Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to cover a waste batter at a landfill site. The unit covers preparing for plant operation by reviewing work specifications, identifying hazards and risks, and organising required equipment, tools and materials including a stockpile of suitable cover material. It also covers conducting pre-operational checks of plant and equipment to ensure correct and safe operation and resolving identified problems. The unit requires following manufacturer specifications to start, operate, isolate, shut down, clean and maintain plant and equipment. It requires the ability to work with others to maintain communication while operating plant, and monitor gauges, inputs and outputs to ensure optimal operation and safety at all times. The unit also requires the ability to place an even and smooth cover over waste which conforms to the required type of cover, thickness and depth, and minimises erosion.
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. | Prepare to cover waste. | 1.1. | Work specifications are reviewed in consultation with relevant personnel to identify waste covering requirements. |
1.2. | Plant and associated equipment, tools and materials for waste covering are selected and obtained according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.3. | Suitable cover material is organised to ensure adequate stockpile is available on site according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.4. | Personal protective equipment (PPE) is selected, checked and used according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.5. | Landfill cell is assessed to determine waste cover requirements according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.6. | Hazards and risks are identified and managed or reported according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.7. | Safety barriers and signs are erected at work site to ensure safe operating procedures according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
2. | Conduct pre-operational checks on plant and equipment. | 2.1. | Pre-start visual checks and service checks are conducted according to manufacturer specifications, organisational and compliance requirements. |
2.2. | Plant systems and associated equipment are tested for correct functioning according to manufacturer specifications and organisational requirements. | ||
2.3. | Associated equipment is checked and tested to ensure it is operating effectively according to manufacturer specifications. | ||
3. | Operate plant to cover waste. | 3.1. | Plant is started, operated and driven in a safe and efficient manner according to manufacturer specifications and organisational requirements. |
3.2. | Surrounding environment is continuously observed to identify and avoid or minimise potential hazards. | ||
3.3. | Plant operation and gauges are monitored to ensure correct operational functioning according to manufacturer specifications. | ||
3.4. | Communication with other personnel is maintained to ensure safe plant operation according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3.5. | Waste is covered safely and efficiently according to work and organisational requirements. | ||
3.6. | Even and smooth cover is placed over waste batter according to cover type, organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3.7. | Waste cover is checked to ensure it conforms to required thickness and depth and erosion is minimised according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3.8. | Cover is traversed repeatedly to ensure a smooth, tight and compacted surface. | ||
4. | Finalise waste covering activities. | 4.1. | Plant is shut down according to manufacturer specifications and organisational requirements. |
4.2. | Plant is parked or stored in a safe location to avoid damage to plant, obstruction of surrounding site activity, and unauthorised use. | ||
4.3. | Plant and associated equipment are cleaned to remove debris and contamination and ensure safe and efficient operation according to manufacturer specifications. | ||
4.4. | Record of covering activities are completed 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 cover waste at a landfill site on two separate occasions.
While conducting waste covering activities, the person must:
conduct an assessment of the landfill cell to correctly identify:
accessibility due to weather or ground conditions
cover material requirements for batter and stage of landfill development
prepare for the plant operation by interpreting work specifications and organising the required equipment, materials and personnel
follow organisational procedures to work safely and comply with regulatory and legal requirements
follow manufacturer specifications to:
conduct pre-operational checks of the plant and associated equipment to confirm correct function and operation, including:
pre-start visual checks, as specified in the range of conditions
service checks, as specified in the range of conditions
clean the plant and associated equipment
start-up, shut-down and isolate the plant
identify waste contaminants and non-conformances
use industry-approved techniques to cover and create a batter ensuring:
an even, smooth and tight cover is placed over the waste batter
erosion is minimised
correct depth and thickness.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
classifications of waste
equipment and materials which may be required to operate, clean and maintain plant for waste covering
hazards and risks associated with waste covering
key features of the waste management hierarchy
organisational policies and procedures and regulatory and legal requirements relating to covering waste
procedures used to start-up, shut-down, isolate, maintain and clean plant used for waste covering
techniques used to cover waste in a landfill cell to maintain the batter and minimise erosion
types, streams and characteristics of waste including hazardous and dangerous waste
types of waste cover materials, their uses and benefits
waste non-conformances and contaminants.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
plant and equipment required to cover waste, as specified by organisational requirements
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 work information with relevant personnel. |
Reading skills to: | interpret safety data sheets related to hazardous waste interpret signage when monitoring plant operation. |
Writing skills to: | record plant operation details using organisational 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. | |
Work specifications must include at least five of the following: | materials for covering activities details of special burials, including: classification of waste characteristics of waste waste types emergency and PPE requirements tools, equipment, labour and material requirements landfill development sequence plant operation requirements potential hazards and risks reporting requirements site requirements waste types to be processed work schedules. |
Relevant personnel must include at least one of the following: | supervisor or team leader team member. |
Compliance requirements must include: | commonwealth, state and territory legislation relating to waste covering, including: environmental protection hazardous substances and dangerous goods industry codes work health and safety licensing requirements. |
Pre-start visual checks must include checks for: | blockages component wear damage leaks obstructions potential hazards. |
Cover type must include at least one of the following: | daily cover intermediate cover final cover. |
Sectors
Waste management