about changes to legislative requirements may include:

Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) Network

Australasian Legal Information Institute

industry forums

compliance reports

government/industry newsletters

industry journals

information updates from regulatory authorities

websites

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
Review legislative, regulatory and licensing requirements and approvals that apply to site/project 
Analyse the broad significance of these requirements for the enterprise, key job roles and specific work activities 
Identify legal accountability, obligations and consequences of non-compliance 
Obtain advice from appropriate personnel about environmental law matters that impact on work area and are outside own scope of knowledge 
Clarify own scope of responsibility/authority for achieving specific environmental outcomes 
Review relevant enterprise environmental management policies, plans and procedures in conjunction with legislative requirements 
Assess the need for project or site-specific environmental management procedures in consultation with manager 
Draft new or revised procedures to address any gaps or deficiencies 
Provide draft documentation to appropriate personnel for review and/or approval prior to use 
Distribute clear information about the environmental management roles and responsibilities of site personnel 
Provide clear information about enterprise environmental management policies, plans and procedures and work instructions 
Explain the implications of non-compliance to all site personnel in work area 
Empower site personnel through coaching and mentoring to manage their own environmental responsibilities 
Plan work activities to ensure environmental compliance 
Recognise when current or planned activities may require changes to existing licences/approvals and notify appropriate personnel 
Implement environmental management policies, plans and procedures to ensure compliance and achieve environmental objectives and key performance indicators 
Collect and collate environmental data to support preparation of required reports and compliance information 
Review environmental data for completeness/accuracy and identify opportunities for improving compliance 
Complete reporting requirements in accordance with enterprise procedures and legislative requirements 
Monitor sources of information for changes to relevant legislation codes and standards 
Regularly update information for site personnel and explain changes to legal requirements that impact on work area 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSS027002A - Apply environmental legislation, codes and standards
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

MSS027002A - Apply environmental legislation, codes and standards

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: