Elements and Performance Criteria

Applicable legislation, codes and national standards must relate to
Australian Standards, quality assurance and certification requirements
award and enterprise agreements
licensing arrangements
relevant codes of practice
relevant Commonwealth/state/territory legislation which affects organisational operation:
anti-discrimination and diversity
environmental issues
equal employment opportunity
industrial relations
occupational health and safety.

Appropriate person may include
assessor, colleague, supervisor and trainer.

Industry procedures may involve
compacting waste
developing an environmental management strategy
developing waste management plans
dispatching processed waste
educating the public on waste and cleaner production techniques
identification of waste types:
solid (non-hazardous) e.g. construction and demolition
liquid (non-hazardous) e.g. chemical aqueous
recoverable resources e.g. recyclable and green waste
maintaining waste processing plant and equipment
manual sorting of waste
monitoring and maintaining waste disposal site
moving waste
operating waste processing plant
preparing waste for re-use
rehabilitating landfill site
resource recovery
responding to waste emergency
segregation of waste
selling recoverable waste to the public in a tip shop environment
storage of waste
waste audit
waste minimisation
waste receival
waste recovery
waste recycle and recovery .

Occupational health and safety includes
identification of hazardous waste:
clinical-related
prescribed
quarantined
regulated
understanding of company OHS guidelines such as the use of appropriate personal protective equipment:
appropriate footwear
breathing apparatus
communications equipment
emergency procedure guides
eye protection
eyewash kit
face shield/mask
fire extinguishers
First Aid kit
gloves
hard hat
hearing protection
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
overalls and protective clothing
spill kit.

Opportunities for development may include
access and equity policy, principles and practice
career planning/development
coaching, mentoring and/or supervision
formal/informal learning programs
internal/external training provision
personal study
quality assurance assessment and recommendations
recognition of current competency assessment
recognition of prior learning assessment
records and information systems and processes
work experience/exchange opportunities
workplace skills assessment.

Rights and responsibilities of employees may relate to
confidentiality and privacy rights, knowing the terms and conditions of own employment, protection from discrimination and sexual harassment, safety and care with respect to occupational health and safety requirements and taking direction from supervisors.

Rights and responsibilities of employers may relate to
responsibility of providing a safe environment free from discrimination and sexual harassment (see relevant state and Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation)
the right to dismiss you if you commit a criminal offence; are negligent, careless or cause an accident; commit acts of disloyalty such as revealing confidential information (see the Commonwealth Workplace Relations Act 1996).

Waste minimisation hierarchy includes, by level weighting of importance
reduce, re-use, recycle and dispose.

Critical aspects of competency
Accurately interpret organisational information to ensure an effective understanding of various roles and responsibilities and organisational processes and procedures.
Access, interpret and comply with a range of legislative and procedural requirements relevant to specific assignment procedures.
Develop effective and person relationships through the application of organisational social, ethical and operational standards and use of appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques.

Knowledge needed to achieve the performance criteria
Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below.
Legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to specific waste management functions.
Types of waste management situations and responses.
Organisational structure and reporting channels.
Terms and conditions of employment.
Workplace communication channels and procedures.
Company pricing schedules.
Principles of effective communication.
OHS issues and requirements.

Specific skills needed to achieve the performance criteria

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These are:

communicating in a clear and concise manner in both written and verbal modes
requesting advice or further information
clarifying and confirming legal issues associated with job specifications and procedures
seeking and receiving feedback
working on an individual basis and within a team in a range of waste management activities
use of information technology appropriate to specific tasks
sourcing, organising and recording information
processing workplace documentation
estimating time to complete activities and prioritise tasks
relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and varying physical and mental abilities.

Other units of competency that could be assessed with this unit

This unit could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function, for example:

PRMWM05B Identify and segregate waste
PRMWM11B Respond to waste emergency
PRMWM44B Identify wastes and hazards
PRMCMN201A Participate in workplace safety arrangements
PRMCMN203A Provide effective customer service
BSBCMN215B Participate in environmental work practices.

Resources required to assess this unit

The following resources should be available:

access to suitable venue and equipment
access to relevant guidelines and regulations
assignment instructions, work plans and schedules, policy documents and duty statements
assessment instruments, including personal planner and assessment record book.

Gaining evidence to assess this unit
For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, the competency should be demonstrated over a period of time and be observed by the assessor (or assessment team working together to conduct the assessment). The competency is to be demonstrated in a range of situations, which may include customer/workplace interruptions and involvement in related activities normally experienced in the workplace.
Evidence of competency is best obtained by observing activities in this field and reviewing the preparation of a detailed tender. If this is not practicable, observations in realistic simulated environments may be substituted.

Consistency in performance
Assessment requires that the plan meets the objectives of the client and that it complies with industry expectations in the particular client environment. If the environment is narrowly defined or is not representative of industry needs, it may be necessary to refer to portfolio case studies of a variety of waste requirements to assess induction competency.
Oral questioning or written assessment and hypothetical situations (scenarios) may be used to assess underpinning knowledge. (In assessment situations where the candidate is offered a preference between oral questioning and written audit, questions are to be identical.)
Supplementary evidence may be obtained from relevant authenticated correspondence from existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.
Note: All practical demonstrations must adhere to the safety and environmental regulations relevant to each state or territory.

Communicating ideas and information
Collect, interpret and comply with legislative, OHS and procedural requirements applicable to each assignment. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Discuss and verify with colleagues or the supervisor own role and responsibilities to ensure compliance with assignment and organisational requirements. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Measure and prioritise work tasks to meet operational schedules in an efficient and effective manner. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Provide support and assistance within the team to complete work tasks within designated timelines. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Use mathematics to measure and schedule tasks. (1)

Solving problems
Clarify contradictory or ambiguous information or instructions with colleagues or the supervisor. (1)

Using technology
Use technology to access, organise and record information. (1)