Application
This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to care for the environment during rail infrastructure maintenance and construction activities in accordance with rail industry standards, safeworking and regulatory requirements, and workplace procedures. It includes minimising the effects of pollution during work, and transporting and handling hazardous materials safely in accordance with environmental protection regulations and guidelines. Work must be carried out in accordance with relevant state/territory environmental protection regulations and workplace procedures. Work is performed under some supervision generally within a team environment. It involves the application of basic environmental protection principles and regulations when undertaking rail infrastructure maintenance and construction activities. No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Minimise the effects of pollution during work | 1.1 | Precautions are taken to ensure spilt fuel, lubricants, chemicals and noxious plants do not pollute the environment |
1.2 | Equipment and vehicles are operated efficiently to minimise air pollution through excessive exhaust emissions | ||
1.3 | Unnecessary running of engines/equipment is avoided to minimise air pollution | ||
1.4 | Worksites are kept clean and tidy during work operations and waste is disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations and workplace procedures | ||
1.5 | Contaminants from worksites are contained by use of appropriate traps and barriers | ||
1.6 | Noise pollution from work is minimised | ||
2 | Minimise the effects of pollution during maintenance | 2.1 | Housekeeping and environmental protection precautions and procedures are implemented during maintenance and construction activities |
2.2 | Rubbish is deposited in designated rubbish disposal bins | ||
3 | Avoid environmental damage | 3.1 | Sensitive sites in the work vicinity are identified |
3.2 | Suitable precautions are taken to avoid damage to identified sensitive sites | ||
4 | Transport/handle environmentally hazardous materials safely | 4.1 | Instructions contained in safety data sheets (SDSs)/material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for safe transportation requirements are followed in accordance with Australian Dangerous Goods Code and workplace requirements |
4.2 | Contaminants are disposed of in accordance with relevant regulations, workplace procedures and guidelines | ||
4.3 | Environmentally hazardous materials are handled and moved in accordance with relevant regulations, and workplace procedures and guidelines aimed at minimising the risk of environmental pollution | ||
5 | Report environmental breaches | 5.1 | Environmental breaches are identified |
5.2 | Workplace procedures for reporting environmental breaches are implemented | ||
5.3 | Required documentation is completed and processed in accordance with relevant regulations and workplace procedures |
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: |
adapting to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with operating procedures applying relevant workplace procedures disposing of waste and effluent in accordance with regulations and workplace procedures following relevant workplace procedures, safety data sheets (SDSs)/material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and regulatory requirements for handling and moving pollutants following routine service and maintenance procedures for equipment and vehicles identifying and correctly using equipment and vehicles in accordance with environmental protection regulations and guidelines identifying culturally sensitive sites identifying job hazards and taking required action to minimise, control or eliminate identified hazards identifying the pollution likely to affect the workplace and the effect on the job role implementing contingency plans interpreting and following operational instructions and performing work tasks in required sequence minimising the effects of a number of different pollutants during work in a variety of situations modifying activities depending on operational contingencies, risk situations and environments reading and interpreting relevant instructions, procedures and information recognising potential pollution risks and ways of minimising them reporting and/or rectifying identified problems promptly, in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures undertaking precautions to prevent polluting the environment within the workplace. |
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: |
application of relevant environmental protection regulations and requirements including site specific licence and trade waste requirements emission control checking requirements for vehicles and relevant equipment environmental hazards and toxicity of materials typically carried in loads environmental protection standards required when undertaking rail infrastructure maintenance and construction activities environmental risks when undertaking rail infrastructure maintenance and construction activities and related precautions to control the risk physical environment in which rail safety work is to be carried out, including climatic conditions, noise, vibration and fumes procedures and processes for waste and effluent regulation relevant safety, work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental protection regulations SDSs/MSDSs service and maintenance procedures site layout including location of rubbish disposal bins and run-off protection measures typical problems that can occur when caring for the environment, and appropriate action that can be taken to prevent or solve these problems workplace procedures and guidelines for caring for the environment during rail infrastructure maintenance and construction. |
Assessment Conditions
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 must occur in workplace operational situations or, where this is not available, in simulated workplace operational situations that replicate rail corridor 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 include: a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations relevant and appropriate materials, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment currently used in industry applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, rail industry standards, SDSs/MSDSs, codes of practice and operation manuals. |
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.
Non-essential conditions can be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.
Sectors
Not applicable.
Competency Field
U – Environment