This unit of competency supports the needs of builders, senior managers and other construction industry professionals responsible for managing environmental practices and processes for medium rise building and construction projects.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare an environmental management plan for the organisation.

1.1. Current shifts in environmental legislation or regulations are analysed in relation to their potential impact on the organisation.

1.2. Best practice and benchmarking methods are used to determine current environmental management performance.

1.3. Project environmental obligations and management requirements are analysed.

1.4. Environmental management plan is prepared on the basis of available information.

1.5. Senior management advice concerning implementation of plan is sought as required.

2. Manage implementation of environmental management plan.

2.1. Staff and contractors are informed of their obligations in implementing the environmental planning process and are monitored for compliance.

2.2. Environmental data gathering systems are evaluated, changes are made as necessary, and system is managed for maximum efficiency and accuracy.

2.3. New projects are evaluated to determine their impact on existing environmental planning obligations.

2.4. Local authorities and regulatory bodies are contacted where the plan requires ongoing external monitoring or overseeing.

2.5. Information concerning updates to the environmental management plan is communicated to staff and stakeholders.

2.6. Environmental management plan evaluation strategy is developed and managed to ensure that the organisation remains on track in the event of changing circumstances.

3. Monitor environmental management plan to ensure that it meets organisational legal obligations.

3.1. Organisational feedback systems are implemented and managed to assist conformance and management of plan.

3.2. Regular feedback is obtained concerning the operations of the environmental management plan to assist the organisation to meet its legal obligations.

3.3. Where necessary, legally required auditing practices to ensure probity and accountability towards legislative requirements are managed and maintained.

3.4. Contact with contractors is maintained and their compliance with environmental management requirements is monitored.

3.5. Emergency and remediation response strategies are implemented as necessary to assist compliance with the environmental management plan.

4. Evaluate and recommend changes to environmental management plan.

4.1. Environmental management plan is reviewed to identify areas that need improvement, and action is taken.

4.2. Measures are introduced to assist staff to suggest more efficient procedures and innovations to improve the performance of the environmental management plan.

4.3. Plans are redrafted to include improvements or address deficiencies found during the monitoring.

4.4. Revised plans are submitted for endorsement by senior management and procedures are changed accordingly.

Required skills

Required skills for this unit are:

analytical skills, including the ability to assess variations in environmental management performance and identify reasons for those variations

communication skills to:

enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand

liaise with subcontractors, staff and clients, as well as with local or regulatory authorities on matters relating to site conditions or approvals

notify personnel of meetings

read and interpret:

documentation from a variety of sources

plans, specifications and drawings

use and interpret non-verbal communication

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

written skills to:

complete site communication requirements

record and report relevant information

numeracy skills to apply calculations

evaluation skills to evaluate previous environmental management performance and identify strengths and weaknesses of the process

management skills, including the ability to develop and implement environmental management plans that improve organisational compliance with environmental obligations and responsibilities

problem solving skills, including the ability to identify environmental management issues and address these before they become contentious or dangerous

staff management skills to effectively manage personnel in the administration of organisational environmental management systems.

Required knowledge

Required knowledge for this unit is:

benchmarking and the establishment of environmental goals

current trends in environmental management and controls

environmental management practices and methodologies

legal and regulatory obligations implicit in environmental requirements

penalties for various breaches of environmental obligations and conformance requirements

relevant licensing arrangements

statistical analysis methodologies.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

This unit of competency could be assessed by effective management of building or construction environmental management practices and processes in medium rise building or construction projects.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

develop effective environmental management action plans and strategies

determine the extent of effective environmental management advice provided to the organisation

assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental management recording and reporting systems and preparation of documentation to organisational standards

assess variations in environmental management performance

implement an effective process to manage improvements to organisational environmental management practices and to reduce the risk of non-conformance

comply with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements

research relevant current trends in environmental management and controls.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

documentation that should normally be available in a building or construction office

relevant codes, standards and regulations

office equipment, including calculators, photocopiers and telephone systems

computers with appropriate software to view 2-D CAD drawings, run costing programs and print copies

a technical reference library with current publications on measurement, design, building construction and manufacturers' product literature

copies of appropriate awards and workplace agreements

a suitable work area appropriate to the construction process.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must:

satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package

include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application

reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles

confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace

where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge

all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Best practice and benchmarking methods include:

comparisons of current, previously established and external environmental management plans

costs associated with environmental conformance

formally or informally prepared performance indicators against environmental management objectives

performance measurements against industry, local authority, regulatory or world standards

specific environmental targets, including emissions, noise, dust, waste disposal, storm and ground water disposal, waste segregation and hazardous materials

statistical record-keeping, using at start, ongoing and at conclusion measurements

strategic comparisons of resources in and residuals out.

Environmental management plan includes:

environmental prohibitions or restrictions to be applied within specific projects

formally or informally gathered information concerning environmental issues and requirements

key people to be consulted or included in decision making

specific forms of activity to be pursued or which are subject to monitoring or evaluation

timeframes and key environmental benchmarks to be achieved.

Environmental data gathering systems include:

conformance reporting on achievement of milestones or performance targets

formal and informal reports from employees and contractors

scheduled environmental management meetings and briefings

statistical and analytical data in support of environmental management objectives.

Feedback systems include:

feedback from regulatory authorities

formal and informal information gathering from employees and contractors

specifically documented processes using formal reporting arrangements

spot checks on aspects of the environmental management process.

Unit sector

Construction

Nil

This unit contains employability skills.