Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to respond to emergencies at a waste management site. The unit covers identifying and reporting emergency details as well as identifying existing and potential hazards and risks and strategies for their mitigation. It also covers implementing, monitoring and evaluating emergency response procedures and identifying contingency measures required to reduce the impact of the emergency. The unit requires the ability to clean-up the site to finalise the emergency response, and record and report the full details of response actions.
The unit supports those who work under limited supervision in a waste management team.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Prepare to respond to waste emergency. | 1.1. | Waste emergency details are identified according to organisational requirements. |
1.2. | Full details of emergency are reported to relevant personnel according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.3. | Strategies to mitigate identified hazards and risks are identified and followed according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.4. | Emergency and personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked and used according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
2. | Carry out and monitor waste emergency response procedures. | 2.1. | Waste emergency response procedures are followed according to organisational and compliance requirements. |
2.2. | Containment and isolation of emergency situation is conducted to minimise danger to people, property and the environment. | ||
2.3. | Emergency response procedures are monitored and continuously evaluated, and modifications are made to reduce the impact of the emergency. | ||
2.4. | Emergency situation is controlled until formal relief is notified or received, according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3. | Finalise waste emergency response. | 3.1. | Clean-up to remove waste, contamination, equipment and hazards from the emergency site is conducted according to organisational and compliance requirements. |
3.2. | Regulated waste identification signage is updated as required according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3.3 | PPE is cleaned, checked and stored, and damaged or faulty equipment is reported according to organisational requirements. | ||
3.4. | Full details of emergency situation and response actions are recorded and reported according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also respond to two different waste emergency situations. For each emergency situation, the person must:
accurately report the details of the emergency situation to relevant personnel
control the emergency situation by monitoring and evaluating response procedures, and implementing contingency measures as required to reduce the impact of the emergency
identify strategies to mitigate hazards and risks during the emergency response
implement evacuation and containment and isolation procedures
follow organisational procedures to work safely and comply with regulatory and legal requirements when responding to emergencies
carry out clean-up activities to remove waste, contamination, equipment and hazards from the emergency site.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
compliance requirements for waste management emergency response, including those relating to environmental protection, dangerous goods and hazardous substances
organisational policies and procedures relating to waste management emergency response
emergency response procedures for waste management sites, including:
containing and isolating emergencies
site management plan and locating:
alarms
emergency equipment
communications equipment
clean-up procedures
types of identification signage used for regulated waste including hazardous class, HAZCHEM codes and classification of dangerous goods
types of waste management emergencies, including:
chemical reaction
contamination
fire
gas leak
waste spill
contact with live electricity including powerlines
waste types, including:
solid: non-hazardous
liquid: non-hazardous
hazardous: regulated, prescribed, dangerous goods, quarantined, medical and clinical
recoverable resources.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
emergency and personal protective equipment (PPE), as specified by organisational requirements
relationships with team members and supervisor:
working under limited supervision.
Timeframe:
as specified by organisational requirements.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify emergency instructions give clear information when reporting emergency information. |
Reading skills to: | interpret safety data sheets related to hazardous waste interpret safety signage. |
Writing skills to: | complete incident reports. |
Problem-solving skills to: | identify contingency procedures to reduce the impact of the emergency. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Waste emergency details must include: | existing and potential hazards and risks nature and severity of emergency waste types involved. |
Relevant personnel must include at least two of the following: | colleagues emergency services officers environmental protection officers other affected parties supervisors or team leaders. |
Compliance requirements must include: | commonwealth, state and territory legislation relating to waste emergencies, including: environmental protection hazardous substances and dangerous goods industry codes work health and safety. |
Waste emergency response procedures must include: | containment and isolation evacuation of personnel isolating or shutting down equipment and plant using PPE. |
Containment and isolation must include at least two of the following: | bunding erecting barricades moving vehicle or equipment away from hazardous area transferring waste using fire extinguishers water-hosing. |
Sectors
Waste management