Application
This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to coordinate environmental activities on a vessel to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, permits and/or licences.
This unit applies to people working in the maritime industry as an Engineer Watchkeeper, or a Marine Engineer Class 3 Near Coastal, or a Master up to 500 gross tonnage (GT), or a Master up to 80 metres Near Coastal.
This unit has links to legislative and certification requirements.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Confirm environmental management responsibilities | 1.1 | Legislative and regulatory requirements, and approvals that apply to the vessel are interpreted |
1.2 | Own scope of authority/responsibility for achieving specific environmental outcomes for the vessel and the roles of other key personnel are clarified | ||
1.3 | Resources available to implement environmental management policies for the vessel are identified | ||
2 | Develop a positive environmental reputation | 2.1 | Stakeholders, their relationship to the vessel and perceived attitudes about the vessel are identified |
2.2 | Appropriate strategies are used to foster the trust and confidence of stakeholders | ||
2.3 | Requests for information are responded to in the appropriate format and a timely manner | ||
2.4 | Difficult situations are identified and solutions are negotiated using a collaborative approach | ||
2.5 | Regular feedback is obtained and used to enhance positive relations | ||
3 | Provide environmental management information and training | 3.1 | Environmental management plans and recent incident reports are used to identify training needs of crew members |
3.2 | Information and training is developed and provided to ensure all crew members understand their environmental obligations/responsibilities | ||
3.3 | Crew member understanding of environmental obligations/responsibilities for work areas and activities is confirmed | ||
3.4 | Effectiveness of the information and training is monitored and additional information/training is provided as required | ||
4 | Assess environmental impacts and risks | 4.1 | Activities are reviewed to identify implications for environmental management |
4.2 | Potential risks and incidents that may cause harm to the environment are identified | ||
4.3 | Inspections and in situ measurements are conducted to quantify risks and impacts | ||
4.4 | Assessment of risks and impacts are reported according to organisational procedures | ||
5 | Ensure environmental monitoring and management plans are implemented | 5.1 | Environmental monitoring instruments are checked to ensure they are fully functioning |
5.2 | Specified environmental monitoring and inspections are conducted to check performance against environmental management requirements | ||
5.3 | Additional monitoring/inspections are conducted after atypical events or requests from authorities to assess whether environmental management plan is operating | ||
5.4 | Results for monitoring/inspections are analysed to identify significant trends, non-conformance and/or incidents | ||
6 | Respond to environmental non-conformance and incidents | 6.1 | Unusual situations, unexpected risks/hazards and potential/actual environmental incidents are recognised |
6.2 | Organisational procedures for responding to environmental noncompliance and incidents are implemented to ensure prompt control and remediation | ||
6.3 | Causes of noncompliance and incidents are investigated according to organisational procedures | ||
6.4 | Findings are analysed to identify opportunities to improve work practices, environmental controls, crew training and/or management procedures | ||
6.5 | Corrective/preventative actions are implemented to prevent recurrence of noncompliance and incidents, and to reduce risks | ||
6.6 | Reports are completed according to organisational procedures | ||
7 | Keep the Master informed about environmental performance | 7.1 | Regular reports about environmental performance are provided |
7.2 | Opportunities and recommendations for improvements are reported | ||
7.3 | Master’s advice is sought when challenges are beyond own scope of technical competence or when input from environmental specialist may be required | ||
8 | Maintain environmental records | 8.1 | Required records are prepared and maintained according to regulatory and organisational requirements |
8.2 | Records are stored to enable easy access and review by authorised personnel according to regulatory and organisational requirements | ||
Evidence of Performance
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 one occasion and include:
accessing, interpreting and applying regulatory requirements
applying procedures for monitoring vessel operations and ensuring compliance with International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) requirements are fully observed
clearly explaining environmental management concepts, principles and procedures to others
maintaining accurate environmental records
maintaining actions to ensure a positive environmental reputation
monitoring the implementation of environmental management plans, policy and procedures, and specified work methods
regularly inspecting vessel for environmental risks and impacts
responding to complaints and requests for information from authorities and authorised personnel.
Evidence of Knowledge
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:
ant-pollution procedures and all associated equipment
environmental legislative/regulatory requirements and responsibilities relevant to the vessel
environmental protection/management terminology, concepts and principles
importance of proactive measures to protect the marine environment
organisational environmental management plans, procedures, control measures and management actions for vessel
organisational procedures for:
identifying and assessing environmental risks and impacts
managing stakeholder relations
responding to complaints and other environmental incidents
record management and reporting
precautions to be taken to prevent pollution of the marine environment
vessel characteristics and environmental issues, risks and impacts
work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements and work practices.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must satisfy National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (NVR)/Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) assessor requirements.
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 reflect workplace conditions.
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.
Resources for assessment must include access to:
tools, equipment, machinery, materials and personal protective equipment currently used in industry
applicable documentation such as legislation, regulations, codes of practice, workplace procedures and operational manuals
range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance. |
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency. |
Range Statement
Specifies different 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. Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. | |
Legislative and regulatory requirements, and approvals include one or more of the following: | Australian and international standards commonwealth legislation and regulations Marine Orders International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) circulars state/territory legislation and regulations |
Stakeholders include one or more of the following: | cargo owners government officials port authorities |
Information and training include one or more of the following: | due diligence and duty to notify environmental management actions and checklists, methods/procedures for specific activities incident management and reporting introduction to vessel, environmental considerations and sources of environmental information legislative requirements licensing/compliance requirements organisational environmental management policy |
Potential risks and incidents include one or more of the following: | ballast water discharge disposal of waste material including sewage and garbage over-side maintenance work spill or release of hazardous chemicals/materials |
Environmental monitoring instruments include one or more of the following: | emission control equipment fuel management systems oily water separators waste storage monitoring equipment |
Reports include one or more of the following: | hazard near miss report form monthly environmental report non-conformance report form regulatory agency reports vessel incident investigation report waste disposal log books weekly environmental report |
Records include one or more of the following: | contractor and supplier information correspondence digital photographs environmental monitoring data records of training records of monitoring equipment purchase, calibration, inspection, maintenance and service records of environmental non-conformance, incidents or significant impacts records required by permit, approval or licence conditions |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Competency Field
J - Environment