Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to manually sort waste. The unit covers setting up the sorting site and plant and equipment, and identifying, sorting and separating a range of waste types into required categories and containers including hazardous, dangerous and non-conforming waste streams. It also covers monitoring, emptying and replacing waste containers, labelling and recording waste information, and conducting quality control inspections of sorted waste to ensure compliance. The unit requires the ability to identify and manage hazards and risks in the work area, and use safe work practices while operating and cleaning plant and equipment.
The unit supports those who work under limited supervision in a waste management team.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit of competency in some States where a licence is required to operate various plant, vehicles or equipment used to transport, shift, load, unload, lift, compact or otherwise process waste. Relevant state and territory regulatory authorities should be consulted to confirm those requirements.
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. | Identify waste sorting requirements. | 1.1. | Work requirements are reviewed to identify client needs, waste categories and sorting site in consultation with relevant personnel. |
1.2. | Potential hazards and risks are identified and reported to relevant personnel according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.3. | Plant and equipment required for safe and efficient waste sorting is selected and operated according to organisational requirements and manufacturer specifications. | ||
1.4. | Sorting site is set up to ensure safe and effective waste sorting according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.5. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked and used according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
2. | Sort and separate waste. | 2.1. | Hazardous and dangerous waste and non-conforming waste are identified and handled according to organisational and compliance requirements. |
2.2. | Waste is identified and sorted by waste categories and characteristics according to work requirements. | ||
2.3. | Sorted waste is separated and placed into correct waste category containers to prevent litter in surrounding area. | ||
2.4. | Waste containers are monitored frequently to ensure available storage capacity and secure waste containment. | ||
2.5. | Full waste containers are emptied and replaced promptly to minimise disruption to sorting, according to organisational requirements. | ||
2.6. | Sorted waste is labelled and recorded according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3. | Conduct quality control inspection. | 3.1. | Sorted waste is inspected to ensure quality control and compliance and problems are resolved or reported according to organisational requirements. |
3.2. | Quality control inspection details are documented according to organisational requirements. | ||
4. | Clean up area. | 4.1. | Sorting site, plant and equipment are cleaned to ensure safe and effective future operation according to organisational requirements. |
4.2. | Plant and equipment are checked for good working order and stored, and problems are reported according to organisational requirements and manufacturer specifications. | ||
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 manually sort waste on two different occasions.
While conducting above waste sorting activities, the person must:
review work information to identify client requirements, waste categories and sorting site details
follow organisational procedures to work safely and comply with regulatory and legal requirements
set up the waste sorting site in a manner that ensures effective waste sorting
identify waste types and waste characteristics including hazardous and dangerous waste and non-conforming waste
sort and separate waste into the correct containers
monitor and empty waste containers
label and record sorted waste
inspect segregated waste to ensure quality compliance and resolve identified problems
clean the sorting site, plant and equipment and check plant and equipment to ensure it is in good working order.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
classifications of dangerous goods
hazards and risks associated with waste sorting including hazardous substances and dangerous goods
methods for manually sorting waste including monitoring and sampling waste types
non-conforming waste, including:
contaminated waste
hazardous or dangerous waste
inferior quality and unacceptable waste streams
organisational policies and procedures and regulatory and legal requirements relating to waste sorting
procedures for setting up sorting sites, including:
bunding areas
clearing areas for waste receipt
erecting structures to provide protection from wind and weather
erecting barricades
erecting sorting tables
locating waste containers in appropriate areas
setting up conveyors
resource recovery options
waste categories, including:
solid: non-hazardous
liquid: non-hazardous
hazardous: regulated, prescribed, dangerous goods, quarantined, medical and clinical
recoverable resources
waste characteristics, including:
density
level of contamination
quality
shape
size
volume
weight
waste management plant shut-down, lock-out and isolation procedures.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
personal protective equipment (PPE), as specified by organisational requirements
plant and equipment required for waste sorting, 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 |
Planning and organising skills to: | prioritise work activities to meet work timeframes. |
Numeracy skills to: | calculate waste volumes and weights during sorting activities. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify work information with relevant personnel. |
Reading skills to: | interpret safety data sheets (SDS) related to hazardous waste. |
Writing skills to: | complete waste documents and proformas. |
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. | |
Relevant personnel must include at least one of the following: | client supervisor or team leader team member. |
Compliance requirements must include: | commonwealth, state and territory legislation relating to waste sorting, including: environmental protection hazardous substances and dangerous goods industry codes work health and safety licensing requirements. |
Sectors
Waste management