This unit specifies the skills and knowledge required to manage environmental health operations as a member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

It includes issuing team tasking, supervising operations and monitoring effectiveness of environmental health support.

This unit applies to ADF preventive medicine supervisors.

The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.

Persons undertaking this unit work autonomously with supervisory responsibilities, and perform complex tasks in a broad range of contexts.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Issue tasking for environmental health teams

1.1

Review and clarify as required in consultation with relevant personnel, environmental health support plan to fully ascertain the support required to be delivered

1.2

Brief relevant personnel on recommendations for support requirements in the health support plan

1.3

Determine tasking schedule considering the best use of environmental health assets, time and availability of dependent organisations

1.4

Determine key performance indicators through consultation with relevant personnel and team leaders

1.5

Allocate resources within tasking schedule to ensure teams are equipped to achieve objectives

1.6

Task team leaders in accordance with health support plan and operational requirements

2

Supervise environmental health team operations

2.1

Liaise with dependent organisations to set expectations about service being provided and to establish a common understanding of team performance and interaction

2.2

Identify factors affecting delivery of environmental health support through consultation with team leaders and organisations receiving support

2.3

Identify and implement measures to improve delivery of environmental health support across all teams

2.4

Provide technical guidance to team leaders to ensure correct performance of environmental health measures

2.5

Monitor utilisation of assets and adjust tasking schedule to ensure efficient use of all resources

2.6

Maintain work records to allow reference and tracking of workflow to dependent organisations

2.7

Compile and submit reports and returns in accordance with operational procedure

2.8

Communicate technical environmental health advice to relevant personnel

3

Monitor effectiveness of environmental health support

3.1

Liaise with team leaders and dependent organisations to gauge acceptance, reception and benefits of environmental health support

3.2

Review information sources on environmental health performance

3.3

Monitor changes in environment to continually adapt tasking schedule to current situation

3.4

Optimise team composition, tasking schedule and asset allocation to ensure health support effectiveness

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least two separate occasions and include:

applying relevant legislation, and operational policies and procedures

coaching and mentoring to provide support to personnel

communicating and consulting with relevant stakeholders

confirming tasks are completed

coordinating tasking of at least two teams, of no less than three personnel in each team

developing a tasking schedule utilising environmental health assets

ensuring efficient use of resources

maintaining administrative procedures

managing factors affecting delivery issues and problems

mentoring team leaders to achieve team tasking and objectives

prioritising tasking.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

food safety standards including:

food storage and distribution standards

hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) approach to food control

legal rights and responsibilities

methods of establishing field hygiene and waste facilities

principles and techniques associated with:

establishing key performance indicators

leading people

making decisions

preparing tasking schedules and plans

team leadership management

time management strategies to set priorities

process of disease including the causes of disease transmission

relevant administrative procedures

relevant legislation, and organisational policies and procedures

risk management principles

role and capabilities of other health care providers including:

relevant environmental health personnel

scheduling resources

tasking must include one or more of the following:

applying the permethrin protection system

assisting in ongoing health threat assessment and health surveillance

collecting water samples for laboratory analysis

contributing to epidemiologic quick assessment of disease

contributing to organisational compliance with work health and safety (WHS) and industrial hygiene policy/procedure

coordinating field waste management

implementing strategies to control transmission of disease

inspecting and monitoring water distribution for safe water handling practices

monitoring food hygiene and preventing transmission of disease via ingested sources

operating pesticide dispersal equipment

performing a water quality survey of an established water distribution point

performing chlorine dosing of water at the point of supply.

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations, where it is appropriate to do so; where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate workplace conditions.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulations based on a range of operational situations from recent and historical experience to tailor tasking

dependent personnel – team leaders and team members

relevant and appropriate materials, tools, equipment, stores and personal protective equipment currently used in industry

relevant documentation including operational procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

Not applicable.

Preventive Health